SLWJA urge all Sri Lankans to send telegrams against attacks on media

Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association (SLWJA) urged all Sri Lankans to send protesting telegrams to President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday.

The campaign is to be launched at the Central Post Office in Colombo on Monday morning.

SLWJA president, Sanath Balasuriya, told BBC Sandeshaya that the union urge all citizens of Sri Lanka to rise against attacks on freedom of expression.

SLWJA campaign themes Speed up the investigation over attacks on media personnel Order the arrest of criminal gangs that threaten media freedom Safeguard media freedom in order to secure democracy Create conditions for the media to report without fear The families of media personnel should not be victimised

At least twelve media personnel were killed during the last three years in Sri Lanka.

Many other journalists were abducted, assaulted and threatened but the perpetrators of those crimes are yet to be brought to justice.

The Defence Ministry and Army commander Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka are accused of creating a climate of fear for journalists by calling those criticise the war as ‘traitors’.

International watchdogs have Sri Lanka on the third place among the most dangerous countries in the world for media.

Twelve journalists were killed, many abducted, assaulted, stabbed and threatened during the last three years in Sri Lanka

Paris based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) described Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran as press freedom predators.