(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 15 December 2005 FMM press release: FMM is disturbed over search of newspaper office in Jaffna Free Media Movement (FMM) is disturbed that government military personnel searched the editorial, administrative and press offices of the Tamil daily Namathu Eelanaadu in Jaffna today. Namadu Eelanaadu is one of the four […]
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 15 December 2005 FMM press release:
FMM is disturbed over search of newspaper office in Jaffna
Free Media Movement (FMM) is disturbed that government military personnel searched the editorial, administrative and press offices of the Tamil daily Namathu Eelanaadu in Jaffna today. Namadu Eelanaadu is one of the four daily newspapers published in the capital of the war-ravaged Northern Province, Jaffna.
All four dailies in Jaffna take an editorial line that supports Tamil nationalism, which is the ideological basis of the separatist armed struggle in northern and eastern Sri Lanka.
FMM views this situation as a direct result of the escalation of violence in the Jaffna peninsula during the last few weeks. A number of soldiers, armed separatists and civilians have died as a result of these unfortunate developments. FMM fears that the media in Jaffna may become a target of the escalating violence again, as has happened many a time before.
In a non-peaceful situation like the one that prevails in Jaffna today, the searching of a newspaper office by government military personnel may send a signal that the media is under military scrutiny and thereby impede freedom of expression and information.
Media and journalists in Jaffna face a challenging situation now in gathering and disseminating information as war clouds gather with each passing day.
FMM urges both sides of the conflict to respect the right to freedom of expression and information and not to target media, regardless of the military confrontations and mistrust that may develop between the parties to the conflicts.
Sunanda Deshapriya
Spokesperson
Free Media Movement
