Tamil journalist attacked

Reporters Without Borders joins its partner organization, Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka (JDS), in condemning an attack on Sivagnanam Selvatheepan, a journalist who freelances for Tamil media, near the northern city of Jaffna on the night of 14 April.

Another Tamil journalist attacked in tightly-guarded Jaffna

A 29-year old freelance Tamil journalist has been attacked by unknown men wearing helmets in the tightly guarded Northern Jaffna peninsula last evening (April 14). According to media sources, freelance journalist Sivagnanam Selvatheepan who has been contributing to a couple of Tamil national media outlets in Colombo was on his way home when he was attacked with iron rods by two unknown men on a motorbike near Puraporukki in Vadamaradchchi on the Sinhala Tamil New Year day night. "The attackers have followed him for a couple of miles before stopping him. They questioned him and ensured his identity before launching this cowardly attack," a fellow journalist in Jaffna told the JDS via phone. Badly injured Selvatheepan has been admitted to the Jaffna base hospital and a complaint has also been lodged with the Kopay police. It is notable here that Selvatheepan along with his mother has appeared before the government's Lesson Leant Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) to give on the disappearance of his brother, who had gone missing in Batticaloa. According to reports, he has informed his friends about unknown people following his movements and issuing threats. Sri Lanka's Tamil Journalists' Association has vehemently condemned the attack on Selvatheepan and urged the state authorities to launch an impartial investigation into the attack and end the prevailing culture of impunity on the attacks on journalists and media workers. "The attack on Selvatheepan has taken place amid mounting intimidations and harassment on journalists in the country as a whole and Jaffna in particular. Concrete actions should be taken to end the culture of impunity and to ensure a fear-free atmosphere for journalists to work independently," Sri Lanka's Tamil Journalists' Association has said. Credit photo: Tamil Net