CPJ condemns murder of journalist

(CPJ/IFEX) – CPJ is strongly condemning the murder of Rohana Kumara, chief editor of the Sinhala-language newspaper “Satana”. **Updates IFEX alerts of 8 September 1999** At around 10 p.m. (local time) on 7 September 1999, unidentified assailants shot and killed Kumara on the road leading to his home in the Colombo suburb of Mirihana. The […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – CPJ is strongly condemning the murder of Rohana Kumara, chief
editor of the Sinhala-language newspaper “Satana”.

**Updates IFEX alerts of 8 September 1999**

At around 10 p.m. (local time) on 7 September 1999, unidentified assailants
shot and killed Kumara on the road leading to his home in the Colombo suburb
of Mirihana. The assailants reportedly fled the scene in a silver Toyota 300
car. Kumara had received a phone call earlier that night notifying him that
a group of men had entered his home and threatened to harm his wife if she
did not reveal her husband’s whereabouts.

The motive for the killing is not yet known, but journalists in Sri Lanka
fear Kumara may have been murdered for his work. CPJ’s sources characterise
“Satana” (“Battle”) as a controversial tabloid paper with a reputation for
attacking the government and featuring personal and political scandal.
Though “Satana” currently receives financial backing from the opposition
United National Party (UNP), it had also taken money from the People’s
Alliance (PA) coalition led by President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga,
in the days when the PA was in the opposition, according to the
Colombo-based Free Media Movement (FMM).

The FMM also reports that “Satana” recently ran a series of stories
concerning allegations of high-level corruption and bribery involving, among
others, President Kumaratunga’s media advisor, Sanath Gunatillake.

Recommended Action

Her Excellency Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga

President, Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

Presidential Secretariat

Colombo-1, Sri Lanka

Fax: +94 1 333 703