Media Freedom In Sri Lanka; Why Are Journalists’ Murder Investigations Being Avoided?

By Amirthanayagam Nixon –

May 3rd is World Press Freedom Day. Press Freedom Day is celebrated worldwide. Events such as freedom of work of journalists living in countries around the world and commemoration of journalists killed during wars are taking place. Media freedom and media democracy in Sri Lanka is always under criticism.

Press Freedom Day is declared by the United Nations as a special day for freedom of the press to protect the freedom of the press and at the same time to remind the governments of the world of the freedom of expression of humanity as per Article 19 of the Charter of Human Rights.

As far as the media is concerned, it is defined as the fourth pillar of democracy, i.e. the most important role of monitoring the activities of the three institutions namely the judiciary, the judiciary and the legislature and making the facts public with transparency is found in the practices of democratic governments.

Journals, as a part of media considered as an instrument of higher democracy, are subject to pressures like other media. Similarly, its journalists are being abducted, murdered and threatened in various countries of the world.

In this case, Sri Lanka is ranked 131st in the ranking of world countries with press freedom, while Norway is reported to be the country with the highest level of media freedom.

Israel ranks 88th and India ranks 138th, while North Korea ranks 180th on the list of countries where media freedom is denied. (These are 2018 data)

At the same time, UNESCO annually honors a person who has contributed to media freedom with the UNESCO Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Award. A prize worth $25,000 is given on this day to a journalist who has fought for world peace, freedom of speech and through journalistic charity.

This particular election is held by a committee of about 14 persons. The award is presented annually in memory of Colombian journalist Guillermo Cano Isaza. He was assassinated in front of his office on December 17, 1986.

It is noteworthy that after his murder, the talk about freedom of the press got stronger.

In 2003, the Press Complaints Commission of Sri Lanka -PCCSL) was established in Sri Lanka. The commission works to ensure the freedom of journalists and protect the rights of the public affected by press reports.

The commission was formed by a joint effort of media organizations operating in Sri Lanka. Because according to the 1973 Act the Press Council in Sri Lanka does not protect the freedom of journalists. Media organizations have been protesting against the activities of this Press Council for a long time. This is why the mandate was created in 2003 with funding from Sweden and Denmark.

But the functioning of this commission is getting weaker day by day. There is a lack of funds for the functioning of this commission. Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Journalists Council is also functioning. The Sri Lankan government continues to run the assembly even though media organisations say that it should be abolished.

It is on this basis that the Online Safety Bill has been passed and implemented in Parliament last year, claiming to control the activities of social networking sites. Media organizations have condemned this law as a challenge to the freedom of journalists and media democracy. The United Nations has also expressed strong opposition to this law.

Many Sinhalese and Tamil journalists have been killed in Sri Lanka. They are under threat. Many journalists have been threatened, especially during times of war. But no investigation in this regard was conducted properly.

More specifically, 39 people from the Tamil media industry were killed by the army and armed groups during the thirty years of war. Many have sought political asylum abroad due to threats. Some media houses in Jaffna and Colombo have been attacked during the war.

Especially in Jaffna “Uthayan” Tamil newspaper and in Colombo “Sudar Oli” Tamil newspaper companies have been attacked. But no proper investigations have been conducted so far.

Nine media persons have been killed in the Uthayan newspaper alone.

Political and military analyst D. Sivaram was abducted and killed in Colombo in 2005. His body was recovered near the Sri Lankan Parliament. But no investigation has been conducted till date. The suspects arrested by the police have also been released

Similarly, famous political analyst and veteran English Journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge was shot dead in Colombo 2009 January. But investigations have not taken place till date.

It is an obvious fact that investigations into the killing of journalists and threats to the media are not being conducted against the backdrop of non-resolution of political rights issues of Tamils and cover-up of corruption and abuse of power by political leaders.

Despite repeated demands by the media for an investigation, nothing happened. To this day, media organisations continue to voice their support for media freedom.

*Amirthanayagam Nixon is the News Manager of the Colombo-based “Oruvan” news service. Former president of Tamil Media Alliance. Contemporary geopolitical Tamil researcher

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