Free Media Movement of Sri Lanka vehemently condemns the acts of security forces harassing and detaining a group Tamil journalists who were en route to Colombo from Jaffna for a media workshop and the violent mob who forced the concealed the workshop.
The group of Journalists were stopped twice and checked by security forces on 25th July, when the journalists were travelling through A9, en route to Colombo. On the second instance, these journalists were detained for a short time on absurd & baseless charges. It is clear that without the backing of the state security agencies these kinds of unlawful and violent activities cannot take place in the heart of the Colombo city.
The journalists were released later on. Even before they arrived on 26th July at Sri Lanka Press Institute which was hosting the workshop, a violent mob arrived at SLPI and handed over a letter to the security officer demanding to conceal the workshop. The mob threatened the SLPI will have to face the consequences if it allows the workshop to be held. The mob staged a brief protest and vowed never allow such workshops or training programs anywhere in the country. Free Media Movement strongly condemns this illegal and dastardly actions and would like to pose the questions to the Government of Sri Lanka as who permitted these rogues to interfere and violate the legitimate rights of the journalists.
These intimidations, harassments and continuous attacks on Tamil journalists in Sri Lanka clearly show the discrimination Tamils face as a community in Sri Lanka today.
The Free Media Movement convened a media briefing on the 26th of July to condemn and to reveal the truth behind these incidents. An hour before the media briefing was commenced, Convenor of FMM Mr. Sunil Jayasekara received a phone call from a caller ID hidden phone. The caller told Mr. Jayasekara that he will have to face deadly consequences if FMM goes ahead to hold the media briefing. Free Media Movement, without fear, condemns these death threats directed towards its convenor.
Within few hours, after the media briefing where Mr. Jayasekara exposed those death threats he was threatened with death on not less than 7 times through telephone calls. The Free Media Movement has all the telephone numbers recorded in Mr.Jayasekara’s mobile phone and will provide all the relevant information to the Inspector General of Police for immediate action.
Free Media Movement once again condemns these intimidations, mob violence and threats to life and urges all democratic forces to raise their voice and act together to surmount these dangerous developments.
Sampath Samarakoon
Secretary |FMM