Minister says journalists are mainly threatened in the north and the east

Media minister, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, told BBC Sandeshaya that some in the country try to 'gain advantage' by sending 'wrong information' to media watchdogs.

"I don't accept that the situation is so dangerous that journalists cannot work freely in Sri Lanka," he said.

'Third dangerous' country

The minister was responding to accusations by international media watchdogs on increasing threats to media personnel.

World Association of Newspapers (WAN) said Sri Lanka is only behind Iraq and Somalia in terms of media workers killed during the past year.

Increasingly frequent attacks on journalists and a climate of impunity for the perpetrators are a matter of serious concern Tim Parritt, Amnesty International

"44 journalists and other media workers were killed in Iraq last year. Somalia was the second deadliest place for journalists, with 8 killed, followed by Sri Lanka (where six workers killed)," a statement issued by WAN said.

In a damning report, London based Amnesty International said that in the last two years at least 10 media workers have been killed. Others have been abducted, detained, or have disappeared.

Minister Yapa, however, agreed that there were 'certain incidents' in which media workers were threatened.

LTTE held areas

The incidents have occurred, according to the minister, in areas where 'the government could not intervene'. Many incidents have happened in the north and the east.

He also admitted that regular reports on threats to media tarnish the country's international standing.

I don't accept that the situation is so dangerous that journalists cannot work freely in Sri Lanka Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena

The AI report issued on Thursday accused both the government and the Tamil Tigers of undermining the freedom of expression in Sri Lanka.

Leading journalists were assaulted, threatened and harassed during the last few weeks, specially after minister Mervyn Silva was assaulted by angry workers of a government media institution.

A group of policemen in civilian clothes has raided the house of Poddala Jayantha, the General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association (SLWJA), early morning on 07 January.

Minister Mervyn Silva

Mr. Jayantha told BBC Sandeshaya that authorities have failed launch any proper investigation despite a request made to police chief, IGP Victor Perera.

	Journalists fear SLRC workers are being hunted after the incident

The media minister says the police have assured that the team did not come to threaten the union leader.

Minister Yapa Abeywardena added that a disciplinary committee is to hand over the report of the probe into minister Mervyn Silva's conduct at Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC).

President Mahinda Rajapaksa appointed the committee headed by Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva to investigate the incident.

However, journalist union leaders expressed concern whether the authorities trying to punish the SLRC workers instead of Minister Silva and his supporters who initiated the incident.