The slain journalist Mylvaganam Nimalarajan was remembered in a series of memorial events across the North-East today to mark the 21st anniversary of his death.
Jaffna Press Club held a memorial service at their office which was attended by Jaffna Mayor V Mannivannan and Vali East Pradeshiya Sabha chairman Nirosh alongside journalists and social activists.
In Vavuniya, Tamil families of the disappeared who have reached the 1706th day of their roadsite protest, also paid their respects to the murdered journalist.
A memorial service was also held by the Batticaloa Press Club. Former TNA parliamentarian Pakkiyaselvam Ariyanethiran was among those who paid tribute to the late journalist.
Nimalarajan, a senior journalist who contributed to the BBC Tamil and Sinhala services, the Tamil daily Virakesari and Sinhala weekly Ravaya, was murdered on October 19th 2000.
The Committee to Protect Journalists stated shortly after his death:
“The assailants shot the journalist through the window of his study, where he was working on an article, and threw a grenade into the home before fleeing the premises. The attack occurred during curfew hours in a high-security zone in central Jaffna town.”
“Local journalists suspect that Nimalarajan's reporting on vote-rigging and intimidation in Jaffna during the recent parliamentary elections may have led to his murder.”
The government aligned paramilitary group the EPDP are suspected of carrying out the killing. Earlier this year, the Sri Lankan Attorney General's department ordered the release of the suspects involved in the murder case. Despite 21 years passing, no one has been held accountable for Nimalrajan's murder.
Sri Lanka currently ranks 127th out of 178 countries in the 2021's World Press Freedom Index, making it one of the most dangerous countries for journalists to work in.