(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release: Attack on a newspaper and a campaign of intimidation against journalists. The Free Media Movement expresses its grave concern regarding a recent attack on a newspaper and a campaign of intimidation against two journalists known to be associated with the opposition. On February 23, the ‘Daily […]
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release:
Attack on a newspaper and a campaign of intimidation against journalists.
The Free Media Movement expresses its grave concern regarding a recent attack on a newspaper and a campaign of intimidation against two journalists known to be associated with the opposition.
On February 23, the ‘Daily News’ and ‘Dinamina’, both daily newspapers published by Lake House, the state-owned press, carried lead stories alleging a conspiracy to overthrow the government by two opposition parties, the UNP and the JVP. The ‘Dinamina’ titled the story ‘The UNP-JVP plan to destabilise the country is agreed’, while the ‘Daily News’ headline read ‘UNP and JVP connive to incite strikes’.
The Dinamina report mentioned the names of ‘Peramuna’ editor Saman Wagarachchi and ‘Peraliya’ editor Sujeewa Gamage in this regard, as follows: ‘The responsibility of carrying out the propaganda and media campaign for this plan has been entrusted to mediaman Saman Wagarachchi, formerly of the JVP and now a member of the UNP. Sujeewa Gamage, editor of ‘Peraliya’ and ‘Iva’, will assist him in this task’.
‘Peraliya’ is a tabloid, published monthly by Sujeewa Gamage, who earlier worked at the Star Press operated by the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP), which is now a member party of the People’s Alliance government. On February 28, the ‘Peraliya’ office located on the second floor of the Borella Supermarket complex in Colombo 8 was set on fire by a gang of unidentified persons. Mr. Gamage and other members of his staff had received several threats prior to this incident, and he had recorded complaints in this connection with the Police. Following the burning of the ‘Peraliya’ office, Mr. Wagarachchi has reported receiving threats on the telephone.
The Free Media Movement is convinced that there is a connection between these incidents of arson and intimidation and the reports in the state-owned press of the involvement of these two persons in the so-called conspiracy between the UNP and the JVP. We call on the government to take immediate steps to halt the unleashing of these types of repressive and undemocratic practices against media institutions and journalists. We also urge the immediate investigation of these incidents as well as of the assassinations of journalists Rohana Kumara, Nadaraja Athputharaja and Nimalarajan, which are as yet unsolved, and ask that those responsible for these criminal acts are brought before the law.
Victor Ivan
Convenor 15.03.2001
