Sri Lanka: RSF condemns attack on Tamil-owned TV station
Reporters sans frontiers (RSF), a Paris-based media watchdog, in a press release issued today, condemned the attack on Maharajah Televsions Network (MTV) near Colombo by heavily armed men early morning Tuesday. "Violence and threats against such privately-owned media outlets and journalists trying to impartially report on the conflict must stop," the RSF release said, adding , "[t]he network is one of the country's few, and very popular, independent news sources." Several Sri Lanka Government Ministers and Government owned media have previously charged the network for being not "patriotic" enough in reporting the war between Sri Lanka military and the Liberation Tigers.Sri Lanka: RSF: Mahinda Rajapakse "directly to blame" for Wickrematunge murder
Expressing outrage over the murder of Sunday Leader editor Lasantha Wickrematunge, Reporters sans frontières (RSF), a Paris-based media watchdog, in a press release issued today, said: "President Mahinda Rajapaksa, his associates and the government media are directly to blame because they incited hatred against him and allowed an outrageous level of impunity to develop as regards violence against the press. Sri Lanka's image is badly sullied by this murder, which is an absolute scandal and must not go unpunished."
It seems that the LTTE is taking the best out of the situation in the country. Just Imagine the picture they create to the world with these head lines.
i took these from the tamilnet RSS feed as the site is not working.
These attacks are not isolated. They form a pattern. Remeber Iqbal Athas and Keith Noyahr last year? There were a few others before that as well.
ReplyDeleteThe government response to these has been of supreme indifference.
The president orders a probe and nothing else happens.
The govt media does not even bother reporting the incidents, they report the presidents directive but that is about it.
The question as to how heavily armed men can roam around without being stopped or detected anywhere is a city that is dotted with checkpoints is another mystery.
Also all the people attacked are seen as opponents of the government.
By its behaviour the government demonstrates that it approves of the attacks. It is also fairly safe to assume that the attackers avoid the checkpoints because they have people of influence who can wave them through.
So who is responsible?
The tragic death of Editor-in-chief of The Sunday Leader Lasantha Wickremetunga has diminished us beyond measure. Our sorrow and consternation know no bounds. Gone is a fearless newspaperman who did not give a damn about his personal safety in putting forth his bold views and taking on the high and mighty.
ReplyDeleteHaving cut his journalistic teeth on political writing at a relatively young age, Lasantha stood political writing on its head in this country and made an invaluable contribution to The Sun, The Island and The Sunday Times before moving on to edit The Sunday Leader.
An exuberant maverick, he represented the new vitality of Sri Lankan journalism, braving political turbulence and social upheavals of his times. His penchant for controversy was monumental and he made waves of tsunami proportions in political and journalistic circles, sailing as he did at times close to the wind. His racy style was truly remarkable and made him stick out like a sore thumb. His pungent columns spiced with juicy gossip, trenchant comment and caustic criticism were the hallmark of the paper he edited with a zealous passion.
In a country embroiled in a protracted conflict which has brought about a culture of intolerance, violence and impunity, bravery comes with an exorbitant price. Lasantha, therefore, had his fair share of enemies. He became a target of several goon attacks during the past two decades. He was roughed up, his house bombed and his press burnt. Investigations into those despicable incidents predictably drew a blank. But, he was unstoppable. Each time an attempt was made to frighten him into submission, he bounced back more fiercely than ever much to the disappointment of the sinister forces that sought to break his will.
There may have been people who had problems with the brand of journalism Lasantha practised. But, none of them had a right to silence him violently. We don't intend to indulge in prejudgment but we have reason to believe that Lasantha was felled because of what he wrote.
The government has undertaken to probe Lasantha's violent death. We only hope at least that investigation will be conducted to a successful conclusion. Since there were some government bigwigs among those who were at the receiving end of Lasantha's scathing criticism and sensational exposes and launched venomous attacks on him, the government will remain a suspect in his killing, until and unless his assassins are brought to justice and it is proved that they are without government links.
Unfortunately, two acts of barbaric violence committed by unidentified gangs in quick succession this week in the South – the arson attack on the MTV and the brutal killing of Lasantha – have come to eclipse the spectacular victories the country is achieving in its war against terror in the North. Hence, it behoves the government hunt down Lasantha's killers and the arsonists responsible for the attack on the MTV, if one is to believe that it has nothing to hide.
If i have any problem with sirasa first thing i would do is destroying it's hard drives and backups.but it's so ridiculous that the guys who entered the building didn't take off it,but found something that can be recovered to detonate.these guys should be real assholes or it's the lucky day of sirasa.
ReplyDeleteThe security officers there at the moment didn't fired a single bullet (as far as i know) to resist the attack.if they cant do it,i think they don't need them any longer.
my assumption is, this is a planned plot by sirasa to bring down government and low enforcement institutes.considering there past it's possible.
@chamila. thnks for the tip on using proxy
ReplyDelete