FMM E-Bulletin – January 2008

• 1st January: Sri Lanka rated fifth deadliest in the word for journalists by IFJ
• 1st January: Defense Ministry attacks an English daily
• 2nd January: Para-military group threatens a journalist
• 2nd January: Three journalists receive death threats
• 4th January: Army commander denounces sections of media as “traitors”
• 5th January: Leading media trade union activists receive death threats
• 7th January: Government Minister accuses leading journalist of promoting terrorism
• 7th January: Police attempt to abduct a senior journalist
• 9th January: Court defends journalists’ right to take photographs
• 9th January: Attempts to silence “Jaffna” daily Uthayan
• 10th January: Journalist stabbed
• 16th January: Journalist assaulted by a politician
• 19th January: Rumors will be dealt with punishment – MCNS
• 23rd January: Journalists abused by police and civic police
• 25th January: Journalist knifed following death threats
• 27th January: Defense Secretary favours censorship and criminalising defamation
• 28th January: Unofficial censorship prevails
• 28th January: Associate Editor stabbed
• 30th January: Popular column dropped under government pressure
• 30th January: Journalist followed
• 30th January: Armed men break into journalist’s home
• 30th January: Newsreader who stood up against Government MP’s thuggery suspended
• 31st January: CID to question 16 SLRC journalists

1st January:  Sri Lanka rated fifth deadliest in the word for journalists by IFJ
Sri Lanka was listed as one of the six most unsafe places for journalists in the annual survey conducted by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) with six recorded deaths in a year that saw 171 journalists worldwide being recorded as dead or killed. The IFJ in its survey released on December 31 declared the year 2007 as a year of “tragedy unlimited” with violence against journalists reaching extreme levels for the third year in succession, and recording 171 confirmed deaths. The figures have been compiled in cooperation with the International News Safety Institute (INSI).

1st January:   Defense Ministry attacks an English daily
The Defense ministry website (www.defense.lk) in an article contradicting a news item published by the Daily Mirror labeled it as anti state newspaper:

“The Daily Mirror, a Sri Lankan English daily continuing on its sordid media operation against the Defence Ministry and the armed forces; Yet, they still may be aware that all these self assumed “Watch Dogs” always have a loud “Bark” but a little “Bite”. Today, media is nothing more than a big business and gone are the days when the news media simply informed. Selling lies for money also comes under media freedom!!!”

2nd January: Para-military group threatens a journalist
Para-military cadres working for a political party threatened journalists Mahanumi Suburamaniyam of Vavuniya when he was covering a claymore bomb attack. They threatened him not to cover the incident, and chased him away from the hospital. Para-military groups run military out posts in northern Sri Lanka in close collaboration with the State security forces. On 9th January an unidentified vehicle was parked in front of his residence for an hour.

2nd January: Three journalists receive death threats
It was reported that underworld gangs have been ordered kill or harm some senior journalists for their involvement in protests held in response to the outrageous behaviour of government Minister Mervyn de Silva in December 2007. Three leading media personnel of the MTV and MBC TV-Radio network who covered the incident extensively – the head of MTV, Chevaan Daniel; Sirasa director Kingsley Ratnayaka; and Sirasa news director Susil Kedelpitya – filed complaints with the Maharagama police over death threats they have recently received.

4th January: Army commander denounces sections of media, as “traitors”
The commander of the Sri Lankan army, Major General Sarath Fonseka, labeled sections of the media and journalists “traitors” in an interview published in the state-controlled Sinhala daily “Dinamina” on 2 January 2008. Fonseka said:

“The biggest obstacle is the unpatriotic media. I am not blaming all journalists. I know 99 percent of media and journalists are patriotic and doing their jobs properly. But unfortunately, we have a small number of traitors among the journalists. They are the biggest obstacle. All other obstacles we can surmount.”

5th January: Leading unionists receive death threats
Media organizations had received credible information that Sanath Balasuriya, president of the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association (SLWJA), Dharmasiri Lankapeli, general secretary of the Federation of Media Employees Trade Unions (FMETU), and a number of other senior journalists, trade union and media activists may also be targeted for assassination in relation to the SLRC incident related to Minister Mervyn de Silva.

