Facebook icon
Twitter icon
e-mail icon

Australian protestors ‘intimidated’ - SMH

Several protestors, who have been demonstrating for a boycott of Sri Lanka’s cricket team, have said that they are being ‘stalked’ by individuals, suspected to have links with the Sri Lankan embassy, reported SMH.

Former sports journalist Trevor Grant said he had written to Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr about the stalking.

Mr Grant added that fellow Tamil protestors said that the men were connected to the Sri Lankan government.

''They say they have done this before, using the photographs and film for identification, in order to harass relatives back in Sri Lanka,'' he said.

''We have photographs of these men and I can send them to you in order to identify them through the Sri Lankan embassy. We believe we know the identity of one man.''

Reporters contacted the consul-general Bandula Jayasekara and questioned him on the interrogation.

''I am told that the protesters wore separatist T-shirts,” he said.

''I don't know what intimidation you are talking of. Let me tell you that the high commissioner and I had to enter the grounds in Sydney under your police protection due to threats and intimidation tactics of these groups. I am sure you understand now who was threatened. Do not give them the air they need to destabilise another country.''

When the reporters asked him about the identity of the man in the photograph, Mr Jayasekara asked:

''Are you trying to intimidate us on the advice of separatist supporters? I am told that they have several people on their payroll both here and in other countries.''

We need your support

Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.

Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view

We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.

For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.