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Journalist killed in Jaffna

B. Muralidhar Reddy

COLOMBO: S. Rajeewarnam, a 24-year-old journalist working for Tamil daily Uthayan, was shot dead in Jaffna town on Sunday morning.

Reports said he was cycling when he was shot dead by unidentified gunmen on Rashavintottam road, 500 metres from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) office and 200 metres form a military check point.

"Intolerance"

Condemning the incident, the Free Media Movement (FMM), an NGO working on media-related issues, said in a statement that it was yet ``another instance that clearly demonstrates the culture of violence, intolerance and intimidation that exists in Sri Lanka at present.''

Rajeewarnam joined the Jaffna-based newspaper four months ago as a reporter. He was earlier with the Nawadu Eelanadu, which had to be closed down after its Managing Editor Sinnathamby Sivamaharajah was shot dead in August last year.

The FMM maintained that media institutions and journalists in Jaffna were under increasing pressure from all warring parties, including paramilitaries.

``As noted in our Special Report Situation of Media and Journalism in the Jaffna Peninsula released in January 2007, the culture of impunity and the fear psychosis combine to create a deeply disturbing context on the ground for journalists,'' it said.

``No active investigations have brought the culprits of these murders to justice. A culture of impunity vitiates free media across Sri Lanka and this murder is evidence that human security for journalists continues to deteriorate.''

It requested the authorities to conduct an open investigation into the killing.

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