(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release: Three journalists belonging to the Udyan, Eelanadu and Eelanthan newspapers were assaulted and their cameras taken away temporarily by the Sri Lankan military while covering a demonstration in Kodikamam, Jaffna on 15th November 2004. The Free Media Movement (FMM) condemns this behavior by security forces, which […]
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release:
Three journalists belonging to the Udyan, Eelanadu and Eelanthan newspapers were assaulted and their cameras taken away temporarily by the Sri Lankan military while covering a demonstration in Kodikamam, Jaffna on 15th November 2004. The Free Media Movement (FMM) condemns this behavior by security forces, which is antithetical to democracy and free speech.
Residents of the area had gathered to protest the death of a Hindu priest who had died that morning as a result of a road accident involving a military vehicle. Three journalists, namely, K.Kajidaran, M. Anchelian, and S. Sivaruban, were covering the protest for their newspapers when they were assaulted by the military. Prior to the assault, the military had ascertained the identity of the three persons as journalists.
FMM is disturbed by the continuing trend of assaults against journalists covering civil protests in public places. The perpetrators have included the authorities as well as non-state actors. These developments threaten the performance by journalists of their duty in gathering and disseminating information regarding social and political events. In this context, the FMM requests that the government take immediate steps to secure the people’s right to information as well as to a free media by allowing journalists to cover such incidents without hindrance and intimidation.
Finally FMM calls upon the government to take immediate disciplinary action against the military personnel involved in this incident, so as to ensure that incidents like this will not be repeated in the future.