7th January: Government Minister accuses leading journalist of promoting terrorism
Minister of Social Services and Social Welfare, Mr. K. N. Douglas Devananda, leveled inflammatory accusations against the “Minnal” programme on Shakthi TV and against its host, Sri Ranga Jeyarathnam. In response to a TV talk show featuring the late parliamentarian Mr. T. Maheshvaran, the minister called Mr. Sri Ranga “a traitor” and accused him of working for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in “conspiring with the LTTE to promote terrorism”.

7th January: Police attempt to abduct a senior journalist
In an apparent abduction attempt, the Sri Lanka Police tried to enter the residence of senior journalist Poddala Jayantha during the early hours of 7th January. Poddala Jayantha, is the general secretary of largest organisation of journalists in the country, the Sri Lanka Working Journalists’ Association. At around 3 a.m. on 7th January, a group of persons came in two vehicles to Poddala Jayantha’s house. They were dressed in civilian clothes and demanded entry, saying they were from the police and wanted some information. Jayantha’s wife refused to open the door as press freedom defenders and some senior journalists had been receiving death threats over the preceding two weeks.

9th January: Court defends journalists’ right to take photographs
Joseph Fernando, a freelance journalist working in Mannar district was prevented by Navy taking photographs of an event where Navy personnel were taking family photographs of residents  in  the area. Navy handed over him to police and he was forced to erase all the photos by the Police. Joseph made a complaint about this at the police station. The issue was taken up at the court on 10th of Jan 08. The judge ordered navy to stop taking family photographs of residents. Further, the judge warned the police personnel who forced Joseph to erase the photos and ordered the police to submit the camera to the court in cases police consider photographs are threat to national security.

9th January: Attempts to silence “Jaffna” daily Uthayan
Mr. E. Saravanapavan, managing director of the Uthayan publications told FMM that a threat had been made over the phone, and the caller is alleged to have told the staff member who answered the call that the newspaper must stop functioning immediately. The threatening phone call had been made to the newspaper office on 6 January 2008 around 10.45 a.m. (local time). When the staff member inquired about the caller’s identity, he was told it was the Kayts police station. A complaint was filed with the Jaffna Police on 8 January.

10th January: Journalist stabbed
Bingiriya provincial journalist Mr. Victor Somaweera was stabbed and threatened by an individual who pointed a pistol at his head on 10 January 2008. He was admitted to Bingiriya Hospital on the same day for the injuries sustained on account of this incident. The journalist has identified the perpetrators and in his statement but police did not arrest them. Alleged perpetrators have strong connections to those who control illegal river sand mining which had been exposed by the journalist.

16th January: Journalist assaulted by a politician
Journalist U.S.A. Bandara was threatened and assaulted by a ruling party politician while covering the aftermath of an attack on a civilian bus, which took place around 7:00 a.m. (local time) on 16 January 2008 in Okkampitiya, Monaragala. At least 27 passengers were killed and more than 50 persons were injured as the result of the attack. Bandara, a provincial correspondent television channel SIRASA, was covering the tragedy when politician Sarath Welihena and village officer Lalith Rajapaksha verbally abused him and said that he should stop covering the event.

19th January:  Rumors will be dealt with punishment – MCNS
In a statement issued Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) warned that any rumors including SMS text massaging regarding the war situation will be dealt with severely. Media circles were of the view that this latest edict by the MCNS would be abused to censor news related to war in the coming months.

23rd January: Journalists abused by police and civic police
TV journalist Indika Sri Aravinda who was filming pedestrians crossing a main street near Colombo was arrested by civic police blamed as a Tiger suspect (LTTE member) and handed over to Mount Lavinia police. Police officers scolded Aravinda saying that it is journalists who make trouble in the country and questioned kept him for two hours before releasing him. Although he showed them his media accreditation card, civic police did not accept his identification.

25th January: Journalist knifed following death threats
Journalist Lal Hemantha Mawalage was cut with a sharp knife on the night of 25 January 2008 in Athurigiriya, a suburb of Colombo. Mawalage was on his way home at around 11.00 p.m. (local time) by two men on a motorcycle, who were laying in wait for him. Mawalage is a producer in the news division of the state-controlled television station, SLRC. On 27 December 2007, Labour Minister Mervyn de Silva stormed into the television station with a group of thugs associated with the underworld and assaulted its news director. Journalist Mawalage was among those who spoke live on behalf of SLRC employees as the whole SLRC staff protested against the minister’s intrusion.

