There are authorites that are entrusted legally to name a building, road or school. We could make our case, but yet the naming should be the responsibility of the legally entrusted body. If we start disobeying such laws of the country in this manner, the country will end up in chaose. So I hope most of us can agree that we should respect the law of the land (of course on conditions- see the next para).

However, I do agree that the people who are entrusted to do certain things do not do those in a way acceptable to all the stakeholders. There should be civilized mechanisms to deal with such situations; but probably not forcefully; without taking law in to one’s own hands.

I am eagerly waiting for the day, when all of us could objectivelly think of these kind of issues than trying to respond to those with emotions.

These kind of eruptions should be used to look at our selves, our own society, than taking sides. I see us as a society with a tribal mentality. We cannot look above our own clans and work for the good of the larger society. So our hereos are from our own clan. We appreciate those who rob for us; those who kill for us; those who lie for us; knowing very well that robbing, killing and lieing is bad.

I am not much interested of seeing justice out of this incident; it is something very trivial when looking at the more serious things happening around us; but if we can use this to reflect back on us, we would be able to learn much out of it.

I appeal to the University students to look things objectively; who did more to the Peradeniya University and the university education in general; Can we answer this before we try to name this building. Is it Jennings or the other person? Why did we fail to realize it at the first place; was it not our tribal mentality. Could we change this way of thinking to see things objectively. Could we build up leaders whom will be appreciated by all Sri Lankans alike and not by a small tribe?

Until such time, let the buildings not be named or let us use the names of flowers or plants, if you want to identify them. We can identify ourselves with flowers than probably any body else in the picture (With my appologies to Jennings).

Let the sanity prevail. I know that the university students are capable of understanding the logic I tried to bring to the fore. Emotions blur our vision. I suppose currently the vision is blurred. It can happen to any one; Not only to university students.

I think JVP is more interested in naming the hostel by a past student leader for other reasons than ignoring Jennings. These are the reasons I can think of. (a) JVP needs to reassure its cadre in this difficult moment (they are losing membership in bulk) on its power within the universities (b) JVP needs some idols within universities and this is the best way (c) When the students ask what JVP has done for them they have something tangible to show by naming the hotels after their leaders. (“We fought and got that for you”)

When the university student in first comment says “But we want the freedom to name the new hostel as our wish.” I think he means we=JVP rather than university students.

So basicaly this has more to do with JVP’s plans for next election than with Sir Ivor Jennings.

The insurrection of 1989/90 is not a memorable point of Sri Lankan history. There are student leaders who lead insurrections and they are later remembered, but only when those insurrections are successful and have made a positive contribution to Society. What did the insurrection of 89/90 acheive? There was a lot of lives lost, property damaged and worst it wrecked the University system. Generations after that paid the price of that failed and aimless insurrection. Many rural youth whose only source of higher education was the local university would lounge around doing nothing for three years until the backlog was cleared. A backlog created by the insurrection. Is this what they want to commemorate?

Even if there is some issue to be resolved with the University administration, is this the way to go about it? There is violence and there is crime. Is this what education teaches? I am sure you can be smart and creative and get the point across without getting hauled before courts. There are University students all over the world fighting for their rights without getting arrested. Sri Lankan students alas are not smart enough all they know is kick up a fuss, get arrested, close the University, mess it all up for the others, and what for…some minor matter.

That is the whole problem..they are not smart enough. In the past Sri Lankan Universities produced people who held the limelight at an international level. What do we have now? I think they should stop worrying about the name of the Hall and concentrate on their books. But will they? Thats the problem.

I do not know what has gone with the present generation of University students. This is the result of eating too much JVP punnakku. They have become so brainwashed that they reached a stage that they cannot think of anything of their own and just repeating whatever put to their mouth by the ata-pass JVP masters.

If student got what they ask a hostal, That is provided with govenment money and Govenment or their reps can name it what ever they like.

So why not the students build another hostel and name it after any Tom Dick and Harry they want?