Jaffna University Students Also Suffering From

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 000683

SIPDIS

REFTEL: Colombo 0428

SCA/PPD; SCA/INS; INR/SCA

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED, SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SCUL SOCI KPAO CE
SUBJECT: Jaffna University Students Also Suffering From
Political Conflict



1. (SBU) Summary. More than most university students in
Sri Lanka, the approximately 5,000 students currently
studying at Jaffna University have felt the impact of the
ongoing political tensions in missed classes, low funding,
and deteriorating academic standards. This formerly
prestigious university has suffered in recent years from
LTTE intimidation, either directly or indirectly, including
the recent rejection by the LTTE-backed student union of
the appointment of a respected professor as Vice-
Chancellor. While it is unclear whether the current
situation can improve without a simultaneous improvement in
the national political scene, several innovative programs
may provide other outlets for students seeking higher
education in Northern Sri Lanka. End Summary.


2. (SBU) During the past four months, the University of
Jaffna, (with approximately 5,000 students) has witnessed
political protests, enforced boycotts of classes, voluntary
withdrawal of all non-Tamil students and strong opposition
to a new Presidentially-appointed Vice Chancellor (Reftel).
The ongoing political strife and violence affecting the
region have hampered administration of the University and
reduced student opportunities. Problems regarding graduate
retention, funding, and administration continue to grow and
are exacerbated by the main student organizations that
focus on political rather than academic concerns. Led by
the LTTE-influenced Jaffna University Student Union (JUSU),
students in Jaffna began a boycott of classes in December
2005, demanding that Sri Lankan Army (SLA) forces be
stationed away from the University campus. (Note: SLA
forces are stationed approximately 200 yards from campus.
End note) Student protestors clashed with SLA soldiers on
several occasions, resulting in injuries to University
students and administrators. As a result of this violence,
and other pressures, the small cohort of 70 Sinhalese and
Muslim students (less than 2 percent of total enrollment)
attending the University requested and received transfers
to other universities. After the Sri Lankan government and
the LTTE completed their first round of ceasefire
implementation talks in Geneva in late February, 2006,
students backed down from their demand about the location
of SLA forces and classes began again in early March, thus
indicating the extent to which campus politics mirror
national events. Since the mid-1980s, the University has
consistently experienced disruption of classes due to
rising political tensions in Jaffna. Over the years, this
pattern has left the University deficient in several
important aspects.

Graduate Retention, Funding and Administration
-------------- --------------


3. (SBU) Formerly one of the leading universities in Sri
Lanka, the University of Jaffna?s prestige has declined due
to the political pressures and periodic violence affecting
all of the Jaffna peninsula. According to the University
Grants Commission (UGC),the university has seen its
student intake drop by nearly ten percent during the past
five years. For the same time period, student intake has
increased for the top three Sri Lankan universities.
Furthermore, students of the University are not likely to
remain in Jaffna after graduation, instead often seeking
employment in Colombo or abroad. The Jaffna region finds
itself in an unfortunate cycle: without attractive
employment options, graduates who could contribute to the
local economy do not remain, leaving the region short of
educated professionals who could generate prosperous
employment opportunities.


4. (SBU) Jaffna University also lacks for funds due to
the low level of income generated by its post-graduate
degree programs. In other Sri Lankan universities, post-
graduate schools charge significant fees from their
students. Jaffna?s Faculty of Graduate Studies, offering
nine post-graduate degree programs with over 400 current
students, cannot charge as much in the way of fees because
of low demand for entry into the faculty. These graduate
masters and doctoral programs are the only source of
additional income for the University. Some administrators

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believe that additional funding would be available if
requested from the UGC (the body that allocates funds among
the universities),but since the overall number of students
has decreased recently, the UGC is less likely to approve
funding increases for the future. In the current security
climate and without a source of additional revenue, the
University faces difficulties in obtaining the same caliber
of teachers and resources as universities that do generate
large tuition-based revenue. (Note: The UGC?s allocation
to Jaffna University, on a per pupil basis, matches that of
other Sri Lankan universities. End note)


5. (SBU) The political volatility in the region has made
dynamic administrators hesitant to join the University.
The recent troubled appointment of a new Vice Chancellor
serves as a prime example (Reftel). Ratnajeevan Hoole, a
former professor in the U.S. and one of Jaffna University?s
top choices, was appointed Vice Chancellor by President
Rajapaksa in March 2006. The Dean of the Faculty of
Graduate Studies and another candidate for Vice Chancellor,
Professor K. Kandasamy, said that most of the University
staff view Hoole as the appropriate person to fill the
vacant Vice Chancellor position.


6. (SBU) Despite Hoole?s credentials, the JUSU opposed his
appointment, accusing him of being an anti-Tamil
nationalist and a traitor to the LTTE cause. The LTTE
strongly warned him against coming to Jaffna. Harsha
Aturupane, senior education economist at the World Bank,
said the threat from the LTTE is very real, particularly
since several high school principals have been targeted in
the Jaffna region recently. The Chairman of the UGC told
us recently that Hoole, fearing for his life, has decided
to take leave and reside abroad until the storm over his
appointment dies down, at which time he will probably
resign and may take a position on the UGC. However, other
sources tell CAO that Hoole may seek asylum in Singapore.

Students Lack Unbiased Voice
--------------


7. (SBU) Faced with these problems, the student body,
instead of working together with the administration to take
steps towards improvement, has been cowed by the LTTE-
backed student union, which focuses almost exclusively on
political concerns. Professor Hoole told us several
students have reported that because they do not come from
the LTTE-controlled Vanni region of the North, they have
been intimidated from running for leadership positions and
cannot get on the student union ballot. Furthermore, he
stated there have been reports of impostors taking the
place of entering students for the purpose of influencing
university decisions and making the campus a platform for
furthering LTTE-related goals. (Comment: In fact, campus
life in most of Sri Lanka?s 14 other universities is
dominated by politics, creating a hostile atmosphere for
non-political students. In most of the other universities,
the dominating political force is the pro-Sinhala,
Buddhist, nationalist Janatha Vimukti Peramuna (JVP). End
Comment.)

New Programs Have Promise
--------------


8. (SBU) In light of the difficulties facing the
University of Jaffna, three programs show promise for
improving Jaffna?s higher education system. The nationwide
World Bank program ?Improving Relevance and Quality of
Undergraduate Education? (IRQUE) has several projects in
Jaffna aimed at raising the caliber of education through
teacher training and better allocation of resources. The
Asian Development Bank funds the ?Post-Secondary Education
and Modernization Project? intended to improve the quality
of education and facilities in the region. In addition,
the government?s Open University offers distance-learning
courses that are growing in popularity throughout the
country. Open University coursework may be the answer for
students living in troubled areas like Jaffna since they
could continue their education far from a campus rife with

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political upheaval. However, until these projects and the
Open University begin to reach substantially more students
in Jaffna, young scholars in the northern Jaffna Peninsula
will continue to suffer from a university in decline,
hostage to the political vicissitudes of the country at
large.

Lunstead