Sathasivam Baskaran

Last updated
Sathasivam Baskaran
DiedAugust 15, 2006
OccupationNewspaper distributor for Uthayan

Sathasivam Baskaran was a minority Sri Lankan Tamil distributor for the Tamil newspaper Uthayan from Jaffna, Sri Lanka. He was shot and killed by unknown assailants on 15 August 2006 at Puthur junction near Atchchuveli while returning after delivering the paper after the curfew hours which are in force in Jaffna. He is fourth employee of the Uthayan newspaper to be killed. [1]

Contents

Background

Sathasivam Baskaran was part of a series of killing of Tamil media workers particularly those seen supporting the Tamil nationalist cause as the newspaper Uthayan was seen to be doing. It was seen as part of the intimidation of Tamil media. [2] The office of Sudar Oli an associated newspaper with Uthayan was searched by the Sri Lankan army on the same day. Free Media Movement an International Federation of Journalists associate reported that newspapers like Sudor Oli and Thinakkural have received threats from anti-LTTE para-military groups demanding that their distribution be stopped and there were attempts to unofficially censure Tamil media organisations. [3]

Incident

Sathasivam Baskaran was killed during the relaxation of the strict curfew. Jaffna is under virtual martial raising questions as how assailants could kill him or a series of other journalists and escape. This led to accusations that the killing was carried out by Security forces or paramilitary allied with them. [4]

Reaction

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has demanded an end to the continued and brutal targeting of Tamil media workers.

The IFJ President Christopher Warren said

““The IFJ is disgusted by the senseless killing of Baskaran, which is indicative of a disturbing trend of relentless targeting of the Tamil media. This latest murder raises further safety concerns for Tamil-language media workers in Sri Lanka, many of whom reportedly fear for their lives

Government investigation

The International Press Institute has called in for impartial government investigation. [5]

See also

Related Research Articles

Human rights in Sri Lanka provides for Fundamental rights. The constitution states that every person is entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including the freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice. And, that every person is equal before the law.

Mylvaganam Nimalrajan, also spelt Mylvaganam Nimalarajan was a senior Jaffna based journalist who was shot dead by gunmen belonging to the paramilitary EPDP in the Sri Lanka Army's high security zone during a curfew on 19 October 2000.

Relangi Selvarajah was a popular Tamil broadcaster and a one time actress. She was assassinated by unknown assailants on 12 August in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Subramaniyam Sugirdharajan

Subramaniyam Sugirdharajan, popularly known as SSR, was a journalist working for the Tamil language daily Sudar Oli. On 24 January 2006 during the ongoing Sri Lankan civil war, he was shot dead in the Eastern port city of Trincomalee in Sri Lanka. He was 35 years and the father of two children aged three and two. The assailants were on a motorbike and fired at him from close range.

S. Sivamaharajah 20th-century Sri Lankan Tamil journalist and politician

Sinnathamby Sivamaharajah was a Sri Lankan Tamil newspaper publisher, politician and Member of Parliament.

Selvarajah Rajivarnam was a young minority Sri Lankan Tamil journalist from Jaffna, Sri Lanka. He was shot and killed by unknown assailants as part of the ongoing Sri Lankan civil war close to his place of work. Assailants came on a motorbike and shot him at close range.

Uthayan is a Tamil language Sri Lankan daily newspaper published by New Uthayan Publication (Private) Limited, part of the Uthayan Group of Newspapers. It was founded in 1985 and is published from Jaffna. Its sister newspapers is the Colombo based Sudar Oli. Uthayan was the only newspaper published from Jaffna which did not cease publication due to the civil war. The newspaper has been attacked several times, a number of its staff have been murdered by paramilitary groups and other forces, and it regularly receives threats.