27th January: Defense Secretary favours censorship and criminalising defamation
The brother of the Sri Lankan President, Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksha, in an interview with a Sunday newspaper openly stated that media has to be censored and that criminal defamation law should be brought back. Rajapaksha also named two leading media institutions that, in his opinion, have to be prosecuted for their critical reportage:
I say without fear that if I have the power I will not allow any of these things to be written. I told the President that we need to exercise press censorship from the beginning.. We need a criminal defamation law.

28th January: Unofficial censorship prevails
Government ministers and officials phoned newspapers, TV and radio channels to ask not to carry the news of 16 dead bodies that were found in Kebithgollawa, Anuradhaura district in a mass   grave. Accordingly, Sri Lankan Sinhala media did not report the story prominently.  The same method was used to down play the news of claymore attack on a school bus, which killed 12 students, 3 teachers 5 civilians. LTTE blamed the Sri Lankan Army Deep Penetration Units for the attack, a charge the government denied.  The story was not reported with due prominence by Sinhala language media.

28th January: Associate Editor stabbed
The associate editor of the state-controlled Tamil daily “Thinakaran”, Suhaib M Kasim, was stabbed at his home in Colombo around 8:30 p.m. (local time) on 28 January 2008. He was admitted to Colombo national hospital for treatment. Five people entered his house, forcibly took him to the veranda, and stabbed him in the abdomen. The Chairman of Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited transferred Kasim from his post of associate editor on Saturday 26 January. Kasim had received death threats related to this transfer. According to his family and colleagues he didn’t have any other problems that could have led to this incident.

30th January:  Popular column dropped under government pressure
Popular political column by veteran journalist Upul Joseph Fernando in a best selling Sinhala language daily was dropped on 30th Thursday.  According to LankaeNews   it was censored for its critical comments towards Defense Secretary.  A regular column by the same journalists was dropped from then popular Sinhala weekly Maubima in 2006 under pressure from the government.

30th January: Journalist followed by vehicles
A car and a motorbike followed investigative journalist Lasantha Ruhunage of the “Sinhala Ravaya” newspaper for more than 30 minutes on 29 January 2008, attempting to hit him from behind. This incident took place between 6:00 and 6:30 p.m. (local time) while he was on his way home after work.

30th January: armed men break into journalist’s home
Two persons armed with pistols entered the house of media worker Duleep Dushantha of the state-owned Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) on the night of 29 January. As he was not in the house at the time, they threatened his mother with death if she informed police of the incident. Duleep was prominent in the agitation against the brutish behaviour of government minister Mervyn de Silva, who, on 27 December 2007, stormed into the SLRC and assaulted its news director. The threats against Duleep Dushantha are very likely linked to his role in the agitation.

30th January: State employed newsreader critical of Government MP’s brutish thuggery fired
Journalist Dushantha Darshana who read the live news critical of the minister Mervyn de Silva when he stormed in to Sri Lanka Rupavahini Cooperation (SLRC) was asked to hand over his cooperation ID card and leave the premises by authorities. Dushantha, a part-time newsreader has worked in SLRC more than 10 months.

31st January: CID to question 16 SLRC journalists
In another twist to the alleged Rupavahini Corporation assault incident, involving Minister Mervyn Silva on December 27, 2007, the Criminal Investigation Department is to interrogate 21 employees of the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation.  The CID, in a letter addressed to SLRC Director General Sisira Kotalawela, had named 21 employees, including 16 journalists, who are to be questioned regarding the incident involving Mr. Mervyn Silva. Journalist trade unions have taken up the issue with relevant authorities.

Signs of media repression: A journalist followed and another media worker threatened

30th January 2008, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The FMM with regret and foreboding notes that threats and intimidation of journalists continue in Sri Lanka, with two more disturbing cases reported today.

A car and a motorbike followed investigative journalist Lasantha Ruhunage of the Sinhala Ravaya newspaper for more than 30 minutes yesterday, attempting to hit him from behind. This incident took place between 6.00- 6.30 pm on 29th January while he was on his way home after work. Lasantha told the FMM that he tried his best to evade the car that was following him but it almost hit him while he was negotiating a bend. He made a complaint to Mirihana police on the incident this afternoon.

