Media Release: Sri Lanka October 24, 2008
New Level of Danger for Sri Lanka’s Journalists as Threats Mount
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is alarmed at widespread and frequent verbal and physical attacks against journalists and press freedom defenders in Sri Lanka as the country’s internal conflict continues.
According to the Free Media Movement (FMM), an IFJ affiliate, journalists in the troubled Eastern Province and those raising voices unfavourable to either party in the violent confrontations between Sri Lankan Government’s with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are in grave danger.
In the latest assault on media freedom, a series of letters were reportedly received by human rights defenders and lawyers associated with the current trial of senior Tamil journalist J.S. Tissainayagam, the first journalist to be charged under anti-terrorism laws for his published work.
The letter reportedly warned any supporters of Tissainayagam or other defenders of human rights cases that they would be summarily killed or suffer life-threatening injuries. The source of the letter, “Mahason Balakaya” (Mahason Regiment) is an unknown group, the FMM reports.
In August, a supporter of the Tamil Makal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) Karuna faction threatened journalist Thakshila Jayasena from Sandeshaya, the BBC Sinhala Service, when covering a protest campaign by the United National Party, Sri Lanka’s main opposition party.
In September, journalist Radhika Devakumar, a provincial correspondent of the Tamil daily Thinakaran newspaper, survived an assassination attempt in her home. This incident is reportedly linked to her former position as media coordinator for Eastern Province Chief Minister Sinvaesathurai Chandrakanthan.
On October 18, an article in the state-controlled Dinamina daily accused ten journalists of working for the Tamil Tigers and allegedly reporting distorted interpretations on the humanitarian crisis facing the Sri Lankan government.
“For any hope of democratic stability to return to this now conflict-devastated country, journalists and photographers must have the right of passage to report on the war independently and disseminate information locally and internationally,” IFJ Asia-Pacific said.
“Journalists are now more than ever being actively targeted for their reporting. Moves by any party to incite further violence against the media are not only irresponsible but inhumane.”
The IFJ joins the FMM in calling upon the Inspector General of the Police to take the lead in dismantling the growing attitude of disregard for journalists’ safety and professional duty by demonstrating that any perpetrator of such violence will face justice.
Only through denouncing the trend of attacks and threats will the Government be able to restore public confidence in Sri Lanka at such a fragile time.
For further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +612 9333 0919
The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 120 countries worldwide