Amidst excessive efforts of the Sri Lankan state to suppress the work of journalists in the northeast, journalists of the Mullaitivu Press Club, Tamil university students, and Tamil journalists in Batticaloa protested to condemn the suppression of media and the recent attacks on journalists by Sri Lankan security forces in the south.
"We at the Mullaithivu press club having experienced the barbaric attack on the journalists by the state security agencies' pro-government groups and the pains caused by it condemn in the strongest terms this attack on the journalists. Also, we from the North express our support and stand in solidarity with our fellow journalists who were just involved in news gathering operations during the ongoing mass protest" reads the statement.
As demonstrators raided the private residence of Sri Lanka's President over the weekend, two protestors were shot and journalists in the south were attacked by Sri Lanka police and members of the Special Task Force.
The statement adds, "earlier journalists who were championing the cause of Human rights and reporting such protests in the North and East faced such situations which have now percolated to the south in a big way".
"As journalists based in Mullaitivu, we are fully aware of the pains of threats and assaults by the security forces and pro-government groups. Most of the perpetrators escape without being brought to justice." Multiple Tamil journalists have been attacked for reporting on stories related to fuel shortages during the economic crisis with no justice.
Read more here:
Sri Lankan Police summon assaulted Tamil journalist while suspect walks free
Tamil journalist attacked by unidentified person in Mullaitivu
Students also carried out a protest in front of the University of Jaffna to condemn the suppression of media and the violence unleashed on journalists.
Members of the Batticaloa District Journalists Association and Eastern Province Tamil Journalists Union also held a protest in Batticaloa, condemning recent violent attacks on journalists and demanding stern action against military perpetrators.
Picture Credit: @JDSLanka on Twitter
Press freedom continues to be a large concern in Sri Lanka as journalists continue to face surveillance, harassment and violence for their work - particularly Tamil journalists documenting the ongoing human rights violations by the state against Tamils in the northeast.
