Ministerial brat takes war of terror to Royal College
Royal College: Standing firm with its tradition of discipline (inset) Keheliya: My son did not do it and Principal Gunasekera: unshaken amidst the threats
By Ranjith Jayasundera
Controversy has engulfed Colombo's proud and esteemed Royal College with the school's old boy's union and Principal locked in a bitter battle with Government Spokesman, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, over the conduct of his son within the school.
The minster's attempts to meddle in school affairs and bring down the might of the government on a disciplinary inquiry sheds ample light on this government's attitude towards the 'impunity' enjoyed by its own kith and kin and draws attention once again to therole of ministerial brats.
Robbed
Rambukwella's son, Ramith, along with four other students of Royal College, have been found by the school to have forcibly broken into the room of Senior Games Master,Sudath Liyanagunawardena, and having robbed his room of files relating to the assault of another student by these very baby goons.
In true Medamulane gangster style, the ministerial brat and his trusty sidekicks had forced open the door lock with a crowbar before ransacking the room and making off with the incriminating files.
When the school authorities discovered the break in, they had alerted the Cinnamon Gardens Police, who immediately visited Royal College and took fingerprints from the crime scene.
In the process of the school's internal inquiry, Principal Upali Gunasekera managed to identify the culprits, and four out of the five (all but Ramith Rambukwella) confessed to having committed the crime.
With virtue to their confessions, Principal Gunasekera debarred the four students from all co-curricular activities including sports for a period of one month. However, given the amount of evidence against Ramith Rambukwella and the fact that he refused to confess, the principal ruled that he would receive the same punishment over a longer period of three months.( see box for part of confession of one student)
Minister Rambukwella's wife was summoned during the course of the inquiry and was shown by the principal, the written confessions of the other four boys involved, all of whom claimed that her son was the mastermind behind the break in.
The minister's wife had little to say, and Keheliya proved that the insubordination and cockiness genes were the result of his chromosomes with his performance the next day.
Government Spokesman and Cabinet Minister Keheliya Rambukwella arrived at Royal College with his wife and several beefy, armed security personnel in tow, and sat before the principal of Royal College, denying any involvement of his son in the break in and robbery.
Inside
The minister according to inside sources threatened to drag Principal Gunasekera before the Human Rights Commission and to file a Fundamental Rights case against him in the Supreme Court, if he did not immediately withdraw the punishment meted out to his brat.
It appears that Minister Rambukwella feels that anyone connected to the government has a 'fundamental right' to do as they please and abuse any law and rule they wish, with things like discipline and culpability being reserved exclusively for commoners-the 'other kind'.It appeared the government's war on terror had been taken to the hallowed portals of Royal College.
Meet
After his bombastic performance in front of the principal, Rambukwella had sent a Royal old boy, Kalinga Indratissa to meet the school's principal and go through the evidence against Ramith Rambukwella, and ultimately Indratissa tooit is reported was convinced of the boy's guilt.
When the Royal College Union met on June 11, several old boys spoke out against the pressure exerted on their school and vowed to back Principal Gunasekera to the hilt against the forces of government power.
Necessary
The union passed a unanimous resolution to take up the matter with the education minister and even the President if necessary, to ensure that justice prevails.
The union asserted that that under no circumstances should the Principal of Royal College, a school that has stood for hundreds of years, be forced into withdrawing disciplinary action against a child based on external pressures.
The fact that the four others involved had also been punished, further compounded the matter, and it would indeed be a case of their lacking 'equal protection' should Ramith Rambukwella be allowed to roam scot free-being the main suspect who denied involvement and hung his accomplices out to dry in true Chinthana style.
Not 48 hours later, Principal Gunasekera was told by Education Minister Susil Premajayanth to punish the Rambukwella offspring by preventing him from attending rugby practices, but to allow him to attend cricket practices as a compromise.
Ridiculous
That this is an absolutely ridiculous solution goes without saying, as not only is it improper for ministers to intervene in a school's disciplinary matters on the basis of personal connections, but it sets a precedent in the future for any son of any minister (the number of which is rising steadily with the rate of inflation) to land their sons at Royal College and set them to roam free like ravenous foxes in a chicken coup.
The Royal College Union has thus taken the position that the principal should stand by his decision, with several eminent Royalist lawyers prepared to appear for Gunasekera in court free of charge, to preserve the name and integrity of their alma mater.
Several teachers from Royal College told The Sunday Leader that Ramith Rambukwella has been involved in a colourful plethora of other "extra-legal" activities, but that the school had turned a blind eye to his abuses out of some sort of reverence to his father.
