Dear All,
The following is a copy of the letter sent to all responsible people who had to do something about this issue, lest the university of Sri Lanka may go into obivion. Pls forward it to as many as you seem fit and to whom you think are responsible. To a brighter university system....
Distinguished Professors, Lecturers, Faculty Members and my dear colleagues,
University Motto of UoP
Sarvasva Locanam Sastram - Knowledge is the eye unto all
Inidentally, the modern motto of UoP seems to read:
Ragging is the eye unto all.
I regret that I am the person who should write these words, but nonetheless, I should. Fortunately or unfortunately, a friend of mine forwarded the following links and the other links that I send you herewith – that blew my head away, honestly.
But before anything, I want you all to read:
http://lankacomments.com/files/Incident.pdf
and visit the following web-page: (I suggest installing Sinhala web fonts as well)
http://www.elakiri.com/forum/showthread.php?t=464529
For those ‘un-initiated’ to this, pls visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-ARQ34UIhE
(It’s more or less the same thing related with a different accent and creed – unfortunately, if somebody made such a video here in SL, there’d be severe repercussions from both students and staff….so they stay away, I guess)
Shocked? Or just awareness dawning of something that is second nature to all who’ve attended Peradeniya? Yes, sadly our distinguished institute is back-lashed with mud and what not and that on the Elakiri forum! But the saddest part is, it deserves none other.
I think this has gone too far……All the academic staff turned a blind eye on such incidents when they happened inside the closed doors of the sacred UoP. But since the doors have now opened to the public and it’s no longer a secret, and now that the wolves have shown their masked faces to other ‘real’ academics, you better gear up for what is going to happen in 30 more days……
But before that, read the following points closely and get into your head that in 30 more days, the whole university community around the world will have the same understanding…..unless, of course you can take the correct action to eliminate this matter once and for all….but that’s upto you, now, isn’t it?
1.
It is already a fact that the UoP is sadly in the colonial era and still following the British traditions of ‘Fazing’ when the rest of the world has gone far and abandoned those primitive and inhumane methods of orienting the fresh student to the university society.
2. Some Academic staff at UoP and some other universities in Sri Lanka are still promoting ‘Ragging’ in order to promote unity among the students. Sadly, this is a misplaced opinion as the unity is only a façade to cover up what really goes on behind closed doors…which the inopportune students from Colombo University had to experience a few days back.
3.
I’ve found out lately that the ragging process has already been documented by two very respected academics from Peradeniya itself (one of those persons had passed away a couple of years ago). What I’ve read seems to confirm that that scientific study has revealed only a few (albeit true) aspects ofragging from what we know it to be. The real process of ragging in the present day is much more brutal and inhumane.
4. Therefore, I’ve given those two texts to be translated into English and another article of mine will be made that describes the other half that those two academics missed in their scientific studies. I believe that English is the international language of academic exchange of ideas so that the World University Community will have a better understanding in 30 more days…..Oh, how I wish that they never get that opportunity read those translations…..pls help me
5.
An exhaustive list of journalists (I’ve only managed 82 so far) will be referenced so that the members of the World University Community can ascertain if these allegations of incidents at Hantana and all the others that will be listed out are true or not. Of course, you can still stop it within these 30 days – if you want to.
6. I don’t have proof to say if it’s a political force which keeps sponsoring ragging at UoP (which sadly is a fact that can be come across by simple deduction), but whatever force it may be, I think that force will have to take the responsibility when the Engineers Mobility Forum (EMF) are going to retract their name from anything remotely connected with the UoP. Oh, did I mention what will probably befall the Provisional Membership of the Washington Accord? My goodness, such a prestigious institute as UoP with such hideous ideas to hide…..
7.
Indirectly, the IESL and the rest of the universities in the island will be affected by this revelation. Foreign universities may no longer accept potential students from Sri Lanka for Post-Graduate studies. Funding will be hard to find. And academic idea exchange? Well, who would want to exchange any sort of ideas with people who promote or who do not take any preventive action to stop these ‘criminal offences’ from happening?
