Intimidation of Jaffna journalist by Sri Lankan
Armed Forces
Vincent Jeyan, Associated Press and Thinakaran Correspondent, Jaffna,
has come to Colombo to submit the following letter to relevant persons .
Photographs were taken at the Jaffna hospital after he was admitted for
treatment.
The suffering he has undergone during the assault by the military is
severe.
His journey to Colombo to submit the letter has been very difficult as well.
He has travelled by bus and part of the way by lorry. He has been
stopped at 10 check points and been harrassed at 9 of these . At only
one check point, the soldier who cross examined him been civil.
Since being assaulted, Jeyan is still suffering from pain in his back and
head. However he is still carrying on his profession as a journalist
courageously.
Nallayan,street
Ilavalai,Jaffna.
2006-JAN-06
Dear Sir/Madam,
Journalist assaulted by security forces
I the undersigned, a journalist working as Jaffna's correspondent for The
Associated Press international news agency, The Lake House, and
Shakthi FM, write to draw your kind notice to the assault unleashed upon
me by the security forces while on duty.
On Monday 19-12-2005, I was assigned to cover a protest rally organized
by the Jaffna University community. The procession began at 11.00 AM
and as our usual practice me and other journalist colleagues began
taking photographs from the front of the moving crowd.
Since the armed personnel stationed at Parameswara Junction had
moved backward we had a degree of confidence that we will be allowed
do our job safely from between the rally and the forces.
But contrary to our belief, suddenly the soldiers started firing and moved
toward the crowd and ordered me to run. I could not run because I feared
that I could come within the fire. I therefore identified myself as a
journalist to a soldier and went near a corner building to take cover.
When the firing had ceased I came back on the road at which another
soldier shouted at me "Run!!" When I tried to move an officer standing by
hit me with a wire only to be joined by other soldiers who used every thing
they had, rifles, poles and chains to beat me. They shoved me, kicked
me, tore my bag and took away the cellular phone.
My camera and equipment were also damaged. Through their assault, the
soldiers constantly accused me and my colleagues of being Tigers and
that we had come to take photographs for the Tigers.
There was no respect for our media identity cards.
We were threatened with death as a warning to others and asked to run in
front of military vehicles as cannon fodders.
During this assault my camera worth Rs. 80,000 was damaged and lost
my cellular phone, wallet containing Rs. 2,200 and teller card and the
diary containing all contact phone numbers.
I wish to recall that I have been attacked by the military previously too in
the early part of 2005. Although I have reported this incident to higher
authorities including the then President Her Excellency Chandrika
Kumaratunga, no justice was done.
I am a journalist and I always strive for balanced news coverage. I don't
welcome any baseless accusation and disregard, disrespect to my
profession.
I therefore request you to deplore this assault and ensure a free
environment for journalists to operate.
Sincerely
Vincent Jeyan
Copy:
1. H. E. . President of Sri Lanka
2. Hon. Prim Minister of Sri Lanka
3. Hon. Media Minister of Sri LankaF
4. Hon. Minister of Justice and Judicial Reform
5. Hon. Opposition Leader of Sri Lanka
6. Chief Correspondent - Associated Press
7. Chairman – Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd
8. Editorial Director - Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd
9. Director – Maharaja Broadcasting Co- operation
10. President – International Federation of Journalists
11. Chairman – Press Complaints Commission of Sri Lanka
12. President – Free Media Movement
13. President – Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance
14. Head of Information – Berghof Foundation for Conflict Studies
15. Information Officer – United States of America, (Colombo)
16. Coordinator – Human Rights Commission
17. President – Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission
18. Editor, Ravaya
vincentjeyan@yahoo.co.uk
Tel: 0773011381/0773295091
Res: -0712707438
