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Calls to withdraw KNDU Bill intensify

06 Aug 2021

BY Pamodi Waravita A protest led by the Movement Against the Militarisation of Education, and the Federation of University Teachers Associations (FUTA), at the Lipton Roundabout yesterday (5) demanded that the Government completely and permanently withdraw the General Sir John Kotelawala National Defence University (KNDU) Bill, following a Government statement on 4 August that the vote on the Bill will be delayed. “Military and civilian education should be completely separated. We don’t need temporary withdrawals or amendments. We need the KNDU Bill withdrawn. We also urge the Government to stop the repression of civil society, which is taking place under the guise of implementing Covid-19 pandemic-related health guidelines. Free education is everyone’s right. We will continue to mobilise the people despite the pandemic, in keeping with the health guidelines as much as we can,” said FUTA President Prof. S. Banneheka. Speaking at the protest, the Inter University Students Federation (IUSF) Convenor Wasantha Mudalige said that two Governments, including the incumbent one, had to delay taking the vote on the KNDU Bill twice, which makes clear the public protest against the Bill. “We don’t need amendments or votes on this. We need it withdrawn,” stressed Mudalige. National People’s Power (NPP) Parliamentarian Dr. Harini Amarasuriya said at a press conference yesterday that democracy and transparency are part of the current Governmental educational institutions, which should be further strengthened, not weakened, as would be done by the KNDU Bill. “We have no faith in any of these future amendments, as they don’t understand the crisis that education would face as a result of the KNDU Bill. We urge the Government to withdraw this Bill to protect the free education system in this country,” noted Dr. Amarasuriya. Irrigation Minister and National Security and Disaster Management and Home Affairs State Minister Chamal Rajapaksa said in Parliament on 4 August that the controversial KNDU Bill will not be presented in Parliament today (6) as initially speculated. The KNDU Bill has received widespread criticism from various quarters for its alleged threats to free education and the militarisation of education. A range of demonstrations have taken place throughout Colombo over the last month in protest of the Bill, which was tabled in Parliament on 7 July, where over 31 arrests were made.  


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