Lasantha wrote a series of investigative reports on the internal political rift of the JVP (Peoples Liberation Front) during last two weeks in the Ravaya newspaper. On 29th January a former leader of the JVP, Samantha Katipearachchi complained to the judiciary that he is facing death threats from the JVP for leaking the information to the press on the internal rift. The FMM strongly suspects the reason to inflict harm upon Lasantha by way of an accident is on accont of his recent articles on the JVP.

In another incident, two persons armed with a pistol entered the house of media worker Duleep Dushantha of the state owned SLRC (Sri Lanka Rupavahini Cooperation) on the night of 29th January. As he was not in the house at that time they threatened his mother with death if she informed the police of the incident.

Duleep was prominent in the agitation against the brutish behaviour of Government Minister Mervyn de Silva on 27th December 2007, when he stormed in to the SLRC and assaulted its News Director. We note in this regard that fellow journalist Hemantha Mawalage, a News Producer of SLRC who spoke on behalf of the enraged SLRC staff on the day of the Ministers violent intrusion was also attacked with sharp knife on January 25th night and is still under medical treatment. The FMM has received credible information that underworld gangs have launched a witch hunt for leading media personal who played key role in the agitation. Threats against Duleep Dushantha are very likely to be linked to his role in the agitation.

Both incidents show that media and journalists in the South of Sri Lanka are under unprecedented siege by various anti-democratic forces. Threats and intimidation from those in the Government and their private militia have become a daily occurrence that the Police and the Government are unable and unwilling to stop.

The culture of impunity that prevails is evident in the fact that the Inspector General of Police, Victor Perera, has failed even to acknowledge a joint letter handed over to him by leading editors, newspaper owners and media organizations on 10th December 2007 requesting him to speed up investigations related to offenses against media personnel and journalists.

FMM strongly urges the Government to look in to theses incidents immediately and take remedial measures that will address this dramatic and seemingly unstoppable erosion of media freedom and the freedom of expression in Sri Lanka.

Concerns Rise For Safety Of Journalists in Sri Lanka

Media Release: Sri Lanka
January 30, 2008

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) warns that the safety of journalists in Sri Lanka is in serious jeopardy as several serious attacks and anti-media statements by government officials demonstrate a lack of respect for the value of media freedom in the country.

The IFJ joins the Free Media Movement (FMM), the Sri Lankan Working Journalists’ Association (SLWJA), the Federation of Media Employees Trade Union (FMETU), the Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum (SLMMF) and the Sri Lanka Tamil Journalists’ Alliance (SLTJA) in condemning all attacks on journalists in the country.

The IFJ is concerned by a series of recent incidents, including a knife attack on Lal Hemantha Mawalage on January 25. The producer in the news division of the state-controlled Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) was reportedly attacked by two unidentified men on his way home in Athurigiriya, a suburb of Colombo.

The FMM, an affiliate of the IFJ, reported Mawalage had received continuous death threats since speaking on behalf of SLRC employees regarding an aggressive intrusion into SLRC’s offices by Labour Minister Mervyn Silva on December 27, 2007. Mawalage’s vehicle was intentionally hit by another car on January 23. The FMM said the incidents were believed to be linked to the Minister and Mawalage’s public role in the SLRC protest.

On January 28, Suhaib M. Kasim, another journalist working for state-controlled media, was stabbed at his home in Colombo. The FMM reported that five intruders entered Kasim’s home, dragged him outside, and stabbed him, seriously injuring his abdomen. On January 26, the chairman of Associated Newspapers of Ceylon had “removed” Kasim from his position as associate editor of the state-controlled Tamil daily Thinakaran.

In an interview published on January 27, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksha openly called for media censorship, the judicial enforcement of criminal defamation and the prosecution of two leading media institutions for “critical reportage”. The statement, published in Sunday Lankadeepa, is another alarming reflection of the Sri Lankan Government’s growing and overt disregard for media freedom and the right of journalists to conduct their work freely.

