Inter University Students' Federation Explained

Formation:18 June 1969
Type:Umbrella body of Students Unions[1]
Status:Active
Native Name:අන්තර් විශ්වවිද්‍යාලයීය ශිෂ්‍ය බලමණ්ඩලය
பல்கலைக்கழகங்களுக்கு இடையிலான மாணவர் கூட்டமைப்பு
Purpose:Unconditional fight for oppressed people within the system
Pro-free education and anti-privatization of education
Headquarters:University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Gangodawila
Language:English
Sinhala
Tamil
Leader Title:Convener
Leader Name:Madhushan Chandrajith [2]
Subsidiaries:Inter Medical Faculty Students' Action Committee, University Bhikku Federation[3]
Volunteers:~150,000
Inter-University Students' Federation
Abbreviation:IUSF
Membership:11 university level students' unions
~70 faculty level students' unions
Affiliations:Frontline Socialist Party (2012–present)[4]
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (1976–2012)

Inter-University Students' Federation (Sinhala; Sinhalese: අන්තර් විශ්වවිද්‍යාලයීය ශිෂ්‍ය බලමණ්ඩලය |translit=Anthar Vishvavidyaleeya Shishya Balamandalaya) is a confederation of students' unions across Sri Lanka.[5] [6] Around 70 students' unions[7] are affiliated with the confederation, accounting for more than 95% of all higher and further education unions in Sri Lanka.[8] The IUSF is the organization that is given leadership to whole university students in Sri Lanka.[9] It is the largest student organization in Sri Lanka to date. It represents the voice of student councils and action committees in 15 higher education institutes including all major universities and technical colleges in Sri Lanka.[10]

Overview

The IUSF consists of several student unions representing main universities and action committees of several universities across Sri Lanka.[11] [12] The sole official of the union is known as the convener. The convener carries out all administrative and legal work on behalf of the union.[13]

The Inter University Bhikku Federation is an organization affiliated with the IUSF.[14]

Members

History

Establishment

The Inter-University Student Federation was established on 18 June 1969 at the University of Peradeniya. The first discussion was held at Ramanathan Hall, University of Peradeniya. It was financed by Vice Chancellor Prof. E. O. E. Pereira. Malcolm Wijesinghe of the Peradeniya University Students' Union was the first convener of the IUSF. He was also the President of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party's Progressive Students Union.

The IUSF became formally active in the mid-70s. This eventually culminated in the shooting and death of Rohana Weerasuriya by the police on November 12, 1976, at the University of Peradeniya. With the assassination of Weerasuriya, student groups loyal to the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) were able to gain control of the IUSF, which had previously been in the possession of the Ceylon National Students' Union of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka since 1972. The JVP Socialist Students Union's control over the IUSF lasted from 1976 to 2012.

Today, about 10 members of the JVP Socialist Students' Union and about 35 members of the Frontline Socialist Party's Revolutionary Students' Union are engaged in politics full time in universities.[16] [17] With a formation of a leftist mass movement, Shantha Bandara, a student in the science faculty of University of Peradeniya, was elected as its convener after reforms in 1977.[18] The IUSF was officially recognized by the government on July 8, 1988, after its inception in 1969. Accordingly, the first official discussion was held on 23 July 1988, with the then-incumbent Minister of Higher Education, Abdul Cader Shahul Hameed, at the University Grants Commission in Sri Lanka.

Protests and campaigns

In recent times, most of its campaigns have been against the planned privatization of education institutions, claiming these plans were a threat to the free education of Sri Lanka which has existed in the country since 1945.[19]

Notable leaders

Criticism

Conduct of the student union has drawn much controversy in media and university administrations. The University of Jaffna banned the IUSF from entering university premises in June 2010,[29] and other universities such as the University of Colombo and University of Moratuwa have taken steps to ban the student group from their universities in the past.

