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In Jaffna Tamil and Sinhalese protest attacks against journalists
by Melani Manel Perera
The event took place on 16th of agoust in Jaffna. Hundreds of journalists, trade unionists and activists from various parts of the country joined the protest, triggered by the beating of the news editor of Uthayan, a Tamil-language newspaper that has often criticised the government and the military.
Jaffna (AsiaNews) – Tamil and Sinhalese journalists, trade unions and activists took part in a demonstration in Jaffna against anti-press violence and the lack of press freedom. The event took place on 16th of agoust is the first of its kind in a Tamil city. It comes after Gnanasundaram Kuganathan, news editor at Uthayan, an independent Tamil-language newspaper in Jaffna, was attacked and beaten.
The perpetrators of the attack against Kunagathan are unknown, but the incident has shocked public opinion. Dozens of activists travelled from Colombo to join the demonstration.
“We came to Jaffna to salute the Uthayan newspaper who always talk truth, represent Tamil people, cry out for their rights", said Sunil Jayasekara, convener of the Free Media Movement.
In recent years, the Tamil-language newspaper has severely criticised the government, accusing the authorities of violating the human rights of Tamil civilians, caught in the war between the Sri Lankan military and the separatists of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Over the years, six of the paper’s collaborators have been killed by unknown attackers. In 2006, Kunagathan himself survived a murder attempt by armed men. Police has failed so far to apprehend any of them.