Ensure safety of Athas - CPJ

In a letter to Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the CPJ has called on Sri Lanka government to provide adequate security to the veteran journalist Iqbal Athas, whose life is under threat.

Athas is also a frequent contributor to international media outlets such as CNN, Jane's Defense Weekly, and The Times of London. He received CPJ's International Press Freedom Award in 1994.

"As an organisation of journalists dedicated to the defense of our colleagues around the world, CPJ is deeply disturbed by the array of threats facing Iqbal Athas", it said in the letter.

The government must take responsibility for the safety and security of journalists in Sri Lanka, one of the most dangerous countries in the world for the media,it added.

Media organisations protest

Five media organisations in Sri Lanka have condemned the continuing threats levelled against the journalist Iqbal Athas following his exposure of corruption relating to the procurement of MIG 27 fighter jets by the Sri Lanka Air Force.

Sri Lanka Working Journlists Association(SLWJA), Federation of Media employees Union (FMETU), Sri Lanka Muslim Media Federation(SLMMF), Sri Lanka Tamil Journaists Association(SLTJA) and Free Media Movement(FMM) have also expressed concerns about the withdrawal of Athas's personal security and the protest organised by a politician in front of his house on Sunday.

Embassies Urged

European and US embassies have been urged to protect threatened journalist, Athas.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on Wednesday voiced deep concern about the safety of top investigative journalist Iqbal Athas and his colleagues on the Sunday Times whom sectors of the army are trying to gag or kill after he made startling revelations about Sri Lanka's purchase of Mig-27 fighter jets from Ukraine.

The worldwide press freedom organisation urged European and US embassies to do their utmost to protect Athas, after receiving an email from the journalist in which he said he feared for his life and had gone into hiding for fear of attack.

"President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his brother, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, will be held personally responsible by the journalist community for anything that happens to Iqbal Athas and his colleagues on the press group that publishes the Sunday Times and Lankadeepa," the organisation said.

'Meepura' editorial threatned

The editorial of the provincial newspaper, 'Meepura' has been threatned by the security guards attached to Elsuma Company in Negombo , a Switzerland based multinational company producing computer and electronic components.

The Meepura members were distributing a leaflet discussing labour issues of the company when the security guards threatned and photographed
them.

	Elsuma Company in Negombo

"They even photographed our motorbikes", the Chief Editor, Freddie Gamage told BBC Sandesaya.

He said as the Company security guards have taken their photographs, they fear that there is a threat to their life.

Ranjith Lionel, an activist who voiced concerns about labour issues became a victim of those against whom he agitated in 1988, and that atmosphere is building up again in this area, Freddie Gamage added.