Sri Lanka

(CPJ/IFEX) – CPJ is outraged by the 14 March 1999 abduction and beating of Sri Lal Priyantha, the defense correspondent of the weekly “Lakbima” newspaper in Colombo. Priyantha, who is known for his reporting on corruption in the military and the police, was kidnapped from his boarding house at approximately 4:00 a.m. by ten men […]

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is concerned by the kidnapping of a Sri Lankan journalist. According to RSF’s information, on 14 March 1999, in Colombo, three men entered the room of Sirilal Priyantha, journalist with the weekly “Lakbima,” and kidnapped him. He was later found in a cemetery, bleeding, semiconscious and with his hands and legs bound. […]

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is worried about an attack on a Sri Lankan journalist. According to RSF’s information, on 28 January 1999, the house of M. W. Somaratne, provincial reporter for the daily “Lakandeepa”, was attacked by unknown individuals in the centre of Sri Lanka (150 miles from Colombo). The façade of his home was severely […]

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is a 3 February 1999 ARTICLE 19 letter to Sri Lankan Minister Mangala Samaraweera concerning recent threats by government ministers to the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence: 3rd February, 1999 Hon. Mangala Samaraweera Minister of Media Colombo Sri Lanka ARTICLE 19, the International Centre against Censorship, is greatly concerned by […]

(FMM/IFEX) – On 09 September (local date), the 1998 FREE MEDIA MOVEMENT (FMM) of Sri Lanka filed a Fundamental Rights case in the Supreme Court against the postponement of Provincial Council Elections by declaring an emergency situation all over the country four weeks before. Elections were due on 28 August 1998. Its secretary, Sunanda Deshapriya, […]

**Update to IFEX Action Alert of 28 August** (RSF/IFEX) – According to RSF, on 28 August, Thadshanamurthy Mathusoothanan, a Tamil journalist for the newspaper Saranihar, was still being detained under the Emergency Regulations, which means that the charges against him remain unknown. Mathusoothanan was arrested in Colombo on 26 August. He had been walking in […]

(FMM/IFEX) – FMM expresses its grave concern about the 26 August 1998 arrest and detention of Mr. Thadshanamurthy Mathusoothanan, a well-known Tamil journalist and literary figure. He has been a regular columnist for “Saranihar”, the Tamil newspaper published by the Movement for Inter-racial Justice and Equality, and he is also editor of the Tamil bulletin […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – In a 20 August 1998 letter, the CPJ expressed deep dismay over President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga’s government’s expansion of censorship regulations governing media coverage of the civil war between the government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). On 17 August, the Defense Ministry imposed an immediate ban on […]

(FMM/IFEX) – According to FMM, on 14 August 1998, officers of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) visited two English-language weeklies, “Sunday Times” and “Sunday Leader”, demanding to know the source of stories related to two government ministers. FMM has consistently opposed visits by the CID to newspaper editorial offices to demand information about the sources […]

(RSF/IFEX) – According to information made available by RSF on 4 August, on 2 August, Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga said that censorship of war reporting was “likely to continue for some time.” President Kumaratunga added that “the local media will have to prove to us that they have learnt to be responsible.” Censorship, which […]

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is the full text of a letter, dated 23 July 1998, sent by ARTICLE 19 to Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Media, Colombo, Sri Lanka (Fax: +00 94 1 440488): ARTICLE 19, the International Centre Against Censorship, is concerned about a number of issues relating to media freedom that have arisen […]

(RSF/IFEX) – According to RSF, on 20 July 1998, Ponniah Manickavasagar, a reporter for the daily “Weerakesary”, based in Vavuniya (in northern Sri Lanka), was arrested by the local police for questioning. He was later transferred to the Terrorist Investigation Department in Colombo (the capital city). The charges brought against him were not available. On […]

(RSF/IFEX) – According to information made available by RSF on 17 July 1998, on 16 July, Sri Gajan, a reporter from the daily “Weerakesary” was detained for questioning in the Terrorist Investigation Department. In the afternoon, three police officers from the Criminal Investigation Department came to his office and arrested him. The only reasons given […]

(RSF/IFEX) – On 17 June 1998, Lasantha Wickrematunga, editor-in-chief of the “Sunday Leader” newspaper, was attacked as he was entering his home in Nugegoda, a suburb of Colombo. Unidentified men fired at the house without injuring anyone. About 30 spent bullets were found at the scene. The “Sunday Leader” is known for criticising the ruling […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The Free Media Movement vehemently condemns the imposition of Emergency (Prohibition on Publication and Transmission of Sensitive Military Information) Regulation No.1 of 1998 which was promulgated on 5 June 1998, as a grave violation of the basic democratic rights of the people of Sri Lanka. It is a flagrant violation of the commitment […]

(FMM/IFEX) – According to FMM, the officer-in-charge of the Aranayake Police Station, Sub-Inspector W. Dharmaratne, who is alleged to have assaulted journalist Pradeep Kumara Dharmaratne, has been removed from duty, pending further inquiry. W. Dharmaratne was removed after a preliminary inquiry held by the Deputy Inspector General of Police of the Province, on the orders […]