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Protest over assault on journalists

COLOMBO: Journalists affiliated to various organisations, on Wednesday, picketed outside President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s office in protest against the spate of attacks targeting the media in recent months and sought action to bring the culprits to book. Leader of the opposition and United National Party leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leader Rauf Hakeem also took part in the protest.

In the latest such assault, Namal Perera, senior journalist associated with the Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI), and British High Commission officer Mahendra Rathnaweera, were beaten up here on Monday. The U.S. and U.K., the opposition parties and journalists’ associations have condemned the assault.

Since the beginning of this year, there have been at least a dozen attacks within and outside Colombo. Journalist organisations said the attacks were part of a planned action to silence the media, particularly since the police have made no breakthrough in any of the cases.

Defence spokesperson and Minister, Keheliya Rembukwella, at a news conference here, said “investigations” were on and the government could not disclose details. For several weeks now, journalists’ associations and the Defence Ministry have been engaged in a verbal duel over rules on war coverage.

The Defence Ministry’s warning that journalists who did not conform to its norms would face “consequences” has been interpreted by the media as an open threat and incitement of various elements to take the “erring journalists” to task.

Observers are perturbed over the fact the assailants could escape though the attack took place in the vicinity of an Army installation and offices of the Information Department. As per the SLPI, its staff have received threats and intimidation in recent weeks.

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