The Never Ending Saga of the Rioting University Students

(Photo Courtesy : http://www.asianmirror.lk/ )

University students, according to some, the eager young minds that are going to take the future of our country, were always in a disadvantaged position in their quest for winning their claims. It has been recently proven again by the police crackdown of HNDA (Higher National Diploma in Accountancy) students at Colombo 7 last week. Unlike the previous protests, even though the similar brutal treatment was received by the students, the media, civil society groups and politicians condemned the attack. Even the prime minister has ordered an investigation in to this incident.

There is an inherent nature of the human being to rally against oppression. When some external force blocks their liberty, individually or collectively humans rise against it. The tug of war between the authorities and their subjects thus begun and it was virtually unchanged for millennia. Students, who were in the lowest social class in terms of their bargaining and economic power had always pushed into collective actions against the authorities. The authorities have the reins to control the system so naturally, the students’ demands for changes which often been bluntly rejected. Throughout the history, youth were in the vanguard of social change. It might range from a simple change in their educational facilities to a broader change in the whole society. American Anti-War Riots in 1960s by the new hippy generation which came to its pinnacle with the killing of Columbia university students, demonstrations against Margret Thatcher and recent UK student riots in 2010 against rise of university fees were several examples.

When discussing this matter, it is natural to venture in to the youth activism in general which Sri Lanka had plenty of examples in 1971, 1988 and 1983-2006 by both Sinhala and Tamil youth for political and economic freedom but for the sake of the HNDA incident, it is better to limit the discussion to student movements centered in educational institutions. It is also important to note that institutions, mainly universities are a breeding ground for social movements as well.

Why students riot?

As discussed above, for a conflict to arise there should be two or more parties with conflicts of interest. When their powers are divergent, group with lesser power will always be kneeling down to the other. The power is not entirely depending on the money and institutional structure that is controlled by a group by also depending on the social impact and bargaining ability as well. The two parties in this conflict; student community and government, each is superior in their own sphere making a compromise impossible.

Almost all of the reasons of students to rise against the authorities are entirely legitimate in terms of the free education system of Sri Lanka. Unless that system got changed (by a policy decision which no politician would dare to make), Sri Lankan students should be entitled to all the associating privileges coming under free education from grade 1 to university. It is not only meant having lecture panel and a place for the students to learn but also up-to-date curriculum targeting future needs, quality of human resources and most importantly, adequate infrastructure.    

Sri Lankan university system is plagued with shortages of suitable degree programs to suit the need for the future. Lack of standard among different degree programs and non-degree programs is also a problem. That was resulted in two of the most intense student standoffs in recent history; last week HNDA students’ clash and Allied-Health Science students’ problem. It is also a breeding ground for clashes within the universities and non-degree awarding government institutions such as National Diploma in Technology (NDT). Conflict with private universities (now it resorted to Private Medical Colleges because for better or for worse, all the other degrees are awarded by private institutions in Sri Lanka except Medical Degree) is another clash point.

For some of the inter-institutional crashes such as University-PMC and Allied Health Science, professional bodies such as Medial Professionals Trade Unions are also engaged making the problem harder to solve. The intervening parties might have legitimate reasons for opposing PMCs and rival non-degree institutions since it is a matter of their professional integrity. Non-standardization and popular political promises given by politicians without thinking of the consequences make the problem worse. For example, as in the case of HNDA, a policy decision was made long before to give the degree status to HNDA and to increase the course duration to 4 years. When the government refuses to keep that promise, it is highly unlikely that the students would not go in to a confrontation with the authorities who shattered their legitimate expectations.

Infrastructural problems are much easier to solve but requires money. It is not exaggeration to tell that most of the university infrastructure is not even suitable for minimum human habitation standards let alone for education. This is most prominent in university lodging. Most of the hostels are in dilapidated condition. Even the newly built ones boasted by the former Higher Education Minister ‘Sumanaweera Banda Dissanayake’ as of highest caliber are plagued with problems. Student clashes in Sabaragamuwa University and continued student movements in the University of Colombo for better hostel facilities were still unanswered. It is not that the government lacks monetary resources but improving education is as not lucrative as building highways, mega-cities and boasting about them by organizing musical shows costing millions of rupees. Every government had invested in votes rather than the general welfare of the people. It is apparent to the politicians that the university students or their family member will never going to vote for them so why bother? Investing in votes is the most ferocious form of misuse of public money. It is the tax money of the general public not politicians’ private donations that are spent here after all.  

Unlike the student movements fuelled by socialist ideology in the seventies and late eighties contemporary university student is highly motivated by capitalism. Even the lucrative slogan of ‘free education’ is considered as a path for upward social mobility by gaining wealth. As we all know, education is the only path for a lower and middle class person to gain wealth and to be part of the capitalist dream. Even though significantly weakened by the resent world economic and social unrests, the capitalist ideology still has some momentum thus it is inevitable for the young mind of university student share the Sri Lankan Dream. It is ironical that ultra-capitalist United National Party government has shattered that dream of HNDA students. Thus not getting the degree recognition will weaken their bargaining power in the job market.

Are students troublemakers?

The short answer is no. Students turn to confrontation with the authorities (not referring to the internal clashes and rivalry within the student factions) as the absolute last measure. Every confrontation is ended in the similar manner. Students march in to the authorities, police are deployed, confrontation and brutal crackdown by the police, injuries, arrests followed by their release, social disapproval, many press conferences then gradually the situation subsides but student claims remain unanswered if not partially resolved and in the end, everyone will live happily ever after except the university students who bears the trauma, disappointment and anger for the rest of their lives.

Nevertheless, protests and confrontations coupled with violent confrontations with the authorities were somewhat effective in recent years. In other words, rioting is the only proven method for their pleas to be heard by the deaf ears of the authorities. More violent the confrontation and injuries, better the outcome will be. Sadly, injuries are the only means to direct the public uproar against the authorities. ‘We need to cry for the milk to form’ is the justification used by the students and they have proven it over and over again. Martyrdom is now the only means of resolving problems while student martyrs are hailed as heroes; this acts as a precedent in future student problems also.   

The question we need to ask ourselves is do all these need to be happening? A university student is not a thrill seeker or a daredevil stuntman who always looking for trouble with police. If the government is always keen to ensure free education, it is not wasteful for them to listen to students’ pleas. Now students are the people who share the same ideology with them after all.

Several changes should be made in the governance to resolve the students’ problems.

• Adamant nature of the government and ministers when dealing with students should be changed. Government has a responsibility to ensure the well-being of students and they should be treated with respect. 
• Government should give priority to the reasonable demands of students (most of demands in fact are reasonable)
• There should be a higher education policy and standardization of degrees and certifications by non-degree awarding institutions to solve the inter-institutional clashes once in for all. Recognition and validity of existing course should be retained if not improved.
• Rules of engagement of the police need to be radically changed. Poor riot control training and attitude resulted in many deaths in the past and continuous tarnishing of public image of police. Lack of negotiation skills of police officers is the main problem. Not one of the senior police officers has been trained on negotiation and conflict resolution. Without that a police officer will be a thug with license to kill as the current police media spokesperson has proved over and over again. Proper training and education will improve the situation. It is important to address the situation as soon as possible before another group of students become victims of police brutality.

University student can be compared to a flame; full of energy and eager to light up the world with wisdom. But that energy can also be used to incarcerate everyone. They can be hazardous material to handle but somehow the authorities should be wise enough to direct that flame productively for the sake of our country’s future.