The editor of the Daily News, a paper owned by the Sri Lankan state, has called for the arrest of Al Jazeera journalist Dinouk Colombage, for his coverage of recent violence by Sinhalese against Muslims, reported The Australian.
Rajpal Abeynayake took to Twitter to accuse Colombage of inciting religious tension through his coverage of the violence in Aluthgama, which left 3 Muslims and one Tamil dead, after attacks by Sinhala mobs.
“Lock up this scum to save lives” Abeynayake sid in one tweet, linking to Colombage’s own Twitter page, before tweeting that the journalist and other media were “twitter murderers” who “incited” the violence.
U say arrest Atte Gnanasara. Arrest the twitter murderers Groundviews, Colombage etc. what's the differnce? Both didn't do it but incited
— Rajpal Abeynayake (@Abeynayake) June 22, 2014
The editor mentioned President Rajapaksa, his son Namal and Consul-general to Australia, Bandula Jayasekara, in many of his tweets, in one of which he described the journalist as a “Twitter murderer sicko scumbag”.
Colombage was one of the most high-profile journalists covering the violence, after Sri Lanka’s main media organisations largely ignored the unfolding clashes.
Speaking to The Australian, Al Jazeera said it would be seeking assurances of Colombage’s safety “at the highest level”.
“Basically the government enforced a bit of a media blackout on what was happening so it was really myself and the BBC reporting what was happening,” Colombage told The Australian yesterday, saying that he received information on casualties from police and hospital officials.
“It was the first time social media really played a big role in breaking news in Sri Lanka,” he added.
Abeynayake told The Australian that he did not know Colombage worked for Al Jazeera, but insisted he stood by his comments, telling the paper: “In this country if you spread rumours, particularly when a dangerous situation is ¬developing, you can be jailed.
“When you double the figures of people killed you incite further violence. This guy is an accessory to murder.”
U say arrest Atte Gnanasara. Arrest the twitter murderers Groundviews, Colombage etc. what's the differnce? Both didn't do it but incited
— Rajpal Abeynayake (@Abeynayake) June 22, 2014
U say arrest Atte Gnanasara. Arrest the twitter murderers Groundviews, Colombage etc. what's the differnce? Both didn't do it but incited
— Rajpal Abeynayake (@Abeynayake) June 22, 2014
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