Rajapaksha, who is the brother of Sri Lanka’s President, was reported as saying, “I told the President that we need to exercise press censorship from the beginning. I have been telling him that we need to bring in laws that stipulate harsh punishments for such reporting.”

The IFJ said local, national and regional authorities must initiate immediate and impartial investigations into the attacks against journalists and the media community, and ensure that culprits are brought to justice.

“Continuing attacks and harassment are intended to send a message to the media community and to spread fear,” IFJ Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park said. “Media freedom requires respect for the right of differing and critical opinions to be voiced, particularly in times of conflict. Freedom of expression is the cornerstone of any civil democracy, but attacks on journalists are eroding Sri Lanka’s democratic stability.”

For further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +612 9333 0919

The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 120 countries

Irresponsible comments and actions by ministers endanger journalists

Reporters Without Borders appealed today to President Mahinda Rajapakse to rein in various government ministers whose inflammatory comments and incitements to violence have serious threatened the safety of dozens of Sri Lankan journalists.

“Mr. President, it is not yet too late to restrain those of your close associates and political allies who sow trouble and fear among journalists,” the press freedom organisation said. “The violent behaviour of the men employed by some of your ministers is bringing the government into disrepute, a situation that will be hard to redress if nothing is done.”

The defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse, the president’s brother, said in an interview in the Sunday Lankadeepa on 27 January: “Journalists should not be allowed to write about military matters. Strong action ought to be taken against those who do. We should return to the laws that criminalize defamation in order to punish those who try to murder us.” He also criticised the Wijeya and Maharajah private press groups.

Thugs working for labour minister Mervyn Silva, who is well known for his racist comments about Tamils and his diatribes against journalists, were probably responsible for the stabbing of Lal Hemantha Mawalage, a journalist employed by state broadcaster Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC), on 25 January.

Two men on a motorcycle, who were armed with knives, ambushed and attacked Mawalage as he was returning home on the outskirts of Colombo. He and his son managed to hide in a forest until the police came. He was hospitalised with stab wounds to the hands and body.

Mawalage told several journalists he had received death threats in the weeks that followed the violence at SLRC headquarters on 27 December, when Silva ordered his men to beat up the channel’s news director T. M. G. Chandrasekara. Terrified at the possibility of further reprisals, Chandrasekara recently asked to be relieved of his post.

After that incident, Reporters Without Borders contacted presidential aides to express concern about the threats to SLRC journalists.

On 7 January, social welfare minister Douglas Devananda, who is also the head of the pro-governmental EPDP militia, accused journalists working for Minnal, a Tamil programme on Shakthi TV, of orchestrating an interview with a Tamil opposition parliamentarian at the behest of the Tamil Tigers rebels. In the interview, conducted a few days before he was murdered in Colombo, the parliamentarian told the station he was being threatened by the EPDP.

Devananda called on the police to investigate the programme’s journalists, especially Sri Ranga Jeyaratnam. Following his comments, demonstrations were held in various parts of the country to defend Minnal, which is one of the few remaining Tamil programmes to cover politics in an independent manner.

Devananda’s thugs are also suspected of being responsible for the threatening phone call made on 6 January to the Jaffna-based daily Uthayan. The call came from Kayts, an island controlled by the EPDP. Uthayan editors told Reporters Without Borders they feared for the safety of their employees.

Another journalist, Suhaib Kasim, a former senior member of the staff of the Tamil-language daily Thinakaran, was stabbed by unidentified assailants at his Colombo home yesterday. The motive of the attack is not known.

Associate Editor of Tamil newspaper stabbed

28th January 2008, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Free Media Movement (FMM) is shocked and dismayed to report another stabbing of a journalist. This is the second violent attack with deadly intent against a journalist reported within a week.

The Associate Editor of the state controlled Tamil daily Thinakaran, Suhaib M Kasim, was stabbed at his home in Colombo around 8.30pm on 28th January 2008.  He was admitted to Colombo national hospital for treatment.  Five people entered his house, forcibly took him to the veranda, and had stabbed him in his abdomen his wife told FMM. 

The Chairman of Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited transferred Mr. Suhaib M Kasim from his post of Associate Editor last Saturday. Kasim had received death threats related to this transfer, close colleagues of his told the FMM.  According to his family and colleagues he didn’t have any other problems that could have led to this incident.