Strikes

The IUSF admitted to using strikes as its primary method to meet their demands, as it sees "no other plausible way".[30] This has raised number of issues regarding the student discipline. Boycotting lectures has caused delays in student graduation time and cancellation of studentships on a number of occasions.[31]

Ragging

The IUSF has also been criticized for not taking necessary action against ragging in Sri Lankan universities. Rival groups such as International Students for Social Equality have alleged that the IUSF itself uses ragging as a means of threatening new members and attracting a following among more backward students.[32] Initially, senior students claimed that ragging served as a social equalizer in the universities, but with the emergence of JVP-backed student unions such as the IUSF, ragging has served primarily to ensure the continuing domination of JVP political power within universities, according to academics.[33]

The IUSF has been accused of the murder of Samantha Vithanage, a third year Management student of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, who pioneered an anti-ragging campaign in the university.[34]

Political intolerance

Violence in universities has steadily increased due to political intolerance. The IUSF has been accused of obstructing and engineering clashes with rival political groups inside universities.[35] [36] In 2009, Prof. Nalin de Silva – Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Kelaniya – complained that pro-JVP IUSF students have sent him death threats for not agreeing to their political ideologies.[37]

Picketing

Picketing is another form of protest employed by the IUSF to meet their demands by forcing the government. The purpose of most of those protests refer to the protection of the "Free Education System" and protecting students' rights. Picketings around Lipton Circus, Maradana and the country's busiest suburbs have become common in recent times. These picketings usually cause traffic jams and chaos in cities, with police using tear gas and water cannons to disperse gatherings, and generally cause public inconvenience.[38] [39] [40]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Asian Bulletin – Volume 14, Issues 2–12 – Page 49
  2. Web site: IUSF appoints new convenor replacing Wasantha Mudalige - Breaking News | Daily Mirror .
  3. Chandraprema, Candauda A. Sri Lanka, the years of terror: the JVP insurrection, 1987–1989. Lake House Bookshop, 1991.
  4. Web site: Authorities and students in tug of war over Uni student's death. www.sundaytimes.lk.
  5. Gileva, Sofya. "Hello, Everyone! We are Glad to Welcome You on the Summer Session of Pilgrim!." ‘Cadjan–Kiduhu’. SensePublishers, 2014. 187–189.
  6. Chandraprema, Candauda A. Sri Lanka, the years of terror: the JVP insurrection, 1987–1989. Lake House Bookshop, 1991.Chandraprema, Candauda A. Sri Lanka, the years of terror: the JVP insurrection, 1987–1989. Lake House Bookshop, 1991.
  7. Alagappa, Muthiah. Civil society and political change in Asia: expanding and contracting democratic space. Stanford University Press, 2004.
  8. Web site: Sri Lanka University students union Leader (IUSF) Sanjeewa Bandara Released. Lanka University News . July 26, 2013 . 5 August 2017.
  9. Web site: About us. Inter University Students Federation . 5 August 2017.
  10. Web site: 'Sugar coated reforms intend to make education a commodity' . JDS. 27 September 2012 . Kithsiri . Wijesinghe . 1 August 2017.
  11. Gunaratna, Rohan. Sri Lanka, a Lost Revolution?: The Inside Story of the JVP. Institute of Fundamental Studies, 1990.
  12. Web site: University Students' Union to be Banned – Sri Lanka. lankauniversity . 2012. 5 August 2017.
  13. Web site: USF Convener Lahiru Weerasekara arrested. adaderana . 2017 . 5 August 2017.
  14. Web site: Inter-University Bhikku Balamandalaya Convenor Ven Thampitiya Sugathananda and Inter University Students Federation Convenor Lahiru Weerasekera Arrested. dbsjeyaraj . 2017 . 5 August 2017.
  15. https://iusfsl.com/members/ Inter Universities Student's Federation
  16. Web site: අන්තරේ කැඳවුම්කරුවන්ගේ පුරාවතින්. www.lankadeepa.lk.
  17. Guṇavardhana, Raṇavīra, ed. More Open Than Usual?: An Assessment of the Experiment in University Education at Peradeniya and Its Antecedents. university of Peradeniya, 1992.
  18. Web site: Our History . Inter University Students' Federation . 2010-08-02 . 31 July 2010.
  19. Web site: Protests over an opening of private Medical Faculty . Sri Lanka Guardian . April 1, 2009 . 1 August 2010.
