University lecturers join Galle Face protest : Make 14 requests

April 19, 2022 at 4:20 PM

Sri Lanka’s main university teachers association, the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA), has joined the peaceful public protest being held at the Galle Face Green in Colombo. 

Members of the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations engaged in a protest march which concluded at the Galle Face Green, showing their solidarity with the protesting public. 

Issuing a statement on the current national crisis, FUTA has also put out 14 key demands to the Government.

Following are the demands:

  1. The current regime which has lost its legitimacy should step down immediately. 
  2. Executive Presidency must be abolished as a fundamental condition to improve governance. 
  3. Constitutionally appropriate measures need to be adopted to bring about a transition to parliamentary democracy, which should include an overhaul of the current electoral system. 
  4. Judiciary and other public institutions should be independent and not be politicized. 
  5. Introduce a mechanism to eradicate bribery and corruption to enhance the accountability of politicians and public servants. 
  6. Key appointments must be made only pursuant to institutionalized consultative processes. 
  7. Resist further pauperization of the population through austerity measures, which may be brought on by the IMF package or other policies. 
  8. Safeguard the integrity of public entities and goods, health, education, and utilities. 
  9. Strengthen measures that safeguard local producers, farmers, fishing communities, and small traders. 
  10. Safeguard the interests of factory workers, migrant workers, and those in the informal sector. 
  11. Safeguard academic freedoms, the right to protest, the right to free speech, and the rights of journalists and artists. 
  12. Remove laws and directives that curtail and restrict peoples’ freedom. 
  13. Demilitarize all state institutions and demilitarize the country. 
  14. Restructure the education system in order to build capacity, which in turn will address the needs of the country and act as a catalyst for economic growth. 

Full statement: FUTA Statement – English Two Pages Final 19 April 2022

(NewsWire)