Sri Lanka media, opposition march to protest attacks
Tue, 18 Jan 2011 14:55 GMT
By Ranga Sirilal
COLOMBO, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Several hundred Sri Lankan journalists, opposition politicians and supporters marched peacefully in the capital on Tuesday to demand justice for attacks, killings, and disappearances of media workers, and criticised the government for failing to find the perpetrators.
Since the start of the final phase of a 25-year civil war in 2006, at least 14 journalists have been killed and many more attacked or threatened in the Indian Ocean island nation.
Those include the murder of pro-opposition editor Lasantha Wickramatunge in a high-security zone in January 2009, an arson attack at the private Maharaja Broadcasting Corporation in the same month, and the disappearance of journalist and cartoonist Prageeth Eknaligoda in January 2010.
"By not bringing the culprits to book, the government has to take the responsibility of the killings, disappearance and the attacks," said Gnanasiri Koththigoda, president of 1,000-strong Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association.
Sri Lanka has a long history of impunity, and political backing for thuggery used to settle personal scores.
"Delaying the arrests shows there is an influential hand behind those incidents," he said, protesting alongside journalists and opposition politicians.
Rights group blame Sri Lanka's government for tolerating the assault, harassment and even murder of journalists deemed critical of it. Sri Lanka routinely ranks among the most dangerous places for journalists to work.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice, but so far no one has been held accountable for most of the attacks and killings. The government said investigations are still underway.
"We have not given up, the proceedings are going on," government spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said. "We need to have evidence. If we have tangible evidence we will pursue. Lasantha's court case is taking place and the police investigations are on for the Eknaligoda case."
Rights groups and Western nations criticised Sri Lanka for using emergency laws to clamp down on critical reporting of the government, especially in the war's final days.
The government softened the emergency rules, but critics accuse it of using other means to control media including by manipulating ownership changes, the withholding of state advertising revenue and licensing. (Writing by Shihar Aneez; Editing by Bryson Hull)
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