Colombo University Arts Faculty Teachers Union (AFTA-CU) has expressed their concern over an increase in ragging among students, pointing out there has been a breakdown of democracy within the faculty as a result of these incidents.
Issuing a statement, the AFTA-CU has stated the increase in ragging incidents during the past couple of months has targeted students as well as academics who hold dissenting views. They have noted that the hike in ragging with the Arts faculty is appalling particularly since its student population is overwhelmingly female.
“Our association maintains a position of zero –tolerance on harassment and violence carried out on freshers under the pretense of welcoming, familiarizing and developing friendships with them,” the union has said in their statement adding that they unconditionally and unequivocally condemns ragging or any other action that inflicts physical or mental violence on others.
Furthermore in their statement, the AFTA-CU has urged the authorities to take immediate and decisive disciplinary action against the anti-democratic behavior developing among students of the Arts Faculty and has also called upon all student groups to put an immediate stop to the ragging and related incidents.
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justice / October 19, 2014
In the fifties ‘the rag’ was a one day affair, meant to ‘tell the freshers that they should respect seniors’ and nothing more.
Seniors and freshers became lifelong friends afterwards.
This has now degenerated into ‘sadism’ by a few warped minds, over the years.
A few freshers have even been ‘ragged to death’.
AFTA-CU’s request is justified in the present circumstances.
What use is this useless ‘leadership training’ – if it cannot teach the future seniors about human rights – the state should set an example in this regard.
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AVB / October 20, 2014
If the countries most educationally intellectual group (top 1%) behaves like this, what do you expect from president of the country.. We created and responsible for these ugly and unethical behaviour of young adults and same sense of responsibility should be applied to the ugly, monstrous, foolish behaviour of president of the country and his royal family… Citizens should feel the responsibility for these errors and they have power to correct these faults too..
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Lanka Liar / October 28, 2014
You don’t need violence force or intimidation to become life long friends. Ragging is a manifestation of uncivilized behavior. Nothing less. So many poor students and students from minority were and are harnessed and mistreated under this pretext. Universities should take a strong stand and sack those criminals who are engaged in this crime. This reflects the caliber of students the universities produce. This is a Sri Lankan behavior which is reflected even in the parliament armed forces everywhere. Creates thugs and thugs and thugs.
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n.ethirveerasingam / October 20, 2014
Ragging is a primitive ritual and is a criminal act. The Universities concerned should take disciplinary action against the perpetrators which should include dismissal. All criminal act by a member of the university should be reported to the police by the Vice Chancellor for investigation and prosecution of the perpetrators.
Victims and their parents should sue the perpetrators and the Vice Chancellor of universities where ragging occurs for damages. Such actions are what will stop ragging. No individual or group has the right to commit violence of any kind against another.
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Punitham / October 20, 2014
Very sensible suggestion as expected from Ethir.
It’s very unfortunate the students have only bad public figures to emulate:
While the successive governments are promting criminal activities among politicians, political patronage and corruption included, it’s difficult to change this evil ragging system.
Do as I say and not as I do?
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