This incident once again demonstrates the vulnerability of journalists in Sri Lanka in a highly militarized society. Acts of violence against journalists now occur regularly and with complete impunity.

We request that the police conduct an urgent and open investigation into this incident and apprehend the attackers. We hope that unlike in the case of Hemantha Mawalage, the journalist from the State owned television broadcaster Rupavahini who was stabbed earlier in the week, the Police don’t just arrest arbitrary characters and produce them in a court of law.

The FMM urges all those who criticise media and journalists in Sri Lanka to accept the right to hold differing and critical opinions and insist that the manner in which differences are resolved must be non-violent. This is a cornerstone of a civil democracy as is a free media, both of which are eroding rapidly in Sri Lanka.

Adding insult to injury – Rupavahini journalist attacked by thugs removed from his post

As reported by the Daily Mirror today.

The News Director of state controlled Rupavahini T.M.G Chandrasekera who was allegedly assaulted by Minister Mervyn Silva and his security officials recently has been removed from his post.

Sri Lankan Defense Secretary openly states he is in favour of draconian censorship and criminal defamation

27th January 2008, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Free Media Movement (FMM) is appalled to learn that the brother of the Sri Lankan President and Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksha has openly stated that media has to be censored and criminal defamation brought back. He has gone on to name two leading media institutions that have to be brought, in his eyes, to book for their critical reportage.

Openly taking advantage of the spoils of nepotism, he demonstrates an utter and chilling disregard for media freedom in an interview published in the Irida Lankadeepa, a Sinhala newspaper with wide circulation published on Sundays. Here are the relevant passages of his interview translated into English:

“I think that there is no need to report any thing on the military. People do not want to know how many and what kind of arms we acquired. That is not media freedom. I tell without fear that if I have power I will not allow any of these things to write. I told the President that we need to bring press censorship at the beginning. I have been telling that we need bring in laws that can punish harshly for these reports… We need criminal defamation law… This is not media freedom although very few are doing this. Today media freedom is two – three persons freedom, isn’t it? Ranjith Wijewardane’s [proprietor of the Wijeya group, largest privately owned newspaper group] freedom somewhere else and Maharaja’s [proprietor of largest privately owned electronic media group] freedom is elsewhere. Only those two institutions want their freedom. Every thing in this country has become prostituted, like peace media is completely prostituted.”

Given that the Defense Secretary is a government servant, the brother of the President and that to date there has not been any comment to the contrary by the Government or the President, the FMM considers this to be the position of the government vis-à-vis media freedom in Sri Lanka. Needless to say, this ridicules tired pronouncements by the Media Minister that there is media freedom and no censorship in Sri Lanka.

We fear that this chilling warning from a Defense Secretary with unbridled power without, evidently, sound judgment, is the latest significant threat to the freedom of expression and media freedom in Sri Lanka. In many ways, the deplorable attitude towards media freedom by the Government now perfectly mirrors that of the LTTE they are fighting against.

We unequivocally condemn this latest public statement by the Defense Secretary. It is axiomatic that if a just peace is to be secured in Sri Lanka, media must be allowed to report on the excesses of war in the public interest. Those who do not toe the line of the government are now targets for assassination and physical harm, evidenced by the recent brutal attack against a journalist with the State television broadcaster Rupavahini who stood up against the brutish mindlessness of senior Government MP, Mervyn Silva in December last year. Given that no disciplinary action whatsoever has been taken to date against Mervyn Silva, despite repeated calls by the public and media, we firmly believe that the Government is in fact openly targeting journalists and media personnel who are critical of it and with complete impunity.

This is an untenable situation and we ask the Government to urgently clarify the Defense Secretary’s comments, mindful of the fact that the all-consuming war against the LTTE is eroding what is left of media freedom in Sri Lanka daily. Soon, the only journalists left will be those who are unwilling and unable to write anything that holds public officials and government policy to scrutiny.