Robbery
Breaking an entry and masterminding a robbery to subvert a disciplinary inquiry, however, was considered to be the last straw, and there is scarcely a member of staff at the college canvassing in support of the minister's brat-the school has united in its own defence.
The principal is no one's angel however, and Gunasekera has been the subject of criticism from old boys as well, for not sacking the culprits summarily or suspending them from school given the severity of the offence.
The official action taken to rescue Rambukwella Junior is exactly as predicted. Both the principal and school teacher whose room was raided have had their phones ringing off the hook with death threats and all manner of callers threatening to butcher them and their families in the most exotic of ways.
Upali Gunasekera is to be commended for holding fast against the dangers he faces by taking on the full might of the most authoritative government that democratic Sri Lanka has ever seen, in pursuance of good discipline in his school.
Through his efforts and those of other principals of Gunasekera's ilk, there is a glimmer of hope that the next generation of ministers may have some gentlemen amongst them.
Ramith and Chilanka broke the lock...
Following is an English translation of the confession made in sinhala by one of the students:
We (Nayanajith, Hilmi, Ramith, Chilanka) went to Ruchindra's house in Ramith's car. We applogised to Ruchindra's mother. Then Ramith suggested that we go inside the school to watch cricket practice. Then Ramith said that we should break into Sugath Sir's room. Then an iron pole that was left in the Year 11 lobby was taken. Thereafter I remained near the western music room. Thereafter Ramith and Chilanka broke the lock. Thereafter Ramith, Chilanka and Nayanajith went into the room. They came out after five minutes with some files in their hands. Then we all left in Ramith's vehicle to the complex.
-THE SUNDAY LEADER | 15TH JUNE
=================================================
IN MY PERSONAL OPINION ANY PRINCIPAL OF A SCHOOL LET IT BE ROYAL OR LET IT BE ANY OTHER SCHOOL, HE OR SHE SHOULD NOT BE PUT INTO THESE KIND OF UNRULY SITUATIONS. ITS HIS DUTY TO SUSPEND OR SACK N E BOY WHO IS FOUND GUILTY BUT THEN WHO IS THE MINISTER TO SAY THAT HE WILL SEND THE PRINCIPAL TO VAVUNIYA?? I SALUTE THE OLD BOYS OF ROYAL FOR STANDING ALONG WITH THE DECISION OF THE PRINCIPAL EVEN THOUGH IM A THOMIAN!!!
Royal College: Standing firm with its tradition of discipline (inset) Keheliya: My son did not do it and Principal Gunasekera: unshaken amidst the threats
By Ranjith Jayasundera
Controversy has engulfed Colombo's proud and esteemed Royal College with the school's old boy's union and Principal locked in a bitter battle with Government Spokesman, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, over the conduct of his son within the school.
The minster's attempts to meddle in school affairs and bring down the might of the government on a disciplinary inquiry sheds ample light on this government's attitude towards the 'impunity' enjoyed by its own kith and kin and draws attention once again to therole of ministerial brats.
Robbed
Rambukwella's son, Ramith, along with four other students of Royal College, have been found by the school to have forcibly broken into the room of Senior Games Master,Sudath Liyanagunawardena, and having robbed his room of files relating to the assault of another student by these very baby goons.
In true Medamulane gangster style, the ministerial brat and his trusty sidekicks had forced open the door lock with a crowbar before ransacking the room and making off with the incriminating files.
When the school authorities discovered the break in, they had alerted the Cinnamon Gardens Police, who immediately visited Royal College and took fingerprints from the crime scene.
In the process of the school's internal inquiry, Principal Upali Gunasekera managed to identify the culprits, and four out of the five (all but Ramith Rambukwella) confessed to having committed the crime.
With virtue to their confessions, Principal Gunasekera debarred the four students from all co-curricular activities including sports for a period of one month. However, given the amount of evidence against Ramith Rambukwella and the fact that he refused to confess, the principal ruled that he would receive the same punishment over a longer period of three months.( see box for part of confession of one student)
Minister Rambukwella's wife was summoned during the course of the inquiry and was shown by the principal, the written confessions of the other four boys involved, all of whom claimed that her son was the mastermind behind the break in.
The minister's wife had little to say, and Keheliya proved that the insubordination and cockiness genes were the result of his chromosomes with his performance the next day.
Government Spokesman and Cabinet Minister Keheliya Rambukwella arrived at Royal College with his wife and several beefy, armed security personnel in tow, and sat before the principal of Royal College, denying any involvement of his son in the break in and robbery.
Inside
The minister according to inside sources threatened to drag Principal Gunasekera before the Human Rights Commission and to file a Fundamental Rights case against him in the Supreme Court, if he did not immediately withdraw the punishment meted out to his brat.