Believe me, with some little changes in the University Constitution, this epidemic can be wiped out but the legislative committee is keeping to their hides so that they would not offend the all powerful Student’s Union. Well people, you’ve got a lot of work to do in the following 30 days – nay 29 days, cause on the 30th, you will decide the future of the University system in Sri Lanka. Pls don’t under-estimate this proposal: if I reached out to all of you, I can reach out to others as well…..it’s your choice that will decide the future
So there you go. Just 30 more days for the UoP and the rest of the people concerned – including the UGC and the Higher Education Ministry to take the necessary legislative actions:
a.
Come up with the new statutes to eradicate this menace of ‘ragging’
b. Implement them so that the public will know that a change has been made
c. And make a solemn promise to all the mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, relatives and the loved ones of the next promising batch of youngsters who will lead the country in a few more years…..that their children are safe from the evil arm of ‘ragging’ + ragging will be a criminal offence for university students + no incident will be tolerated regarding ragging + the punishment will be jail term and/or at least 1 year suspension of university education to the accused (nothing less).
d. As I’ve said, this will indirectly affect other universities including Colombo, the IESL, Moratuwa and so on. So I’d like to suggest that they give a helping hand as well to make for a better future.
If you think that this will break the University system at UoP and the rest of the universities that should be concerned about this issue – so be it. This is the moment where you can change the system for the good of the students and not to keep it going under a tainted façade where the ruling law behind it is called RAG. Don’t worry, the eradication of ragging will only boost up the academic progress and the civility of students.
It’s time to make a change for the good, it’s time that we wrote the university laws and remade it to suit our culture – not the culture of the British. Have we still not earned independence yet even after the end of the bloody 30 year old war? Well, that’s sadly what freshers of UoP have thought and will think in the future….unless, you responsible people do something about it….
Don’t stay cocooned inside the veneer of the academic that you are….Give back something to the public….Not just academic ideas, but somethinghumane…..something that will put a smile on the young freshers’ faces at the first day at campus….why do they always have to cry or be made to do nasty things which their parents will never allow had they known…..
BTW, the world university ranking for UoP is currently 3427 (I doubt it will rise further if they knew the internal issues of UoP), so we have a long way to go and presently, nothing much to boast about….we might as well promote our academic prowess rather than the mentally deranged process of ragging…..am I right?
Don’t forget that in 2004 (if I’m informed correctly), an academic was assaulted as well over a ragging issue, something to do with a water incident….with, let’s say, minor penalties for 17 students who did it….that’s how the system functions incidentally (under the guidance of the Almighty Students’ Union)
It’s time that the academic community of the UoP and the rest of the universities got together and sorted out these issues…..we can build a better university system – don’t be afraid, look at all the other universities around the world. Have they gained such high reputations by enforcing ragging to promote unity? I don’t think so. We, and a few other Indian institutes are the only ones foolish enough to have thought so.
Let’s get out of this colonial mentality and do some good - for once repay to the society of what you’ve gained from free education and the tax money of those unfortunate parents of freshers from whom you get your salary.
That being said, please bear in mind that you’ve only got 30 days…and then BOOM! The whole world will know…and what’s more – they’ll have some good references to validate what they will be made to know. It’s fool-proof. So don’t waste your time trying to find a loop-hole through this. Rather, try to get a permanent solution and stop this menace once and for all. That way, the world will NOT know, and the university will be a safer place for freshers as well as outsiders (what an irony).
I hope that you will take me seriously cos’ even I don’t like to do what I would have to do in another 30 days.
From what little I know, the present VC is a fine academic with a good heart and sound mind. So are the Deans of the rest of the faculties. Let them have the courage to do what their predecessors should have done years ago - let them have the strength to not to take spineless decisions enforced by the Students' Union. I ask the UGC and the Higher Education Ministry to intervene at this critical moment. I beg the President of this sovereign state to intervene and save us from this predicament. Give them a hand to make UoP and the other universities in this country better. They can do it with your help. I’m sure.
Thanks,
Yours sincerely
A lover of UoP in debt to its future and its future students
p.s:
Don’t forget that before the next 30 days are up, I have to learn about your good deeds from the same community forums and the like….otherwise, how would I know…