Although there are a dozen or so organizations that have mandated themselves to advocate and fight for freedom of expression, media rights and the safety of media personnel, only the Tamil Media Alliance has expressed outrage at the assault of Kalai Kathir journalist Selvarasa Rajendran in the early hours of Monday (28th)
Rajendran was assaulted by a gang of ten near the Jaffna Bus Stand and is currently in hospital obtaining treatment for injuries sustained during the attack.
The Tamil Media Alliance has issued a statement in Tamil expressing shock at the assault at urging relevant government authorities to act swiftly to investigate and bring the assailants before the law.
Rajendran, who is also in charge of circulation at night, had taken on the distribution job since the regular delivery boy had been absent. Between 3.30 and 3.45 am 10 masked persons had arrived in five motorcycles, accosted him near the Jaffna bus stand and attacked him with swords and knives. He was severely injured and his bicycle was also damaged.
Nadesapillai Vithyatharan, Editor of Kalai Kathir, a newspaper that was launched in 2016, told Colombo Telegraph that it is shocking that this attack took place just hours after the Prime Minister visited Jaffna.
‘They were wearing masks and came in motorcycle with covered number plates, so CCTV cameras would not be of any help in tracing the assailants.’
Kalai Kathir has published several features of late exposing criminal activity in Jaffna, including illicit sand mining.
‘My suspicion is that all this is happening with the connivance of high-ups and the boldness of this assault makes one wonder if authorities are in the know and have chosen to look the other way,’ Vithyatharan said.
Vithyatharan is the former editor of ‘Uthayan’ a newspaper whose offices and personnel were attacked many times when the previous government was in power. (By Malinda Seneviratne)
Lanka nitizen / May 30, 2018
Swiss constitution only viable solution to Sri Lanka ,but not good for crooks who want to rob , starting from money borrowed ,to taxes collect , sake if fuel ,under the table Tenders, kidnap and killing of Journalists, racism, bigotry , smuggling, contract killing , etc .
But how will we know the numbers who support crime and theft of the country from. those who don’t !!?
Well we need the constitution explained to get he people and have a referendum by the people,its a yes or no.
The Swiss Cantonal System: A Model democracy | Liberty International
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K.Pillai / May 30, 2018
Thank you Malinda Seneviratne for bringing this to the attention of all Lankans.
The attacks on Uthayan and journalists under the Governorship of GA Chandrasiri are used in Journalism 101.
The attackers have regrouped into a “For Hire” outfit.
Successive GoSL considered NP as ‘different’ and have adopted a step-motherly attitude.
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Shan / May 31, 2018
I saw many motor bike gangsters on Jaffna streets and they ride over the speed limit and terrorizing the people. I never seen police patrol on the Jaffna streets but group of policemen standing and talking in junction sometimes.
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Native Vedda / May 31, 2018
Shan
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“I saw many motor bike gangsters on Jaffna streets and they ride over the speed limit and terrorizing the people.”
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You must be lucky they just ignored you.
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“I never seen police patrol on the Jaffna streets but group of policemen standing and talking in junction sometimes.”
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Perhaps they were planning their next move to trap the next innocent motorist. Do you know how much these gangs of policemen make in a good day?
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Mallaiyuran / June 2, 2018
Malinda has done a different journalism on this. He understands better than us how the Laptop Journalism works in Lankawe.
Basically in all countries, Journalists’ biggest and most dangerous enemies are governments and states machineries. Some countries the drug warlords turn against journalists. In Lankawe, especially in North East, drug trafficking is the monopoly of the Rapist Army. Army has the list of Tamil youths (11,000) arrested, labeled as rebels-rehabilitated (Terrorists) and released. These youths are now exempted by anybody for any type of jobs. Army bullies them and keeps them to their illegal activities. This is not the situation for drug lords in South America or elsewhere, where they have to face their governments. So the North East Journalism is controlled by gangsters, with the back of Rapist Army, with the back of governments’ agents in North East – Police Army and administrative chiefs- and the Colombo rulers who are so adamant & telling they will save their War Crime Heroes, even if the complainers come through by any other means (they mean the Rapist Army will not be prosecuted even for common crimes of Rape, Murders, Drug Trafficking……). The government agents in the North East are only propagandists for Colombo. Northern governor Reginald Corey recently cited a Kannadasan’s philosophical song which claims that the dead ones will not come back, so he was explaining Tamil should go on their life instead of turning back to prosecute the crimes The Rapist Army is committing there. The Eastern governor’s wife is going in rampage against Tamils in East. Now there is case against her and daughter for assaulting somebody in Colombo. We don’t know if Colombo case may curb her in East too.
Unless Colombo government changes its mind and prosecutes the 250,000 criminals wearing government uniforms and committing all heinous crimes in North East, there is no way journalism can survive in North East.
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justice / June 2, 2018
The north is under the jackboot of the undeclared Military Regime. These lawless elements could be operating only with connivance of the military.
The Governor and Police being silent is proof.
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