The Hindu : Sri Lankan academics criticise action

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 12, 2003

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International - India & World

Sri Lankan academics criticise action

By V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO Nov. 11. Leading intellectuals and civil liberty activists in Sri Lanka have condemned the recent resolution by the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly ordering the arrest of senior journalists of The Hindu and Murasoli in Tamil Nadu.

Expressing relief at the Supreme Court stay of the arrests, they appealed to "civil society and the democratic public in India to campaign to repeal such repressive and outdated legislation."

In a statement, academics, lawyers, peace and media activists, writers and research scholars said they were "shocked by the news that there was an order for the imminent arrest and imprisonment of six journalists attached to The Hindu and Murasoli consequent to a resolution by the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on an issue of breach of privilege."

Condemning it as "a clear threat to the freedom of expression and the freedom of the press," it said the "issue of parliamentary privilege, resulting in punitive consequences for the exercise of press freedom is not just archaic, but also draconian to say the least."

Referring to the Sri Lankan situation, it said: "Democratic civil society in Sri Lanka waged a successful struggle to repeal similar repressive provisions on the question of parliamentary privilege."

"We express solidarity with the six journalists — S. Rangarajan, Publisher, N. Ravi, Editor, Malini Parthasarathy, Executive Editor, V. Jayanth, Bureau Chief and Radha Venkatesan, Special Correspondent (all from The Hindu) and S. Selvam, Editor, Murasoli."

"We, who have been carefully and with concern following the developments since Friday, are relieved that the Supreme Court has issued a stay order," the statement said.

Those who signed the statement include: Radhika Coomaraswamy, Director, ICES, Jayadeva Uyangoda, (Professor of Political Science, University of Colombo), Kumari Jayawardena (Social Scientists Association), Pakiasothy Saravanamuttu and Kethish Loganathan (Centre for Policy Alternatives), Sithie Tiruchelvam, Suriya Wickremesinghe and Monouri Muttetuwegama (lawyers), Amina Hussain (writer), Selvy Tiruchandran (Women's Education and Research Centre), Ram Manikkalingam and Kumudini Samuel (researchers) P. Thambiraja, Mala De Alwis, Yasmin Tambiah, Nimanthi P. Rajasingham, Pradeep Jeganathan and Jani de Silva (all from the ICES)

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