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| Sunday, 6 June 2004 |
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Press Institute condemns murder of journalist The Sri Lanka Press Institute yesterday described the brutal murder of award-winning senior journalist, Aiyathurai Nadesan as an attack on the freedom of expression and democracy. Chairman, Newspaper Society of Sri Lanka, Ranjith Wijewardene and President, Editors Guild of Sri Lanka, Siri Ranasinghe, in a communique issued on behalf of the Sri Lanka Press Institute, said the murder of the journalist was a death blow to the very foundations of the freedom of expression and democracy of a free society. The communique claimed that the brutal murder deserved to be condemned by all freedom loving citizens of the country and those responsible should be brought to justice at the shortest possible time. Following is the full text of the communique: "The cold-blooded murder of Aiyathurai Nadesan, an award-winning senior journalist, has once again raised the ugly spectre of the vulnerability of media personnel in Sri Lanka, in the line of duty. "The late Mr. Nadesan, the Batticaloa Correspondent for Virakesari, one of Sri Lanka's leading Tamil national newspapers and several broadcast news organisations, was shot dead by gunmen on the morning of May 31. He was on his way to work when he was ambushed by assailants near a Hindu Temple in Batticaloa. "Mr. Nadesan, best known by the Tamil readership by his pen-name Nellai G. Nadesan, who honoured at the annual Journalism Awards for Excellence when he shared the Best Tamil Language Journalist for 2000. "His murder comes at a time when internecine guerilla warfare is taking place despite an ostensible Ceasefire Agreement in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. The dastardly attack on Mr. Nadesan once again highlights the difficulties and dangers posed to journalists, particularly to those serving in these troubled areas, in the conduct of their legitimate day-to-day duties of keeping the citizens informed. "The Newspaper Society of Sri Lanka and the Editors Guild of Sri Lanka are outraged by this incident and notes with deep regret the inability of the law enforcement agencies, for their failure so far, in apprehending the killers. It is also deeply concerned over the stoic silence maintained by the Government and the political leadership of this country on this matter. "Our associations call upon the Government to conduct a detailed investigation into the murder of the late Mr. Nadesan, and to ensure the right of the journalist to practise their profession in whichever part of the country." |
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