A journalist holds a placard to demand justice at a candle vigil organized by the Free Media Movement at Independence Square in Colombo on Jan. 24. (ucanews.com photo)
Media organizations held a vigil in Colombo and started a petition to urge the government to investigate the murder, assault and abduction of journalists in Sri Lanka.
The Free Media Movement organized a vigil on Jan. 24 at Independence Square in Colombo.
They remembered journalists missing, attacked and killed, including investigative journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge, editor of an English language weekly, who was shot dead by two gunmen while driving to work in 2009.
Among the participants was Sandya Ekneligoda, wife of Prageeth Ekneligoda, a journalist who disappeared in 2010 after writing about nepotism and corruption in the former president's family.
"It's been eight years since Lasantha Wickrematunge was shot dead; it has been seven years since Prageeth Ekneligoda disappeared, but the government has not succeeded in bringing justice," said Sandya Ekneligoda, holding a candle with the gathered journalists.
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Sandya Ekneligoda, wife of disappeared journalist, Prageeth Ekneligoda, signs a petition requesting the government reveal the whereabouts of her husband on Jan.24 at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute in Colombo. (Photo by Niranjani Roland)
Lasantha Ruhunage, President of Sri Lanka Working Journalist Association said that they started a campaign to send postcards petitioning President Maithripala Sirisena to appoint a presidential commission to investigate the attacks, abductions and killings.
Media organizations helped to change the Rajapaksa regime, form a new government and campaign for justice for killed and disappeared journalists and attacks on media institutions, said Ruhunage, deputy editor of Ravaya Weekly, widely regarded for its editorial independence.
"The president promised to give us an appointment to discuss these issues, we waited two years but had no response," said Ruhunage.
Vigil organized by Free Media Movement to demand justice for killed and disappeared journalists in Sri Lanka. (Photo by Quintus Colombage)
Nixon Amirthanayagam, president of the Tamil Media Alliance said that if there is a presidential commission it will help create a credible report of killings and vanishings.
"Many Tamil journalists were killed and attacked but no inquiries were carried out in a satisfactory manner," said Amirthanayagam, who is helping with the postcard petition.
"We have a suspicion that government and army personal were behind these issues," said Amirthanayagam.
"If the government forms a commission we will get the correct statistics of these incidents and can pressurize the government to act against the culprits," he said.
At least 19 journalists have been killed or disappeared in Sri Lanka since 1992, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
