Sri Lanka

(IFJ/IFEX) – In a letter to the managing director of Sumathi Publications, the IFJ has protested the banning of Sumathi employee Buddika Weerasinghe following the publication of an article in the newspaper “Ravaya” in which he was the subject of an interview. According to Sumathi management, Weerasinghe breached his contract by working for another publication, […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 9 September 2001 FMM press release: FMM assistant secretary interdicted over a freedom of expression article On 16 August 2001, photojournalist Buddika Weerasinghe, who is employed by Sumathi (Publishers) Pvt Limited, was interdicted after an article was published in the newspaper “Ravaya”, based on an interview with him. Weerasinghe […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 19 August 2001 FMM press statement: Assault on Hiru radio journalist Udaya Wijesingha by Air Force personnel FMM considers the assault on Hiru radio staff reporter Mr. Udaya Wijesingha by air force personnel on 18th August, who was covering the crash of an air force Mig training jet close […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 9 August 2001 press release: Anti-media attitude of two UNP MPs The Free Media Movement (FMM) is extremely concerned by the behavior of two members of Parliament of the main opposition United National Party (UNP). On Sunday 5 August 2001, the wife of UNP MP for Kurunagala District Rohitha […]

(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 […]

(IPI/IFEX) – The following is an IPI letter to Sri Lankan President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, in which IPI expresses concern over the use of criminal defamation laws to intimidate the editor-in-chief of a newspaper: Her Excellency Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga President, Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Presidential Secretariat Colombo-1 Sri Lanka Fax: +94 1 333 […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release: FMM welcomes the government decision to allow journalists into war zone The Free Media Movement (FMM) welcomes the decision by the government to allow journalists to cover both the cleared and un-cleared areas of the north and east of the country without restrictions. The FMM has […]

(FMM/IFEX) – Early on the morning of 16 July 2001, an armed group, suspected to be members of the Presidential Security Division (PSD), threatened a group of journalists who are FMM members and confiscated 6,000 posters.The journalists were putting up posters as part of a campaign to mark the second anniversary of the attack on […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an 11 July 2001 FMM press release: Prorogation of parliament and call for an immediate referendum a clear violation of democracy FMM condemns the presidential order, given at 12:00 p.m. on 10 July 2001, to prorogue the parliament for two months and to hold a referendum on whether or not […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 9 July 2001 FMM press release: LET US DEFEAT THE ATTEMPTS TO COVER UP THE PSD ATTACK ON PHOTO-JOURNALISTS! On July 15, 2001, we commemorate the second anniversary of the attack on photo-journalists covering a protest demonstration organised by the main Opposition party, the UNP, to call for the […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The FMM is gravely concerned over the continuing campaign by the government to intimidate the independent media in Sri Lanka in the midst of a political crisis brought about by the no confidence motion tabled in parliament by three opposition parties. In the latest event, a state-sponsored group demonstrated outside the office of […]

(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Media Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, RSF protested the spying allegations, published in three governmental newspapers, levelled against T. Sivaram, editor of the online newspaper “Tamilnet”, and Vasantharaja, journalist for the private weekly “Ravaya”, among others. RSF asked the minister to do everything in his power to ensure that “such […]

(IPI/IFEX) – In a 21 June 2001 letter to President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, IPI expressed deep concern over recent articles appearing in two state newspapers and an independent newspaper accusing the editor of the Tamil Net of acting as a spy for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). According to information provided to IPI, […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release: Hate propaganda against the editor of Tamil Net The editor of Tamil Net, Mr. S. Sivaram, has become the target of a hate propaganda campaign. Last week, state newspapers and a non-state newspaper ran articles accusing him of being a spy for the Liberation Tigers of […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 13 June 2001 FMM press release: FMM condemns manhandling of TNL Television News reporter by special police TNL television news reporter Upendra Chitral Alwis was manhandled and scolded by officers belonging to a special police unit while covering a daylight murder case on 12 June 2001. This incident took […]

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is an ARTICLE 19 press release: 11 June 2001 LIFTING OF SRI LANKA MILITARY CENSORSHIP WELCOMED ARTICLE 19 welcomes the decision of the Sri Lankan Government to repeal the Emergency Regulations which imposed prior censorship and other restrictions on military news. The international human rights organisation also called for further […]