Journalists threatened

(FMM/IFEX) – In a 25 July 2001 letter to Minister of Information and Media Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, FMM expressed concern over a number of incidents that have occurred recently in Batticaloa, which have a direct bearing on freedom of expression and journalists’ right to fulfill their duty without fear and obstructions. The Sri Lanka Tamil […]

(FMM/IFEX) – In a 25 July 2001 letter to Minister of Information and Media Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, FMM expressed concern over a number of incidents that have occurred recently in Batticaloa, which have a direct bearing on freedom of expression and journalists’ right to fulfill their duty without fear and obstructions. The Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance informed FMM about these incidents.

On 17 July, Colonel Manawaduge, the commanding officer of the 23-3 battalion in Batticaloa warned and threatened reporter Aiyathurai Nadesan.

Nadesan has worked as a journalist in Batticoloa for many years. Manawaduge summoned Nadesan to his office, alledging that the journalist only writes anti-government and anti-military news and articles. Manawaduge warned him that if he continued in this manner, action would be taken against him under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

While at the army camp office, Nadesan was warned that members of the People’s Liberation Front (Janata Vimuktui Peramuna, JVP) had been shot dead for posting anti-government posters. Military photographers took a number of photos of Nadesan without his permission. Nadesan subsequently complained about the incident and the threat to his life.

The government announced recently that the censorship of military news had been removed and restrictions imposed on journalists in areas under the control of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were lifted. Media personnel can now go freely to these areas and gather information (see IFEX alert of 18 July 2001). However, even after this announcement, Nadesan, who lives and works in a war zone, has been threatened.

Nadesan is the vice-president of the Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance and was awarded Best Journalist of 2000 by the Sri Lanka Editors’ Guild. FMM noted that there is fear that the incident may lead to an armed retaliation, similar to the killing of journalist Mylvaganam Nimalarajan last year, in the high-security zone in Jaffna peninsula (see IFEX alerts of 19 and 6 April 2001, 10 November and 20 October 2000).

Editor S. M. Gopalratnam and sub-editor K. Rushankan of “Thinakathir”, the only Tamil daily of eastern Sri Lanka, were summoned to the camp by the same army officer and warned in the same manner. They were accused of supporting the LTTE. Both are members of the Eastern Journalists Association.

FMM protested Manawaduge’s threatening behaviour and reaffirmed its support for all media personnel working in war zones under extremely difficult conditions while fulfilling their duty to their fellow citizens.

Recommended Action

Appeals To

Col. Manawaduge
Commanding Officer of the 23-3 battalion
Batticoloa, Sri Lanka

Please copy appeals to the source if possible.