Jaffna University teacher, students under death threat

Head of Teachers' Association of Jaffna University and four students have received a public death threat from an unknown group in Jaffna on Monday, resulting in creating a panic wave among the university community in the north.

Media sources in Jaffna said that hand-written posters pasted in the vicinity of the university have carried the death threat against Jaffna University Teachers' Association (JUTA) president Rajakumar and four students named Nivas, Thamilselvan, Ainkaran and Britto.

One poster in Tamil slang said "Will kill Nivas, Thamilselvan, Ainkaran, Britto and Rajakumar" while the other read "These people are reviving the LTTE. We will kill them. We will not allow Heroes' Week commemorations". 

The death threat ahead of the Heroes' Day has come amid heavy military build up in and around the Jaffna university complex. Addressing a  press conference last week, the JUTA president has said that the academic activities of the University have been seriously affected due to the increased deployment of military personnel in the vicinity, including the main entrance of the university.

Media reports from Jaffna have also said that the military intelligence unit has established two "surveillance centres" at Nachchimar kovilady and Kaladdy junctions last week in their bid to monitor the activities within the University.

Sri Lanka's Military spokesman, Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya has said in Colombo that the Security Forces in the North and East "would not allow events to glorify the LTTE in the name of Heroes Week".

Police spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana has also said that the police personnel in the North were kept on alert to deal with any situation that may arise because of the Heroes' Day commemorations.

The LTTE Heroes' week is annually commemorated on November 27. The Sri Lankan Security Forces in the past threatened, attacked and arrested several students activists for commemorating the LTTE's Heroes' Day.

© JDS