Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanka S. Bodaragama yesterday (30) refrained from issuing an order in respect of a request by the Cinnamon Gardens police to prevent a protest march by the Inter University Students Federation (IUSF) from the Colombo University to the University Grants Commission (UGC) in support of the one-day strike launched by the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) demanding the government to solve their grievances urgently.
The Magistrate pointed out that the police could act in terms of the Penal Code in case the protest breached laws and caused hindrance to the public.
Meanwhile, the FUTA strike disrupted all universities yesterday. FUTA Secretary, Senior Lecturer Charudath Ilangasinghe on Monday (29) announced their intention to stage a strike the following day over what he alleged was the continuing failure on the part of the government to address longstanding issues.
Ilangasinghe said that in addition to the growing shortage of academic staff, insufficient salary, absence of an efficient system to fill vacancies, lack of improvements in university infrastructure and the low allocation of funds for research were cited as the major issues.
Academics also staged protests outside their respective university premises yesterday afternoon, urging the government to urgently address their grievances