The Jaffna University Science Teachers’ Association (JUSTA) today called upon authorities to take necessary steps to ensure academic freedom and freedom of expression in the University of Jaffna.

Vasanthi Arasaratnam – Jaffna VC

“A discussion on a book is an academic exercise. An academic culture is nurtured by reexamining existing theories and beliefs, proposing new theories and discussing them openly. Stopping an academic exercise without any tangible threat to public order is a grave violation of academic freedom.” the Jaffna University Science Teachers’ Association said min a statement.

Issuing a statement on Vice Chancellor’s banning of the discussion of the book ‘Palmyra Fallen: From Rajani to War’s End’, JUSTA says;”If a discussion by academics on a freely available book cannot be held in a University where else can such an activity be organized? We request all those concerned with academic freedom, freedom of expression and the protection of our well-being to condemn this action by the Vice Chancellor of University of Jaffna and urge the authorities to take necessary steps to ensure that such arbitrary measures that blight our future are not repeated in the future.”

We publish below the statement in full;

Statement by JUSTA on Vice Chancellor’s Banning of a Book Discussion

The Jaffna University Science Teachers’ Association (JUSTA) organized on 24th April 2015 a discussion of the book ‘Palmyra Fallen: From Rajani to War’s End’ authored by one of its members, Dr.Rajan Hoole, who is a Senior Lecturer in Mathematics. Since the book speaks of the current situation, public interest was anticipated in the discussion. Therefore, the invitation welcomed their participation.

As outsiders to the University were expected, the organizers (the JUSTA) routinely sought the Vice Chancellor’s permission by letter of 17th April 2015. In a meeting with the Deans on 21st April 2015 the Vice Chancellor read out a letter from the President of the University Students’ Union that alleged that the proposed discussion would disturb the peace in the University and wanted it stopped. Certain academics had told the student that politicians from the South were coming for the meeting with a sinister agenda, although the advertisement made it clear that all speakers were academics. The Vice Chancellor spoke along the same lines to the deans.

Subsequently the JUSTA received a letter from the Vice Chancellor dated 21.04.2015 informing them: ‘It has been decided that this type of activities are not allowed within the University of Premises’ (sic). Then it stated: ‘I regret to inform you that permission is not granted in respect of your request.’

We learned later that this student leader did not convene a meeting of the Executive Committee of the USU and knew nothing about the book. In an interview with the BBC-Tamil Service the Vice Chancellor too admitted neither having read the book nor seen it.

The following points call for the immediate attention of community leaders and politicians of our country.

• This book discusses the recent history of our country and its background. The author is an academic of the University of Jaffna. It does not advocate terrorism or violence. The book is available in leading bookshops. It had been on display at the Library of the University of Jaffna for several days and has now been shelved.
• The speakers in the discussion were all academics. One of them is a Professor from University of Peradeniya, one is a Senior Lecturer in the Open University and two others are from the University of Jaffna; one a Professor and the other a Senior Lecturer. None of them were ever associated with any activity that had ‘disturbed peace in the University’ in the past.
• When the Vice Chancellor received the said letter from the President of the USU it was her duty to call for a discussion of USU with the organizers (JUSTA) to sort out the differences. She did nothing of that kind. She had two requests: one was a letter from JUSTA, with the approval of its Committee, to have a discussion on a book, and the other was a personal letter from the President of USU without the sanction of the Committee to stop the discussion. She took the decision to stop the discussion without giving JUSTA a chance to respond to the student leader’s allegations.
• The Vice Chancellor also told the BBC-Tamil about a letter from the University Teachers’ Association, which allegedly requested a ban on the discussion. However, no information about this letter was given to the Deans in the meeting where the USU President’s letter was read out. This raises suspicion. The UTA President had declined to clarify the matter although the UTA has refused to call an emergency general body meeting requested by several members to clarify the issues.
• Realizing that the Vice Chancellor’s act was in defiance of the well-established norms of a University and the stated Mission, Vision and Goals of our University and after learning that the UGC Chairman had intimated to the Vice Chancellor about the improper nature of her decision, the JUSTA conducted the said discussion as planned after informing the Vice Chancellor.

It should be noted that the discussion was well received by all those who participated. It did not ‘disturb the peace in the University’ as alleged by the student leader. More importantly, neither this student leader nor anyone else carried out any protest when the discussion was held as scheduled.

A discussion on a book is an academic exercise. An academic culture is nurtured by reexamining existing theories and beliefs, proposing new theories and discussing them openly. Stopping an academic exercise without any tangible threat to public order is a grave violation of academic freedom. If a discussion by academics on a freely available book cannot be held in a University where else can such an activity be organized? We request all those concerned with academic freedom, freedom of expression and the protection of our well-being to condemn this action by the Vice Chancellor of University of Jaffna and urge the authorities to take necessary steps to ensure that such arbitrary measures that blight our future are not repeated in the future.