It appears that Minister Rambukwella feels that anyone connected to the government has a 'fundamental right' to do as they please and abuse any law and rule they wish, with things like discipline and culpability being reserved exclusively for commoners-the 'other kind'.It appeared the government's war on terror had been taken to the hallowed portals of Royal College.
Meet
After his bombastic performance in front of the principal, Rambukwella had sent a Royal old boy, Kalinga Indratissa to meet the school's principal and go through the evidence against Ramith Rambukwella, and ultimately Indratissa tooit is reported was convinced of the boy's guilt.
When the Royal College Union met on June 11, several old boys spoke out against the pressure exerted on their school and vowed to back Principal Gunasekera to the hilt against the forces of government power.
Necessary
The union passed a unanimous resolution to take up the matter with the education minister and even the President if necessary, to ensure that justice prevails.
The union asserted that that under no circumstances should the Principal of Royal College, a school that has stood for hundreds of years, be forced into withdrawing disciplinary action against a child based on external pressures.
The fact that the four others involved had also been punished, further compounded the matter, and it would indeed be a case of their lacking 'equal protection' should Ramith Rambukwella be allowed to roam scot free-being the main suspect who denied involvement and hung his accomplices out to dry in true Chinthana style.
Not 48 hours later, Principal Gunasekera was told by Education Minister Susil Premajayanth to punish the Rambukwella offspring by preventing him from attending rugby practices, but to allow him to attend cricket practices as a compromise.
Ridiculous
That this is an absolutely ridiculous solution goes without saying, as not only is it improper for ministers to intervene in a school's disciplinary matters on the basis of personal connections, but it sets a precedent in the future for any son of any minister (the number of which is rising steadily with the rate of inflation) to land their sons at Royal College and set them to roam free like ravenous foxes in a chicken coup.
The Royal College Union has thus taken the position that the principal should stand by his decision, with several eminent Royalist lawyers prepared to appear for Gunasekera in court free of charge, to preserve the name and integrity of their alma mater.
Several teachers from Royal College told The Sunday Leader that Ramith Rambukwella has been involved in a colourful plethora of other "extra-legal" activities, but that the school had turned a blind eye to his abuses out of some sort of reverence to his father.
Robbery
Breaking an entry and masterminding a robbery to subvert a disciplinary inquiry, however, was considered to be the last straw, and there is scarcely a member of staff at the college canvassing in support of the minister's brat-the school has united in its own defence.
The principal is no one's angel however, and Gunasekera has been the subject of criticism from old boys as well, for not sacking the culprits summarily or suspending them from school given the severity of the offence.
The official action taken to rescue Rambukwella Junior is exactly as predicted. Both the principal and school teacher whose room was raided have had their phones ringing off the hook with death threats and all manner of callers threatening to butcher them and their families in the most exotic of ways.
Upali Gunasekera is to be commended for holding fast against the dangers he faces by taking on the full might of the most authoritative government that democratic Sri Lanka has ever seen, in pursuance of good discipline in his school.
Through his efforts and those of other principals of Gunasekera's ilk, there is a glimmer of hope that the next generation of ministers may have some gentlemen amongst them.
Ramith and Chilanka broke the lock...
Following is an English translation of the confession made in sinhala by one of the students:
We (Nayanajith, Hilmi, Ramith, Chilanka) went to Ruchindra's house in Ramith's car. We applogised to Ruchindra's mother. Then Ramith suggested that we go inside the school to watch cricket practice. Then Ramith said that we should break into Sugath Sir's room. Then an iron pole that was left in the Year 11 lobby was taken. Thereafter I remained near the western music room. Thereafter Ramith and Chilanka broke the lock. Thereafter Ramith, Chilanka and Nayanajith went into the room. They came out after five minutes with some files in their hands. Then we all left in Ramith's vehicle to the complex.
-THE SUNDAY LEADER | 15TH JUNE
=================================================
IN MY PERSONAL OPINION ANY PRINCIPAL OF A SCHOOL LET IT BE ROYAL OR LET IT BE ANY OTHER SCHOOL, HE OR SHE SHOULD NOT BE PUT INTO THESE KIND OF UNRULY SITUATIONS. ITS HIS DUTY TO SUSPEND OR SACK N E BOY WHO IS FOUND GUILTY BUT THEN WHO IS THE MINISTER TO SAY THAT HE WILL SEND THE PRINCIPAL TO VAVUNIYA?? I SALUTE THE OLD BOYS OF ROYAL FOR STANDING ALONG WITH THE DECISION OF THE PRINCIPAL EVEN THOUGH IM A THOMIAN!!!
Marvin Silvage putha vage venna yanavada dan ne na....
