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Samantha Vithanage of Sri Jayawardenepura University has been killed by those who undermine democracy and support chauvinism and military repression, said Dr. Vickramabahu Karunarathne, Presidium Member of the New Left Front.

The killing of Samantha takes us back to the 1987 murder of Daya Pathirana of the Colombo Campus. Daya Pathirana stood for democracy and equality; and on that basis severely clashed with the so called Desa Premi group of students. The same conflict is taking place today in all campuses, though under different name boards, he said in a release yesterday.

The release states: "Samantha has been killed by those who undermine democracy and support chauvinism and military repression. World over, we witness that those who condemn peace and democracy, while spreading chauvinism, always resort to this kind of terror against their opponents.

"Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has rejected the claim that they are behind this incident. However, as the JVP is today in the forefront of the chauvinist campaign for military repression of national minorities, it will be difficult for them to dissociate from the murder of Samantha. Clearly the student group responsible for this bloody murder is associated with the political campaign of the JVP.

"On the other hand, this murder is used by the government for its project of undermining free education and repression of the student protest against privatisation. Pro government elements try to tell the public that the students in general, who protest against privatisation of education are responsible for this incident.

"We appeal to all democratic forces to work together to defeat chauvinist terror within campuses".

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