- Protests against land grabs in Batticaloa
Attorney-at-law Swasthika Arulingam was going to speak on the topic of “Judicial independence in times of crisis” at an event organised by the Jaffna University’s Law Department at the University on 31 October. This event was cancelled at the last minute due to pressure from a section of undergraduates of the university.
The students cited a previous speech made by Arulingam in the South where she had described the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam as a fascist organisation as the reason for their opposition to her talk. The University’s Teachers’ Association wishes to place on record that it is wrong on the part of the students to have put pressure on the administration of the University to cancel the lecture of a person based on a political opinion that she had expressed earlier in her personal capacity. It is also wrong that the administration of the University caved in to the pressure exerted by the students. It is important that both the students and the administration ensure that similar occurrences do not happen in the future.
The University is an intellectual space that facilitates the exchange of ideas. It is important that there is space and freedom within a university to discuss and debate diverse political and economic beliefs and positions without any hindrance. Such freedom is indispensable for the intellectual processes that take place inside the University. We are aware that the students of the University are faced with obstacles to express their political views, engage in memorialisation activities, and participate in protests due to intense surveillance and control by the Sri Lankan State and its military apparatuses. The most recent repression that they faced is the arrest of several of them earlier this week when they were engaged in a democratic protest against the land grabs of grazing lands at Mayilathamadu in Batticaloa.
The grazing lands in the Mayilathamadu and Mathavanai areas in Batticaloa have been historically used by the neighbouring Tamil communities engaged in livestock farming. In recent years, the State has illegally settled Sinhalese on these grazing lands. As a result, Tamil livestock farmers have been denied access to these grazing lands. Those who use the grazing lands have faced brutal attacks. Recently, there was horrific violence unleashed on the cattle too. A Buddha statue was installed in this area in mid-October. The denial of the community’s right and access to the grazing lands has dealt a severe blow on their livelihood and economy. The communities affected by these illegal land grabs have been engaged in peaceful protests over the past few months.
On 5 November, a group of students from the University and the Eastern University participated in a peaceful demonstration against these illegal land grabs and the violence against cattle farmers. Several students who participated in these protests held in Mayilathamadu were arrested by the Police at Santhiveli under the pretext that they had assembled at the protest venue in violation of the law. They were later released on bail. The University of Jaffna Teachers’ Association strongly condemns the arrest of the students who protested in support of the cattle farmers’ historical claims over the grazing lands. We view these arrests as an infringement on the rights of the students to engage in protests. We wish to point out that the arrests of students and citizens who fight for their democratic rights are continuing in both the North and the East and the rest of the country.
The Teachers’ Association views the illegal land grabs that have taken place in Mayilathamadu and Mathavanai as yet another instance of the decades-long project of Sinhalising and Buddhistising the North and East of the island by the State. This hegemonic project has posed a serious threat to the political existence and economic wellbeing of Tamil and Muslim communities that inhabit this region. This project is taken forward today with the aid of the military, extremist Buddhist monks, and chauvinistic Sinhala politicians. It has caused inter-ethnic tension and animosity.
While condemning the arrests of the students, the Teachers’ Association extends its fullest support and solidarity to livestock farmers who are fighting for their historical rights over grazing lands. The Association demands that those who were illegally settled are moved out of the grazing lands and that the livestock farmers’ right and access to the grazing lands is ensured. We also demand an immediate end to all Sinhala-Buddhistisation processes that are underway in the North and the East and that justice is done to the communities that have been affected. We urge all progressive forces to unite across ethnic, religious, and regional differences to raise their voice against this injustice and violation of democratic rights.
That a section of the student community that regularly faces intimidation and repression from the State and the military decided to block Arulingam’s speech has disappointed and saddened us. We are worried that this incident will set a bad precedent at the University.
It is the collective responsibility of students, teachers, and the administrators of the University to ensure that there is academic freedom and uninhibited space for the exchange of ideas and expression of dissent within the University. We should never shy away from this responsibility. None of these groups should exert pressure on others in ways that are harmful to academic freedom. Likewise, we have to face the threats to academic freedom that come from outside in a collective manner. Regardless of our political views, it is when we act with a sense of collective responsibility that we can overcome all forms of intimidation that undermine the freedom of expression within the University.
The University Students’ Union, the teachers, and the administration of the University should take immediate steps to re-invite Arulingam to give her lecture at the Department. The Teachers’ Association has decided to engage in a dialogue with the students and students’ associations at the University on the freedom of speech, academic freedom, and the space for dissent within the University. The Association will soon initiate some activities in this regard.
(The University of Jaffna Teachers’ Association is a union of academics)
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The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of this publication.