Photograph: JDS Lanka
Sri Lankan intelligence officers have visited the homes of at least two Tamil journalists in Batticaloa this week, reportedly looking to interrogate the journalists over social media posts on the ongoing anti-government protests on the island.
The homes of S. Nilanthan and P. Sasikaran were visited by intelligence officers who reportedly accused the journalists of ‘inciting separatism on social media’ through their coverage of the protests and of ‘attempting to revive the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)’.
Nilanthan and Sasikaran has previously been interrogated by the Sri Lankan security forces on multiple occasions.
“This is just another example of how dangerous it is for Tamil journalists on the island,” said a Tamil journalist from Jaffna who wanted to remain anonymous. “In the South people can protest and journalists can cover them with much more freedom than we have ever had in our homeland. It is still dangerous for Tamils.”