Prof. S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole
(August 19, Colombo, Sri Laknka Guardian) 1) My wife Dr. Dushyanthi Hoole and I returned to Sri Lanka after both of us had completed our studies in 1995. Despite shortages, she took a year to get a permanent job and I three years. We were finally employees of University of Peradeniya. My wife was terminated by the university after having her on the payroll for a year and a half saying she had accepted her appointment with conditions (which was that mistakes in the letter of appointment should be rectified to bring it in line with circulars). I too was badly treated there and not confirmed or promoted on various pretexts. She filed action at the Human Rights Commission and I at the Court of Appeal.
2) As a result of the harassment I applied to University of Jaffna for the post of Senior Professor of Computer Science. My application was not even put to a selection committee as required by law. I filed action at the USAB (University Services Appeals Board).
3) My wife applied for the posts of Senior Lecturer and Professor of Chemistry which were advertised by Jaffna. Her professorial application was not put to a Selection committee as required by law and her application for Senior Lecturer was denied saying there was no vacancy although they had advertised the post. She too appealed to the USAB
4) Towards the end of 2005 the Human Rights Commission found my wife’s rights violated by Peradeniya and the Court of Appeal ordered my confirmation and promotion.
5) In February 2006 the USAB ordered Jaffna to process my application and effect an appointment.
6) In March 2006 HE the President appointed me VC of Jaffna following my selection by the Council of Jaffna to the panel of three for final selection by him. Peradeniya released me for three years to accept my appointment as VC.
7) I was displaced by LTTE death threats in 2006 following my appointment as VC of Jaffna. My wife and I fled Sri Lanka with the permission of the UGC.
8) I informed Peradeniya as my release ended that I would return to Sri Lanka in December 2008 as my release was ending in March 2006 and after I reported back was told I was vacated post that same week. I returned to the US immediately.
9) After the war with the LTTE in June 2009 when the government invited displaced Sri Lankans to return and help rebuild our country, I sought and received assurances from the President of reinstatement if we were on the soil and, on the strength of his word, returned on 2 September 2010 with my family and all our household effects at great expense to ourselves. True to his word, the President issued instructions that my wife and I should be reinstated at Peradeniya and released to Jaffna without loss of service or delay.
10) I moved my son at the critical stage of high school to Sri Lanka where he had to now study some subjects in Tamil.
11) As I write a year later, the president’s directive is yet to be carried out. My wife has been unemployed for a year. In November 2010 I received a temporary assignment by the UGC as Coordinator for Engineering at Jaffna “until further notice.” Our job security therefore was nil whereas in the US we had had secure jobs, both of us as professors.
12) I applied in October 2010 for the post of VC Jaffna which was coming vacant. Minister Devananda carried out an aggressive campaign with the University Council not to vote for me. The council still elected me to the panel of three and the President promised me the appointment at a meeting in Temple trees in mid-December.
13) The previous USAB orders not having been implemented by Vice Chancellors and a university Council controlled by Douglas, I have filled action at the USAB.
14) Unfortunately the President, not knowing the Tamil people for lack of good Tamil advisors, has let himself be led by the most unsuitable people. Douglas Devananda for example, has admitted to common friends that he has killed people. It is widely known that he is wanted for murder in India and is persona non grata in many countries including the UK which has refused him a visa. K.T. Rajasingam, a presidential confidant, I know has smuggled people to the West and even held them up in Bangkok until full payment of fees was effected. Although my election to the panel of three was because of a campaign by many Hindu supporters, the president was misled by Douglas and Rajasingam who informed him that if I was appointed, Hindus would never support the PA. The President believed them and denied me the appointment he promised me. The result is the belief in Jaffna that the President wants to sabotage the university. This is partly the cause of the PA’s debacle at July’s Local Government Elections.
15) During the LG Elections I saw many malpractices in the Islands off Jaffna (the only places where Douglas triumphed through overt rigging) and I wrote about these hoping to make His Excellency see where Douglas has taken him and the PA. Instead of an inquiry into my complaint as I expected, I came under police scrutiny.
16) As part of Douglas’ practice of terrorizing the Tamil people he has used the judge Joy Mahadeva of Kayts (who attends Douglas’ political meetings while improperly hearing cases where Douglas is a party) and the police to file and move forward a criminal charge against me. At several steps in the process, Douglas’ media announced things like my questioning by the police even before the events had occurred. The judge too moved with unusual haste despite errors by the police in a notice to appear in Court. This proved to me that the entire episode was orchestrated.
17) My legal team and friends advised me that Douglas who has armed paramilitary men under him has killed before and I should not stay nor step on to Kayts (not even the courts) where Douglas’ men have killed before. Sinhalese members and supporters of the PA also advised me to the same effect.
18) I have therefore left Sri Lanka and will return to the US.
15 August, 2011.
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