5 July 2006

JOURNALIST MURDERED


Free Media Movement (FMM), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières) warn that free expression conditions in Sri Lanka appear to be deteriorating amidst escalating violence in the country, which claimed the life of a journalist on 2 July 2006.

Unidentified gunmen shot dead freelance journalist Sampath Lakmal de Silva after abducting him from his parents' home in Borallasgamuwa, reported FMM.

De Silva had recently written reports that embarrassed elements of the security forces, according to FMM. He was the former defence correspondent for the Sinhala-language newspaper "Isathdina Weekly". De Silva was the first Sinhala journalist killed in Sri Lanka in eight years.

De Silva's murder occurred right after the conclusion of an IFJ mission to Sri Lanka from 25-30 June, where the international group met with its local affiliates to discuss the situation facing journalists.

According to IFJ, six media workers have now been killed in Sri Lanka since January 2005. None of the crimes have been either investigated or solved. The murdered journalists include Subramaniyam Sugirdharajan, Relangi Sevaraja, Dharmeratnam Sivaram, Suresh Kumar and Ranjith Kumar.

FMM says the first six months of this year have been marked by the increased harassment of journalists, media outlets and human rights activists by ultra-nationalist groups and government forces. Those who support a negotiated settlement of the conflict are labeled as "traitors" and supporters of the Tamil Tigers rebel group.

FMM notes that Tamil journalists face particular challenges in reporting the news. The majority of attacks have been against Tamil journalists and Tamil-language outlets. Since 2001, every journalist killed in Sri Lanka (except de Silva) has been a Tamil, says FMM.

Visit these links:
- FMM: http://www.freemediasrilanka.org/index.php?action=con_all_full&id=217&section=news
- IFJ: http://www.ifj.org/default.asp?Index=4020&Language=EN
- RSF: http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=18200


Stay on top of free expression news.

Sign up to receive the weekly IFEX Communiqué.


Also from the Communiqué, 5 July 2006

AFGHANISTAN: MEDIA GUIDELINES THREATEN PRESS FREEDOM 5 July 2006 MEXICO: PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES URGED TO PROMOTE TRANSPARENCY 5 July 2006 LIBERIA: COMMITTEE TO PROBE ATTACKS ON JOURNALISTS 5 July 2006 LAOS: NEW LEADER URGED TO EASE CENSORSHIP 5 July 2006 INTERNATIONAL: SEEMO SURVEYS ETHNIC MINORITY MEDIA IN SOUTHEAST EUROPE 5 July 2006 INTERNATIONAL: MISA PRESS FREEDOM AWARD 5 July 2006

Sri Lanka

IFJ disappointed by Supreme Court decision on Internet restrictions 17 May 2012 Hearings into disappearance of opposition journalist continue 25 April 2012 Eknelygoda's wife latest victim of intolerance 27 March 2012 Alarming increase in hostile rhetoric, threats of reprisals against journalists 26 March 2012 Government calls journalists "traitors" 22 March 2012 See all alerts: Sri Lanka


Asia and Pacific

INDIA: Charges against video journalist must be dropped 25 May 2012 CAMBODIA: Lake activists sentenced, monk detained after taking part in protest 25 May 2012 PHILIPPINES: Radio commentator threatened on Facebook 25 May 2012 PAKISTAN: Moves to squelch media, again 25 May 2012 CHINA: Anti-foreign attitudes bode ill for China correspondents 24 May 2012


 
IFEX is a global network of committed organisations working to defend and promote free expression.
Permission is granted for material on this website to be reproduced or republished in whole or in part provided the source member and/or IFEX is cited with a link to the original item.