By Sugeeswara Senadhira
Last week a cowardly attack on a leading media personality took place shocking all who believe in freedom of expression, media rights and democracy. The residence of Chamuditha Samarawickrema came under a foul attack by at least three persons who reportedly came in a white car.
Chamuditha told the media that he was unable to name any party as there were scores of persons angered by his reports for Hiru television as well as the popular social media platform ‘Truth with Chamuditha.’
He added that the status of the police investigation into an earlier death threat received by him remained unclear.
“Although, the Police recorded my statement, I really do not know the outcome of the investigation.” Displaying a desire to bring the culprits to book, the Hiru TV offered a reward of Rs. 500,000 to anyone providing information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the attack.
Attempts to control the press in Sri Lanka are not new. During the colonial era, in 1857, prohibitions on publications were enacted in India and Ceylon in the wake of the mutiny of Indian soldiers in the British Indian Army. In the recent past horrendous attacks on media personalities took place during insurgencies spearheaded by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the Tamil Tigers (LTTE).
Disloyalty results in death
The LTTE leadership ordered the assassination of any media persons who exposed the cruelties of the organization and their young cadres carried out the orders. The Human Rights Watch, in its publication, ‘A Culture of Fear: LTTE Intimidation, Threats and Violence’, stated that since the beginning of the ceasefire in 2002, over 200 people, mostly Tamil, have been killed apparently for political reasons, mainly at the hands of the LTTE. Those killed included teachers, journalists, individuals linked with opposition parties, and others perceived as critical of the LTTE. Some apparently have been killed solely for working in educational, social or religious program funded by the Sri Lanka government. For many Tamils in the West with family members remaining in Sri Lanka, the message was that any act of disloyalty may result in death.
Among the media persons killed by the Tigers are Chelvy Thiyagarajah, founder of a feminist journal called Tholi. She had won the prestigious International PEN award in 1992; Balanadaraja Iyer, Sri Lankan Tamil activist, writer and poet; Kethesh Loganathan, former Editorial Consultant of the Weekend Express, Tamil political activist, Human Rights advocate and Deputy Secretary General of the Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP); Rajani Thiranagama, University Lecturer, Author, Tamil human rights activist and feminist and Relangi Selvarajah, Tamil broadcaster and actress.
The JVP too was also responsible for many killings of media personnel. Top media personnel killed by the JVP include Thevis Guruge, Chairman of Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC); Premakeerthi de Alwis, lyricist and radio and television announcer at SLBC; Kulasiri Amaratunge, News Editor of Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC); Sagarika Gomes, announcer at SLRC and Jinasena Kasthriarachchi, newspaper correspondent.
The 1989-1991 period saw a rise in the killing of media personnel. While the above assassinations were conducted by armed insurgents, there were several murders for which State agencies or politicians were blamed. The most prominent of one, which came under international limelight was the murder of Richard de Zoysa, journalist, actor, television personality and correspondent for Inter Press Service.
On 18 February 1990 Richard de Zoysa was abducted and murdered by an armed gang, believed to be a State sponsored death squad. He was 32 at the time of his death. Richard was posthumously awarded the 1990 IPS International Achievement Award and the IPS Award for Excellence in Independent Journalism was renamed in his honour.
Media intimidation
Richard’s gruesome killing spurred his mother, Dr. Manorani Saravanamuttu, to launch a campaign for justice for the ‘disappeared’ on behalf of the mothers who had lost their sons, wives who had lost their husbands and sisters who had lost their brothers. Dr. Saravanamuttu’s relentless campaign attracted international attention towards the plight of victims who disappeared without a trace during the 1988-90 terror period. In 1996, she was awarded the ‘Weera Mathru’ title.
The intimidation of media persons continued and some of them had to keep changing their residences for safety. Jiffry Yoonus, popular cartoonist of the Communist Party newspaper, ‘Aththa’ edited by the firebrand B.A. Siriwardena was attacked in 1992. His popular cartoons usually triggered controversy among politicians of the day. But despite harassment and intimidation, he continued his work undeterred for over 50 years. Yoonus described the most harrowing experience faced by him in an interview to ‘Illustrating Asia’ a book edited by American author John Lent in 2001.
“One day in August 1992, three vehicles with about 20 thugs came to my house. A minister’s bodyguard shoved a pistol into my mouth, broke a tooth, and then pointed the gun at my head. He threatened to kill me in front of my wife if I did more cartoons against His Excellency (President Ranasinghe Premadasa). The next day they returned, smashed up my furniture and stabbed me. At the hospital, doctors put 16 stitches to treat the wounds,” Yoonus said.
After this incident, Yoonus vacated his house for safety and lived in a small room in the ‘Aththa’ office building on Cotta Road, Borella.
Last week’s attack on Chamuditha’s residence was condemned by Media Minister Dullas Alahapperuma. “This incident only reveals the pathetic nature of a pathetic faction in society. We condemn this attack as it was an assault on the media as well. The government is committed to exposing the criminals who launched this heinous attack who may now be in hiding. As a responsible politician, I am of the view that the four thugs involved in the attack on Chamuditha’s house must be exposed before long,” he stressed.
Alahapperuma, who has always been a stout defender of media freedom, has assured a transparent investigation and said: “It is my responsibility as the Mass Media Minister to create an environment of media freedom.”
Those who believe in democratic values await a fair and transparent probe as promised.