Sudar Oli is a Tamil language Sri Lankan daily newspaper published by Mass Media Syndicate (Private) Limited, part of the Uthayan Group of Newspapers. It was founded in 2000 and is published from Colombo. Its sister newspaper is the Jaffna based Uthayan. The newspaper has been attacked several times, a number of its staff have been murdered by paramilitary groups and other forces, and it regularly receives threats.

Mariathas Manojanraj

Mariathas Manojanraj was a minority Sri Lankan Tamil distributor for the Tamil newspaper Thinakkural from Jaffna, Sri Lanka. He was killed by a mine which exploded when he went to collect newspapers for distribution on 27 July 2006 in Navakeeri near Jaffna.

Chandrabose Suthaharan was a minority Sri Lankan Tamil editor of the Tamil magazine, Nilam, and he also wrote for other Tamil news media. He had earlier worked for Virakesari. He was shot and killed on 16 April 2007, in Thirunavatkulam in Vavuniya.

The Disappearance of Subramaniam Ramachandran is an incident that took place against a Tamil journalist in Sri Lanka.

Suresh Kumar and Ranjith Kumar were minority Sri Lankan Tamils working for the Uthayan – a Tamil newspaper published from Jaffna. Uthayan has been specifically targeted for its independent reporting by the Sri Lankan military and the paramilitary group EPDP. They were killed on 2 May 2006 during an attack on the Uthayan office.

P. Devakumaran

Paranirupasingam Devakumaran also spelt as Thevakumar was a minority Sri Lankan Tamil Television journalist who reported for the Maharaja Television which operated MTV English, Sirasa TV in Sinhala and Sakthi TV in Tamil in Jaffna. He and his friend Mahendran Varadan were hacked to death in Navanthurai near Jaffna on 28 May 2008 while he was on his way home by the paramilitary EPDP.

Local elections were held in Sri Lanka on 8 August 2009 for two local councils in the north of the country: Jaffna Municipal Council and Vavuniya Urban Council. They were the first elections held in the country since the government declared victory in the 26-year-old civil war on 18 May 2009. They were also the first local elections held in the Northern Province in more than 11 years. Both towns had been under government control for many years. The government won the Jaffna Municipal Council contest by securing 13 of the 23 seats. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) won the Vavuniya Urban Council contest by securing 5 of the 11 seats. Turnout was very low in Jaffna (22%) but it was better in Vavuniya (52%).

E. Saravanapavan

Eswarapatham Saravanapavan is a Sri Lankan Tamil newspaper publisher, politician and Member of Parliament.

Freedom of the press in Sri Lanka is guaranteed by Article 14(1)(a) of the Constitution of Sri Lanka which gives every citizen "the freedom of speech and expression including publication". Despite this there is widespread suppression of the media, particularly those critical of the government. Sri Lanka is ranked 165 out of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders's Press Freedom Index for 2014. Freedom House has judged the Sri Lankan press to be not free. During the civil war Sri Lanka was one of the most dangerous places to be a journalist. The civil war ended in May 2009 but, according to Reporters Without Borders, murders, physical attacks, kidnappings, threats and censorship continues and that senior government officials, including the defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, are directly implicated.

N. Vithyatharan Sri Lankan journalist

Nadesapillai Vithyatharan is a Sri Lankan journalist. He is the editor of Uthayan and Sudar Oli. He has been arrested, threatened, abducted by Sri Lankan Government and backed paramilitary for his newspapers independent reporting. Uthayan has run despite severe difficulties.

Events from the year 2013 in Sri Lanka.

References

  1. "Newspaper delivery agent shot and killed in Jaffna". www.sibernews.com. Archived from the original on 2007-09-28.
  2. Sri Lanka Journalist’s abduction highlights intimidation of media
  3. :: Daily Mirror - News ::
  4. Sri Lankan president demands media toes the line on the war | Asian Tribune
  5. "Joint Mission to Sri Lanka - International Advocacy and Fact Finding". IPI. 2007-06-25. Archived from the original on 2007-09-26. Retrieved 2007-06-25.