The parents of the Peradeniya University students now in custody met President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees this evening (Oct. 18). Initially the parents of only two students were present but later some others too joined the discussion.

 

 

President Rajapaksa while agreeing that the imprisonment of students was unreasonable requested the parents to urge them to request for a pardon according to legal formalities.

 

 

Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake who was present during the discussion said that eight students were still evading arrest and the four who were arrested on September 23 were in the Bogambara Prisons at the moment.

 

 

Minister Dissanayake, stated that these actions of the students were due to their being still in their youths. Most of the students who face such travails are first year students, he added. He requested the parents to consider obtaining letters of apology from the students and submitting them to courts for a possible pardon.

 

 

President’s son and Hambantota District Parliamentarian who is heading the Tharunyata Hetak youth movement and who facilitated the meeting said that most students from villages do not know even the surroundings when they engage in such protests. “During a protest a student had run right into a police station without knowing it,” Namal Rajapaksa added.

 

 

Central Province Governor Tikiri Kobbekaduwa too participated in the discussions.

 

 

The four students of the University of Peradeniyawere arrested in September for allegedly hooting and obstructing Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake when he visited the Peradeniya Universityfor the launch of the new computer laboratory. The protest led to a stand-off between students and the Minister’s security personnel.