More students activists in Jaffna to be quizzed by police over undisclosed charges
UPDATE: On the morning of 6th December, 2012, the Kopai Police have handed over a list of a further 10 students to the University authorities to be handed over to the Police for questioning, over an undisclosed charge. The list includes five students from the University of Jaffna (UoJ) Medical Faculty and the Presidents of the Jaffna University Student Union, Science Faculty Union and Management Faculty Union. The five students from the Medical Faculty and one student from the Management Faculty were accompanied by the Dean of the Medical Faculty and lecturers and handed over to the TID office in Vavuniya for questioning late last evening.
The Vice Chancellor of the UoJ has requested all Faculties of the University and the parents of the students summoned by the Police, to hand over the students for questioning to the Police. The parents have agreed to do so, but have requested that the University authorities accompany their children to the Police.
The remaining four students, three from the Science, and one from the Management Faculty, have refused to surrender themselves to the Police until they are provided with a legitimate charge. The three Science Faculty students are known to be outspoken activists in the University. Many students, particularly former Student Union members have gone into hiding due to the fear and panic caused as a result of these arrests. With the student boycott of the UoJ reaching its ninth day (since the 29th of November) today, the situation in the Jaffna University remains tense and volatile. (SH)