Colombo Arts Faculty lectures resume

The Trade Union action by the Colombo University’s Arts Faculty Teachers Association (AFTA-CU) was called off yesterday following a meeting between students and academic staff where a formal apology and a safety assurance was given by students.

A decision to suspend all academic activities was taken by AFTA-CU in protest following an assault and verbal abuse of five Senior members of the academic staff of the Faculty which included the Senior Student Councillor and three other Students Counsellors, when, in the performance of their official duties, they attempted to diffuse a situation of violence.

Following the assault AFTA-CU issued a statement asking that students of the Faculty of Arts collectively accept responsibility for their actions by means of a public apology which should also be signed and given in writing.

AFTA-CU also requested that an assurance of safety for academic staff in the pursuit of their official duties should be given by the students along with an assurance that such violence will not recur.

At a meeting called by students of the faculty yesterday the Union’s demands were duly accepted, and an assurance of safety was given to AFTA-CU that teaching staff of the Faculty would not be impeded in their duties in the future.

Subsequent to this assurance by the students, it was decided that all academic activities of the Faculty of Arts will commence today.