Sri Lanka

(RSF/IFEX) – On 15 May 2003, RSF voiced its concern about a death threat against BBC correspondent Ponnaiah Manikavasagam following the broadcast of his interview with a Tamil separatist leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on the BBC. A pro-government paramilitary group is believed to be responsible for the threat, which came […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release: Death threat to senior journalist Mr. P. Manikavasagam The FMM expresses its utmost concern regarding the death threat received by senior Tamil journalist P. Manikavasagam on 7 May 2003. Mr. Manikavasagam is former president of the Tamil Media Alliance and the Vanni Journalists Association. In the […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release: On May 3, 2003, the day the world marks World Press Freedom Day, the Free Media Movement (FMM) calls on the government to speed up the media reform agenda. The United National Front (UNF) government took office promising a broad democratic reform programme, including media freedom. […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release: HEAD PRIEST THREATENS PHOTOJOURNALIST The Free Media Movement strongly condemns the threat issued to The Sunday Leader photographer Asoka Fernando by Ven Galaboda Gnanissara, the head priest of the Gangarama Temple, on Thursday, April 24, 2003. The Sunday Leader is a leading English-language weekly in Sri […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release: Opposition political party threatens independent media Free Media Movement (FMM) deplores the statement made by the Propaganda Secretary of the JVP (People’s Liberation Party) at an opposition political mass meeting held on 10 March 2003 in Colombo, to the effect that one day the independent media […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 10 February 2003 FMM press release: Fundamental rights petitioner punished with jail sentence by Supreme Court Last week, the Supreme Court imposed a one year prison sentence for contempt of court on a citizen who approached the court believing that his fundamental rights had been violated. The Free Media […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 21 February 2003 FMM press release: Police obstruct journalists reporting at JVP demonstration The FMM strongly condemns the police water canon attack (mixed with tear gas) on journalists, especially on photojournalists, who were covering the JVP (People’s Liberation Front) led anti-peace demonstration in Colombo on 20 February 2003. A […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release: Attack on the house of journalist S. Jayamanthamoorty The FMM deplores and condemns the attack on the house of journalist S. Jayamanthamoorty on the night of 7 January 2003. Mr. S. Jayamanthamoorty is vice president of the East Lanka Journalists Association and a free lance journalist. […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 23 December 2002 FMM press release: The registrar of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has requested information on journalists from the state-owned television station, signifying that contempt of court charges may be laid against them. The Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) and the state-owned Lake House newspaper group […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 4 December 2002 FMM press release: FMM unequivocally condemns the severe assault on journalists that took place on 3 December 2002, during the Wallavaya Titarama Palatha Corporative Election. Journalists who went to report on the election were set on by thugs of the Wallavaya Predesheeya Shaba chairman. SLRC and […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release: FMM urges government to conduct special investigation into the destruction of the Navamani newspaper office FMM condemns the destruction of the Navamani newspaper office on the night of 1 December 2002 by an unidentified group. Navamani is a Tamil-language newspaper catering especially to the Muslim community […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release: Re: Threats directed against “Dinakara” newspaper According to reports, the weekly “Dinakara” and its journalists began receiving threatening telephone calls after the newspaper published a feature story, titled “Devil’s Rule in Haguranketha”, on 24 November. The news story referred to a powerful government minister who represents […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 12 November 2002 FMM press release: The Free Media Movement (FMM) requests that the government hold an immediate inquiry and bring to book those responsible for assaulting and illegally arresting journalist Uvindu Kurukulasooriya on 8 October 2002. On that day, Uvindu Kurukulasooriya, of Ravaya newspaper, was on his way […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 7 November 2002 FMM press release: The Free Media Movement (FMM) is seriously concerned by the decision of the government not to extend the work visa of British journalist Paul Harris. The visa of Mr. Harris, who is the accredited correspondent in Colombo of the Daily Telegraph of London, […]

(RSF/IFEX) – On 7 November 2002, RSF criticised the Sri Lankan government’s refusal to renew Paul Harris’s visa. The journalist from the British newspaper “The Daily Telegraph” is being forced to leave the country after becoming the target of an intimidation campaign. The organisation expressed its regret that the authorities had offered no explanation for […]

(RSF/IFEX) – The following is a 17 October 2002 RSF open letter to Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickramesinghe: The Honourable Ranil Wickramesinghe Prime Minister of the Republic of Sri Lanka Colombo Sri Lanka Paris, 17 October 2002 Honourable Sir, Exactly two years ago, on 19 October 2000, Sri Lankan journalist Mayilvaganam Nimalarajan was murdered […]