Jaffna journalists, academics protest against Sivaram murder

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 May 2005, 10:56 GMT]
Hundreds of Jaffna journalists, university academicians, priests and heads of non-governmental organizations Saturday morning held a demonstration in front of the Jaffna regional office of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) condemning the brutal killing of senior journalist Mr.Dharmeratnam Sivaram in Colombo. sources said.





The North Sri Lanka Journalists' Association (NSLJA) organized the demonstration.

The demonstration commenced around 10 a.m. concluded after about an hour.

Placard reads, "Our pen is more lethal than a gun"

Protestors carried placards, banners and a coffin. Protestors shouted slogans and carried placards saying, " Hands off journalists", " Is parliament the burial ground for media persons?" " Are Tamil media persons terrorists?"

Later a meeting was held with Mr.S.Kathirgamathamby, President of the NSLJA in the chair. Editors of Tamil regional dailies, Professor A.Shanmugathas, Co-ordinator, Media Resource and Training Centre and Professor Pon.Balasundarampillai, former Vice Chancellor of Jaffna University spoke.

A memorandum addressed to the Sri Lanka President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge, Secretary General of the United Nations and the Head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) was read at the meeting.

"We appeal to your Excellency to allay fears of the media persons and take immediate measures to arrest those who were responsible for the murder of Mr.Sivaram. We respectfully submit that we are not the only body that is asking for justice. The cry to save the media men has been mounting here and abroad ever since the killing of Mr.Sivaram," the memorandum said.