(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release: Another media worker missing in Jaffna FMM is disheartened to report that another media worker has gone missing in Jaffna. Newspaper delivery person for the Jaffna-based Tamil daily “Yal Thinakkural”, Mr. Anthonypillai Sherin Sithranjan, has been missing since 5 November 2007. Sithranjan is 36 years old, […]
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release:
Another media worker missing in Jaffna
FMM is disheartened to report that another media worker has gone missing in Jaffna. Newspaper delivery person for the Jaffna-based Tamil daily “Yal Thinakkural”, Mr. Anthonypillai Sherin Sithranjan, has been missing since 5 November 2007.
Sithranjan is 36 years old, married and the father of one child. He lived at Uyarappulm, Annaikkottai, in Jaffna.
Sithranjan was reported missing after he took papers for distribution from the “Yarl Thinakkural” office on KKS Road at 6:00 a.m. (local time) on 5 November. According to FMM sources in Jaffna, he went missing between Mallakm and Elalai on KKS Road. Jaffna peninsula has been under government military control since 1995 and 20,000 to 40,000 soldiers are stationed there. There is a government army camp located in the Elalai area as well.
FMM fears that Sithranjan may have been abducted.
If so, he would be the sixteenth media person killed or abducted during the last 24 months in Sri Lanka. Fifteen of these victims are from the minority Tamil community. Only two of the abducted journalists have been released, due to intense campaigning. One journalist and two media workers are still missing.
FMM begs whoever abducted Sithranjan to release him unharmed. FMM also holds the government responsible for the security of all media personnel working in Jaffna, and requests that the government take all possible steps to ensure Sithranjan is safe and released unharmed.
