Jaffna journalists appeal to International Community for help

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 August 2006, 06:58 GMT]
North Sri Lanka Journalists Association (NSLJA), in a press release, issued Tuesday, appealed to the International Community's help to stop the attacks on media persons, media workers and media institutions in Jaffna Peninsula, sources in Jaffna said.

"We deplore the pathetic situation prevailing in Jaffna from 11th, where attacks on media persons and media institutions have resumed. Earlier, a delivery agent from Uthayan daily was shot dead and a store belonging to a newspaper in Nallur was burnt down.

"Yesterday night, the Managing Director of Namathu Eelanadu, Sinnathamby Sivamaharajah was shot dead. We have no responses so far from the government, even though we have already informed the uncertain situation in the District citing the shooting attack in the Uthayan Daily office, the continuing killings of newspaper delivery agents, arrests of journalists and intimidations.

"Therefore, we request the International Community to ensure the relevant authorities to implement the following:

1. The attacks on media persons and media workers should be stopped forthwith.
2. The attacks on media institutions should be stopped forthwith.
3. Security should be provided to the newspaper delivery agents to ensure that all the dailies published in Jaffna be delivered in all parts of Jaffna District,"

the press release said.

The three dailies published In Jaffna District, Uthayan, Yarl Thinakkural and Namathu Eelanadu, are distributed only in the Valikamam region from the 11th onwards, because the delivery agents refuse to take the newspapers to the other regions, Thenmarachchi, Vadamarachchy and the Islands, due to fear after the killing of some delivery agents in the recent past.