The General Students’ Union of the University of Colombo has filed an official complaint with the police, calling for immediate action against what they describe as a dangerous wave of false allegations and slander spreading across social media platforms.
According to the Union, misleading claims are being circulated online, targeting the university with baseless accusations related to the ongoing controversy surrounding “navaka vadaya” (freshman initiation practices). These claims, they say, are not only exaggerated but deliberately crafted to damage the institution’s reputation and smear the personal lives of individual students.
As one of the country’s most prominent public universities, the University of Colombo emphasizes that it provides a free, peaceful, and inclusive environment for students from across Sri Lanka. The administration and student unions alike are said to be working together to ensure freedom of thought, expression, and the right to make independent decisions without fear or intimidation.
However, the Students’ Union claims that certain groups have taken advantage of recent discussions around ragging to unleash a campaign of online character assassination. These posts reportedly include the public sharing of students’ names, photos, and videos an invasion of privacy that, according to the Union, has caused serious emotional and reputational harm.
While they acknowledge the right to free expression, the Union insists that such rights do not extend to defamatory and malicious content. They argue that any genuine allegations of misconduct should be dealt with through proper legal and judicial channels not trial by social media.
Calling the online attacks “mud-slinging” and “personal vendettas,” the Union is now urging law enforcement authorities to investigate the matter and take decisive action. They demand that false accusations, character attacks, and the use of students’ private information without consent be met with swift legal consequences, and that the accounts responsible be held accountable.
The University of Colombo Students’ Union is making it clear: while criticism is welcome, weaponized social media harassment is not.
