118 students suspended from studentship: IUSF

Daily Mirror, 02/11/2011

The Inter University Students’ Federation (IUSF) said today that as many as 118 university students had been suspended from their studentship during the past few months due to their alleged involvement in various violent activities during the past few months.

IUSF Convener Sanjeewa Bandara told the Daily Mirror that 32 of these suspended students are from the Sri Jayewardenepura University, two from Kelaniya University, 13 from Rajarata University, two from the Sabaragamuwa University, two from the Institute of Indigenous Medicine, three from the Ruhuna University and 56 from the Buddhasravaka Bikkhu University.

Mr. Bandara cited all these suspensions as attempts by the government to suppress the rights of students with dissenting political voices.

When asked for a comment Director General-Students’ Affairs Keerthi Mavellage said that action had been taken against them due to their alleged involvements in violence. He said that these students had instigated violence at their universities.

“We have suspended them for varying periods of time. Some have been suspended for three months and the others for one month etc.,” he alleged. (By Kelum Bandara)