Journalist cut with sharp knife – Joint Press Release

Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association (SLWJA)
Federation of Media Employees Trade Union (FMETU)
Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum (SLMMF)
Sri Lanka Tamil Journalists Alliance (SLTJA)
Free Media Movement (FMM)

Journalist cut with sharp knife

26th January 2008, Colombo, Sri Lanka: We, the five media major media organisations in Sri Lanka are shocked and appalled by the knife attack on journalist Lal Hemantha Mawalage on 25th night at Athurigiriya, a suburb of Colombo. He was on his way home around 11.00pm when he was attacked by two men on motor bicycle who lay in wait for him. He received severe cut injuries in his right arm, was admitted to Ward 72 of the Colombo general hospital and had to be surgically operated on 26th morning. Journalist Mawalage is a Producer in the News Division of state controlled Sri Lanka Rupavahini Cooperation (SLRC).

On 27th December 2007 Labour Minister Mervyn de Silva stormed into the State run television station Sri Lanka Rupavahini Cooperation (SLRC) with group of his thugs associated with the under world  and assaulted its news director.  Journalist Mawalage was among those who spoke live on behalf of SLRC employees as whole SLRC staff protested against the minister’s intrusion.

Our organisations have received credible information that some Under- world criminal gangs were planning to attack journalists who played leading role in protest against the minister and his gang.  Three leading media personnel of the MBC TV and Radio network that covered the incident extensively – the Channel Head of MTV Channel One Chevaan Daniel, Sirasa Director Kingsley Ratnayaka and MTV/MBC News Director Susil Kindelpitya lodged complaints with the Maharagama police over death threats they received after the incident. Their complaints record the names of underworld persons who have been allegedly given contracts to kill them.

Journalist Mawalage received continuous death threats after his role in the SLRC staff protest.  He had lodged a complaint with the Cinnamon Gardens police station with regard to the death threats he received. Three days ago his vehicle was hit by another vehicle and sped away.

We strongly suspect that this knife attack could be retaliation for his role in SLRC staff protest. There has been no other threats to him by any other for any reason according to  our information.

This attack could send a strong message to the journalist community and create a fear psychosis if the perpetrators are not arrested immediately. Our organizations request police and the government to initiate an immediate and impartial inquiry in to this heinous crime against a journalist and the freedom of press and bring culprits to the book.

We hope that this will not be another attack on media in Sri Lanka which will be swept under the carpet as like what has happened to more than a hundred press freedom violations in recent times.

Journalist who stood up against Government MP’s thuggery attacked

Rupavahini drama takes another violent turn

Journalist attacked by knife-wielding thugs

A TV journalist who opposed Minister Mervyn Silva’s intrusion and abuse of a colleague at Rupavahini, the national television network, escaped murder on Friday night when he was attacked by two unidentified thugs on his way home after work. Lal Hemantha Athula Mawalage is lying in a serious condition at the Colombo National Hospital after he was attacked with a knife. The incident occurred at Shanthalokagama, Annasiwatte, when he was driving his van to his home in Athurugiriya. He was kept in the Intensive Care Unit and has just been transferred to a ward.

Mr. Mawalage at the National Hospital yesterday

Mr. Mawalage was one of the speakers who roundly condemned Minister Silva in a speech at the Rupavahini premises. Minister Silva and his bodyguards stormed the Rupavahini premises on December 27 last year, and allegedly assaulted News Director T.M.D. Chandrasekera. The minister was later held hostage in the chairman’s office by Rupavahini employees for over four hours. The Police and Army were deployed to extricate Mr. Silva to safety.

Whilst no Police action was taken against Mr. Silva, the CID has been detailed to probe how the non-Cabinet Labour Minister was held hostage and allegedly assaulted. Mr. Mawalage, who was writhing in pain, told The Sunday Times, “The men tried to pull me out of the vehicle and stab me. I managed to fight them. They cut my hands in several places. I managed to drive to the Athurugiriya Police Station to make a complaint.”

Mr. Mawalage said two weeks before the incident, a double cab had deliberately knocked on his vehicle and disappeared. “After Friday’s incident, I have been receiving calls on my mobile phone threatening to kill me,” he said. A motorcycle believed to have been used by the attackers has been found by the police.

The attack on Mr. Mawalage drew condemnation from media organizations. The Free Media Movement and the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association said they were condemning the incident and were due to issue statements. Non cabinet media minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena told The Sunday Times he condemned the attack. He said he would call for a separate inquiry into the incident.

A three member-committee appointed by the Central Committee of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party nearly three weeks after they were appointed is yet to hold a meeting.

