Are Tamils Horrified By Or Tolerant Of Sexual Harassment?
Prof. S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole
The Feminist VC?
Prof. Vasanthi Arasaratnam, Vice Chancellor of University of Jaffna, claimed in Uthayan Newspaper head-lines (23.03.2016) to have fired professors following sexual harassment accusations by students. “As a woman, I have done all I can,” she continued. Her remarks were made the previous day at a function by “The Voice of Women” to mark “International Women’s Day” which fell really on 8 March.
Speaking further, Arasaratnam said that women are to blame for the increase in sexual harassment and that these episodes could have been avoided had women complained in time. If they had complained at the beginning, she said, action could have been taken. She blamed the parents for not having brought up their daughters to complain publicly when they face harassment. Girls, she said, have to be brought up with self-confidence and courage in themselves.
These claims of hers reverberated through the Jaffna media – other newspapers, television, etc. The truth, however, is far from the VC’s claims on both counts – not a single predatory professor has been fired from the university and women have consistently complained of sexual harassment without action by her.
Sexual Harassment at the University
Sexual harassment claims are aplenty at the University of Jaffna and are rarely acted on. A Vice Chancellor was seen naked in his office with an equally naked student by a mason working high up on scaffoldings. A Council enquiry by a clergyman suppressed it saying the witness is not from the internal community.
Prof. Vasanthi Arasaratnam
A Lecturer in Political Science, according to news reports in 2005, had bail denied to him when he was accused of sexually abusing well over 40 times a thirteen-year girl who was employed as his domestic servant. Women’s groups protested and demonstrated. He was in jail pending trial. Then the LTTE intervened in his favor because he was the chief organizer for the Pongu Thamil festivities and his conviction would have reflected badly on the LTTE. Today he is a key person in the Chief Minister’s Thamil Makkal Peravai where he recently held forth on women’s rights as Chairman of a PAFFREL Seminar on electoral systems.
Many of these stories make for entertainment at the university rather than being matters of horror.
Ramanathan Academy of Fine Arts (RAFA)
The recent case of Dr. S. Dharshanan shows how much Tamils care about protecting women. On Sunday, 18 Oct. 2015, as part of the Sarswati Poosai festivities, children at a famous dance school on Navalar Road, Nallur South showed off their talents. The Chief Guest that evening, like a cat among the young pigeons, was Dr. S. Darshanan, Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Music at RAFA.
What was strange was that at a Special Meeting of the Council of the University of Jaffna, on Wednesday 14.10.2015, Darshanan had been interdicted after numerous complaints of sexual harassment by his students and colleagues Yet, it made no difference in Jaffna. He held a great job. He was therefore still fêted at the music school where he extolled religious values in his speech. Several men preying on women (and even boys) continue to be similarly honoured in Jaffna so long as they are educated and hold high positions.
Dr. S. Darshanan
Recently student complaints against Dr. Dharshanan forced matters to a head. Prof. Arasaratnam had suppressed these complaints since 2011. His mother-in-law is her beautician. Cornered, a Special Council Meeting was forced on Arasaratnam when a harassed student threatened suicide. Council Minutes confirm that the complaints date back to 2011 at the University’s RAFA and that they center around Dharshanan and one Mr. Robert Arudsegaram. Complainants included many female staff members of the Music Department besides students. (I have heard of students having to go to staff quarters to meet their teachers where they are met by a staff member wearing only a towel round his waist).
