Sri Lanka: Tamil journalist attacked
Event- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Apr 14, 2014
- Event Description
On the night of April 14, 2014, Mr. Sivagnanam Selvatheepan, a Tamil journalist, was brutally attacked by two masked men in the Puraapporukki area of Jaffna Peninsula, in Northern Sri Lanka. Although, the assailants attacked with metal rods with intent to kill, Selvatheepan miraculously survived the murderous attack. The International Council of Eelam Tamils strongly condemns the attack on journalists who are risking their lives to bring out news about the atrocities committed by the occupying forces. Selvatheepan was the Jaffna Vadamaraachchi region correspondent for Virakesari, Thinakkural, and Valampuri newspapers. As a member of the Jaffna Press Club, he had been informing the Jaffna Press Club and his fellow journalist about the continuing threats to his life. Recently, the Nelliady Police Station had obtained personal details about him. The assailants who followed him for a few kilometers clearly identified him prior to the vicious attack. It should also be noted that Selvatheepan, accompanied by his mother, gave evidence about his missing brother to the Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission appointed by the Government of Sri Lanka. The fact that he was attacked in a closely guarded area with heavy military presence points to the strong links between the assailants and the military. Journalists and editors working for Puthiyavan, another regional newspaper from Mannar District located in the Northwestern part of Sri Lanka, have been receiving death threats from a politician aligned with the Government of Sri Lanka. The Government of Sri Lanka has also refused to extend the Visa of BBC correspondent Mr. Charles Haviland. All of these point to a strong culture of repression of the press freedom in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka will continue to muzzle the press in order to hide its genocidal project coming to the attention of the international community. We strongly urge the international community to intervene and stop the attack on journalist and protect the Tamils from ongoing genocide.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Violation
- Intimidation and Threats
- Reprisal as Result of Communication
- Violence (physical)
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Not active
- Event Location
Latitude: 9.6614981
Longitude: 80.0255465
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
On the night of April 14, 2014, Mr. Sivagnanam Selvatheepan, a Tamil journalist, was attacked by two masked men with metal rods in the Puraapporukki area of Jaffna Peninsula, in Northern Sri Lanka. Selvatheepan was the Jaffna Vadamaraachchi region correspondent for Virakesari, Thinakkural, and Valampuri newspapers, and had worked to expose rights violations by government forces in the area. Selvatheepan has also given evidence about his missing brother to the Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission appointed by the Government of Sri Lanka.Previous to the incident, he had received several death threats.