FMM urges government to arrest killers of Nadesan

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 June 2004, 17:33 GMT]
"The Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) should take prompt action to bring the culprits who had been responsible for the brutal killing of a senior Tamil journalist Mr. Iyathurai Nadesan to book", Mr.Sunanda Desapriya, leading activist of the Free Media Movement (FMM) in Colombo Thursday appealed when delivering funeral oration on behalf of the Southern journalists Thursday at Nelliyady Madhya Maha Vidiyalayam where remains of Mr.Nadesan were kept for last respects before being removed to Alankattai cemetery for cremation, sources said.

" I am glad to see several Sinhala journalists participating in the Nadesan's funeral held in Jaffna and this shows that irrespective of races and religions we the journalists have assembled here to express our solidarity and our will to protect the rights of Tamil journalists", said Mr. Desapriya.

Nimalarajan was killed in North, Richard de Silva was murdered in South and now Nadesan has been gunned down in the East, said Mr.Sunanda Desapriya.

" I appeal to Tamil journalists not to get disturbed over the violence against them. We journalists from the south are behind you in your efforts to protect your right of expression," stressed Mr. Desapriya.

Mr.C.Ilamparithi, Jaffna district LTTE political head said no one could wipe out Tamil nationalism by killing Tamil journalists like Nadesan who propagate for such cause.

The killing of Nadesan should be considered as deathblow to the current peace efforts to find a lasting permanent political solution to the Tamil national question, Mr. Ilamparithi said.

LTTE Judiciary head Mr.Para, TNA parliamentarians and several media persons also spoke.

Mr.T.Thurairetnam, President of the Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance presided.