CPA alarmed by increased threats and attacks against media
23rd January 2008, Colombo , Sri Lanka: The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) vehemently condemns the violent attack against the Editor of Rivira, Mr. Upali Tennakoon this morning. Mr. Tennakoon was on his way to work when attackers who came on motorbikes stabbed and beat him. His wife who had stepped in to intervene also suffered injuries. Both are currently in hospital recovering from injuries sustained in the attack. Rivira is a Sinhala newspaper widely read in print and online.
This is the third significant incidence of violence against the media this month. The arson attack on TV broadcaster MBC / MTV Networks that destroyed its Main Control Room and production studios, the assassination of Lasantha Wickremetunge, Editor in Chief of the Sunday Leader and the brutal attack against Mr. Tennakoon today confirms our worst fears of an orchestrated terror campaign to silence journalists, conducted with complete impunity.
These attacks are part of a growing trend of media suppression in the country. CPA is alarmed by numerous threats against media personnel and organisations in the recent weeks. One notable incident was the statement made by Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse on 14th January on national TV when he called a media personality a ‘terrorist’ and threatened to put him in prison. Subsequently, the person threatened had to flee the country. Many other journalists and media personnel have had to flee the country in the past few weeks due to direct threats and attacks.
According to reports, a special Police team has been appointed to probe attacks on media by the IGP on the instructions of the President, following the assault on Mr. Tennakoon. Given the total failure of similar methods and mechanisms of investigation in the past, CPA is deeply sceptical about the possibility of any constructive outcome from this. We note in this regard the failure of the Cabinet Sub-Committee setup in June 2008 established under the President’s instructions to look into the grievances of journalists and come up with any concrete measures to protect them.
We hope the Government appreciates the fact that announcements of investigations which eventually, and inevitably, produce no results in terms of the apprehension, prosecution and conviction of perpetrators of these politically motivated crimes have the broader consequence of seriously eroding public trust and confidence in the criminal investigation process and the administration of justice. The lack of independent and effective investigations into such attacks raises questions whether the Government genuinely wants to unearth the truth behind such attacks and by inaction further exacerbates the culture of impunity.
This belittlement of institutions is as gravely harmful to democracy, the rule of law and the freedom of expression as the escalation of the scale and frequency of physical violence against the media we have witnessed in the last three weeks. This deterioration of democracy, media freedom and freedom of expression in Sri Lanka severely undermines the Government’s smug complacency that it is winning the war against terrorism. We reiterate our observation made at the time of Lasantha Wickremetunge’s assassination that those responsible for this egregious violence are enemies of democracy and become terrorists themselves.
The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) was formed in the firm belief that there is an urgent need to strengthen institution- and capacity-building for good governance and conflict transformation in Sri Lanka and that non-partisan civil society groups have an important and constructive contribution to make to this process. The primary role envisaged for the Centre in the field of public policy is a pro-active and interventionary one, aimed at the dissemination and advocacy of policy alternatives for non-violent conflict resolution and democratic governance. Accordingly, the work of the Centre involves a major research component through which the policy alternatives advocated are identified and developed.
For more information, please visit http://www.cpalanka.org
1 Comments
Looking at the picture of Upali Tennakoone covered with a blood stained cloth, it was indeed pathetic to see a human being being roughed up so badly, especially when one knows Mr Tennekone is an innocent party who doesn't deserve to be harmed in this manner by ruffians who have nothing better to do. The deterioration of democracy, as you put it, is fully-funded by the international community who would only make statements but not do enough to stop the deterioration. There is no certainty of action going to be taken against the culprits who carried out those attacks. The only thing that is certain is there will more and more attacks and even murders that would take place. The media would be cowed one way or the other. That is the whole point of hacking and shooting an inttrepid editor like Lasantha Wickrematunga to death.
There is no room for pro-active and interventionary public policy alternatives. There is no one to listen. In fact, there has not been since JRJ become president.