Jan 18, Colombo: A student union affiliated with Sri Lanka's Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) affiliated has accused the government of trying to create clashes among students unions in universities to prevent any united action against its education policies.

The Socialist Students Union (SSU) has called on students not to fall into the government's trap of creating clashes among students groups.

Issuing a statement, SSU National Organizer Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa has noted that all students must rally to defeat the government's attempt to privatize the country's education sector and suppress the student movements.

He has pointed to several incidents where university students' union leaders have been attacked.

He has said that a gang of thugs had arrived in a 'Defender' vehicle on the 16th night and had attacked Harsha Gunawardene, the President of Students' Council at Ruhuna University. Gunawardene was admitted to Matara Hospital for treatment for injurious sustained due to the attack.

On another occasions, about two weeks ago the former President of the Students' Council of Kelaniya University Comrade Suranjith Bandara was subjected to a similar attack where a gang of thugs had arrived in trailer bicycles, assaulted him and fled.

A clash had also been allegedly created between the students of the Engineering Faculty and those of the National Diploma in Technology at the Moratuwa University allowing the administration to temporary close down the University.

"We call upon the student community to rally to defeat government's attempt to privatize education and suppress the student movement. We also call upon students not to get involved in petty clashes that are maneuvered in universities but to stand together," Dr. Jayatissa has observed.