“I believe that the FUTA should not involve in party politics or should not prominently promote or support one political party,” Indi Ruwangi Akurugoda, Senior Lecturer, Department of Public Policy, University of Ruhuna has questioned in recent behaviours of the Federation of University Teachers’ Association (FUTA) in her resignation letter from the association. “Recently, I noticed that the FUTA office bearers stand to represent the views of one political party which promotes leftist and fascist ideology,” she accused.
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| Indi Ruwangi Akurugoda |
Here is the full text of the letter;
This is to inform you that I resign from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences & Faculty of Management and Finance (FHSS & FMF) Teachers’ Union with effect from July 15, 2022 due to following reasons.
1. The membership of the Federation of University Teachers’ Association (FUTA) consist of diverse ethnic, religious, political and cultural views. Hence, I believe that the FUTA should not involve in party politics or should not prominently promote or support one political party. Recently, I noticed that the FUTA office bearers stand to represent the views of one political party which promotes leftist and fascist ideology. I notice the letters written to the ruling government in FUTA letterheads represent the partial political views of some of the top level office bearers of the FUTA and not the common or agreed views of the membership. Under the Article 10 of the Sri Lanka’s Constitution, every person is entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including the freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his/ her choice. So there is no matter or doubt of sticking on to his/ her personal political views. But when it comes to a Trade Union, if the top level office bearers get decisions and write letters on behalf of all the members using the FUTA letterhead, they cannot represent or reflect their own personal political views. If they want to involve in political matters, they can do it individually, without using the common letterhead of an organization that the members have diverse political views. I strongly condemn this arbitrary bureaucratic and authoritative manner of the FUTA office bearers. These letters do not represent the opinion of the whole FUTA membership and contrastingly these letters represent the personal political views of the FUTA office bearers. Hence, I would not remain anymore as a member of a Union where the decisions are taken without the consent of its membership.
2. Although a Trade Union should unconditionally stand to protect the professional rights of the members, most of the time the FUTA shows a very lethargic manner in involving protecting the rights of its membership. They always got on to the roads to protest against ruling governments. But when it comes to the individual discrimination of rights and harassment against its members, they hesitate to protest. So, I feel that there is no point of paying membership fees and remaining in a Union that is unable to protect my professional rights.
3. Finally, although it has been failed, I would like to thank you for your attempt to bring me justice when the University administration cancelled my Senior Lecturer Grade I promotion. Still, I did not receive justice or any of my rights breached by the Ruhuna University administration. Sadly, the people who involved in violating my rights are still holding the membership of the Union without facing any inquiry. I do not like to be in a Union together with the violators of my fundamental rights.
However, I will never give up my individual fight for justice against the violators of my fundamental rights. I request you to take necessary actions to accept this resignation and take further steps to discontinue deducting my membership fees.
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