Jaffna undergraduates unveils new memorial

By Dinasena Rathugamage

Undergraduates of the Jaffna University yesterday unveiled a memorial. But the Vice Chancellor of the University, who was scheduled to attend the opening was absent. The monument is in memory of those who had been killed at Mullaivaikkal in 2009 during the final days of the war between the LTTE and the security forces.

Vice Chancellor Prof Sri Satgunarasa did not attend the ceremony for health reasons. Prof Satgunarasa was admitted to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital following a heart attack on Thursday.

A memorial constructed in 2019 in the university premises was declared an unauthorised construction by the University Grants Commission and Prof Satgunarasa ordered its demolition. That memorial was demolished on Jan 08. Following the demolition students began a protest.

Following protests by the undergraduates, the vice chancellor was forced to lay a foundation stone for a new memorial on Jan 15.