From The Sunday Times, 27th January 2008

See also Journalist stabbing condemned on the BBC

Lives of staff at Uthayan newspaper in Jaffna at risk

Staff working for Uthayan newspaper in Jaffna
Source URL: http://www.isavelives.be/en/node/803
ASA 37/002/2008     - UA 22/08

Staff at the Uthayan newspaper based in Jaffna, northern Sri Lanka, have recently been threatened. Their lives are believed to be at risk.

At around 10.45am on 6 January, the Uthayan newspaper office received a threatening telephone call demanding that the newspaper stop its production immediately. The caller did not give his identity but stated that he was calling from the island of Kayts, off the coast of the Jaffna peninsula.

On 29 April 2007, a young journalist working for Uthayan, Selvaraja Rajivaram, was shot dead near the newspaper’s office. Selvaraja Rajivaram had been investigating reports of enforced disappearances.

On 16 August 2006 Sathasivam Baskaran, a delivery man at Uthayan newspaper, was reportedly shot dead in Jaffna by unknown gunmen when he was in a clearly marked Uthayan delivery vehicle after taking advantage of the temporary lifting of a curfew to deliver copies of the newspaper in an area controlled by the Sri Lankan armed forces.
In 2006, the Uthayan office was attacked by a group of armed men who shot dead two support staff at the newspaper. According to Uthayan, nobody has yet been arrested for this attack. Staff also claim that since the 2006 murders, the authorities have provided police protection at the office, though in recent months the number of police posted there at any one time has been reduced from 10 to three. This has not been increased since the threat to the newspaper on 6 January, despite requests from the newspaper’s staff. One journalist from Uthayan has reportedly not left the newspaper’s office for over a year for fear he may be killed.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Attempts to censor the media have increased with the collapse of the ceasefire between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The 2002 truce formally ended on 16 January 2008, following an announcement by the government to withdraw from the ceasefire agreement. Since the resumption of armed conflict in 2006, threats to the media and to media freedom in Sri Lanka have increased dramatically. There have been reports that at least ten media workers have been the victims of unlawful killings since the beginning of 2006; two have allegedly disappeared in the custody of the security forces; while others have been tortured and arbitrarily detained under emergency regulations (ERs) granting the government sweeping powers. The right to life of media workers particularly Tamil journalists is under severe threat from the security forces and others. Members of the security forces have attempted to intimidate media workers covering the conflict. On 2 January 2008 Army Commander Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka reportedly accused sections of the media and journalists of ‘treachery’ and being ‘unpatriotic’.

Media workers in Jaffna are particularly vulnerable to intimidation because they are required to obtain a military permit to leave the peninsula. Seven media workers have been killed in Jaffna since the beginning of May 2006, four of these working with Uthayan.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in English or your own language:

- expressing concern that staff at the Uthayan newspaper have recently been threatened and previously staff working for the newspaper have been killed;

- calling on the authorities to immediately provide adequate levels of police protection for the staff of Uthayan newspaper;

- calling on the authorities to order prompt, thorough and impartial investigations into all criminal acts including murder and incidents of intimidation, and to bring those responsible to justice;

- urging the authorities to respect and ensure respect for the right to freedom of opinion and expression, in compliance with Sri Lanka’s obligations under the ICCPR and other treaties and standards.

APPEALS TO:

Hon. Mahinda Samarasinghe
Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights
2, Wijerama Mawatha
Colombo 7,
Sri Lanka
Fax: + 94 11 268 1980
Salutation: Dear Minister

Hon. Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, MP
Ministry of Mass Media and Information
163, Kirulapone Mawatha,
Polhengoda,
Colombo 05,
Sri Lanka.
Fax: 94 11 2513462/ 2513500/ 2513440
Salutation: Dear Minister

Mr. Victor Perera
Inspector General of Police
Sri Lanka Police
Headquarters
101/1 Kew Road
Colombo 2
SRI LANKA
Fax: + 94 11 2390433
Salutation: Dear Inspector General

Ambassade de la République démocratique socialiste de Sri Lanka
Rue Jules Lejeune 27
1050 Bruxelles
Fax : 02.344.67.37
Email : sri.lanka@euronet.be [1]

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 6 March 2008.