• Protest held at Edu Min. premises over closure of Buddhist-Pali Uni 

More than 50 Inter-University Students’ Federation (IUSF) and Inter-University Bhikkhu Federation (IUBF) activists, including IUSF convenor Wasantha Mudalige, were arrested by the Police during a protest at the Education Ministry premises against the closure of the Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka and the Government’s failure to resolve other forms of issues which have arisen in the country.

More than 50 IUSF and IUBF activists including Mudalige were holding a protest inside a section of the Ministry premises last evening (23). In the video footage of the protest, which was shared on social media platforms, the protestors, most of whom were Buddhist monks, were seen sitting on the floor and chanting protest slogans and carrying placards against the Government, the Ministry, the State Ministry of Higher Education, and the administration of the said University, including its Vice Chancellor Ven. Neluwe Sumanawansa Thera. 

The protestors were protesting against several Buddhist monks who hold high positions in the said university, chanting slogans such as: “We don’t need Sumanawansa who destroys the university”, “The administration which destroys the University”, “Reopen the university”, “Don’t play with the students’ lives”, “Withdraw students’ suspensions done on baseless allegations”, “If you (the Government and the university administration) can, stop the fight to protect free education”, and “Give us the freedom to learn”. 

Officials and security guards of the Education Ministry and those who had come to obtain services from the Ministry were seen watching the protest, while a few police officers were seen patrolling the area during the beginning of the protest. The protestors had also placed a large banner on a wall of the section of the Ministry in the area they were protesting. After some time, a large number of Police and Police Riot Unit Officers entered the building with batons and shields in hand and arrested the protestors including Mudalige and Buddhist monks. The related video footage also showed a few protestors being attacked by the Police and Riot Unit Officers. When contacted by The Daily Morning last evening, the Police Media Division stated that a total of 57 protestors including 49 Buddhist monks had been arrested by the Police.

Meanwhile, the Ministry had issued a statement regarding the situation which arose on its premises last evening. The statement read that IUSF and IUBF activists including Mudalige had forcibly entered the Ministry without any prior notice. It also stated that the Senate of the said University had informed that it would take steps to reopen the university in stages from 27 February onwards. The Ministry further stated that the Police had arrived at the Ministry and taken necessary action as per the relevant legal provisions as the protestors were behaving in a disruptive manner.