CONDEMNS INHUMANE ATTACK ON JOURNALISTS AND UNARMED CIVILIANS
01.04.2022
Hon. Dullas Alahapperuma
Minister of Mass Media
Ministry of Mass Media
Polhengoda, Colombo 5
Dear Mr. Minister
CONDEMNS INHUMANE ATTACK ON JOURNALISTS AND UNARMED CIVILIANS
Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association (SLWJA) strongly condemns with disgust the attack on journalists reporting the protest made by unarmed civilians who are affected by the country’s severe economic crisis on the 31st March 2022 in Mirihana, Nugegoda by the Police and security forces.
These arrests and assaults are a serious warning to the public’s right to know the truth as well as to journalists and media outlets. A serious suspicion has arisen that this is a warning emphasizing that journalists and media outlets should only carry pro-government news to the public.
It is confirmed that journalists Chathura Deshan, Awanka Kumara, Nisal Baduge, Waruna Wanniarachchi, M.A. Pushpakumara, Nissanka Werapitiya, Sanjeewa Gallage, Pradeep Sanjeewa, Sumedha Sanjeewa, Pradeep Wickramasingha and Sulochana Gamage are the victims of this brutal attack. Few of them are still in hospital. Some journalists were arrested even after confirming that they are journalists by a group claiming to be police and security forces. It is also learned that one of the journalists had been taken away in a jeep, assaulted and taken back to the Mirihana Police station.
SLWJA wishes to bring to your notice that on several occasions, as a Minister of Mass Media, you have been briefed of various forms of harassments on journalists with blessings of higher authorities of the government. Our Association strongly believes that journalists continue to be harassed for failing to act in this regard despite calls for action to prevent a recurrence. Even in this most unfortunate circumstances, SLWJA urges you to intervene to enforce the law against those who assaulted journalists and bring justice to our fellow journalists.
Thanking You,
Duminda Sampath Frank De Zoysa
President Secretary
