A programme has been launched by the Defence Ministry to integrate military spies with university students in a bid to suppress university students’ movements and protest campaigns, reliable sources told Lanka News Web.

As a first step, the Defence Ministry has in writing called on every military camp in the country to prepare a list of military personnel who has been educated up to GCE A/Level or received a university education. The letter has stated that the list of such names were required since the Ministry is looking at commencing a special degree course for military personnel in the universities.

However, the real intention behind the letter is not to provide an opportunity for higher education to military personnel, but to gather information on personnel who could be assigned to universities to gather information of university students’ movements, lecturers and on the actions planned by them.