  20. Web site: Transcripts from the campaign trail, November is for remembering . Malinda . Seneviratne . The Island . 2001 . 11 January 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110617051015/http://www.island.lk/2001/11/15/featur02.html . Jun 17, 2011 .
  21. Web site: Creators and destroyers of Peradeniya . The Island . 2007 . 11 January 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110617064218/http://www.island.lk/2007/10/17/midweek6.html . Jun 17, 2011 .
  22. Web site: Six injured in varsity clash . Daily News . 26 March 2004 . Manjula . Fernando . 4 August 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121016224206/http://www.dailynews.lk/2004/03/26/new33.html . 16 October 2012 . dead .
  23. Web site: JVP accused of inciting violence . BBC Sinhala . 11 August 2008 . 1 August 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160131135642/http://www.bbc.com/sinhala/news/story/2008/08/080811_jvp_police.shtml . Jan 31, 2016 .
  24. Web site: Universities in turmoil with clashes and staff shortages . The Sunday Times . July 8, 2007 . Chathuri . Dissanayake . Isuri . Kaviratne . 4 August 2010.
  25. Web site: Udul Premaratne is no more a university undergraduate . LankaPuvath . 2008 . 1 August 2010.
  26. Web site: Weerasekara-is-the-new-convener-of-iusf Sanjeewa Bandara is the new convener of IUSF. LankaTruth . 2011 . 1 February 2011.
  27. Web site: February 9, 2014 . Najith Indika New Convener of Inter University Students’ Federation IUSF . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230925174850/https://www.lankauniversity-news.com/2014/02/najith-indika-new-convener-of-inter.html . Sep 25, 2023 . Lanka University News.
  28. Web site: 2022-08-18 . IUSF Convener Wasantha Mudalige arrested . 2023-01-10 . Newsfirst . Zulfick . Farzan . en.
  29. Web site: SL bans student group from Jaffna campus . South Asian Tribune . June 29, 2010 . Subash . Somachandran . 1 August 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110716111640/http://southasiantribune.com/sl-bans-student-group-from-jaffna-campus/ . Jul 16, 2011 .
  30. Web site: Rational politicisation acceptable to all . The Sunday Observer . 24 August 2008 . Udul . Premaratne . Waruna . Sameera . 1 August 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080913001459/http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2008/08/24/fea03.asp . 13 September 2008 . live .
  31. Web site: Indiscipline in Sri Lanka universities . Ranjit . Ruberu . Tamil Canadian . 2003 . 1 August 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110928001436/http://www.tamilcanadian.com/page.php?cat=73&id=1550 . Sep 28, 2011 .
  32. Web site: Sri Lankan government revives law to suppress student protests . . 19 April 2010 . Kapila . Fernando . 1 August 2010.
  33. Web site: The Fundamental Threat to Sri Lankan University Education . Shantha K. . Hennayake . Asian Tribune . 2008-11-20 . 1 August 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110606071808/http://www.asiantribune.com/?q=node/14294 . Jun 6, 2011 .
  34. Web site: 12 November 2002 . Manjula . Fernando . PM orders report on murder of J'pura student . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121016224116/http://www.dailynews.lk/2002/11/12/new01.html . 16 October 2012 . 4 August 2010 . Daily News.
  35. Web site: Kelaniya clash: Dispute over who attacked whom . Yasasmin . Kaviratne . Pictures by Devapriya, Athula . https://web.archive.org/web/20090618141750/http://www.sundaytimes.lk/090614/News/sundaytimesnews_23.html . dead . 18 June 2009 . The Sunday Times . 2009 . 1 August 2010.
  36. Web site: Kelaniya University: Students see sinister plan behind clash . The Nation . June 14, 2009 . Rathindra . Kuruwita . 1 August 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091227051300/http://www.nation.lk/2009/06/14/news7.htm . Dec 27, 2009 .
  37. Web site: JVP undergrads threatened me with death – Prof Nalin . The Island . 7 February 2009 . Dasun . Edirisinghe . 1 August 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110722145819/http://pdfs.island.lk/2009/02/27/p2.pdf . Jul 22, 2011 .
  38. Web site: Police warn of crackdown as JVP slams Govt. over suppression of students' rights . The Island . 24 August 2007 . Shamindra . Ferdinando . 1 August 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110617060541/http://www.island.lk/2007/08/24/news1.html . Jun 17, 2011 .
  39. Web site: Police beat back student demo . LankaNewspapers . 2007 . 1 August 2010.
  40. Web site: Sri Lankan Police attacks to undergraduates again . Sri Lanka Guardian . 2007 . 1 August 2010.

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