SLFP-men issue death threat to journalists in Mannaar

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 July 2012, 19:39 GMT]
Two newspaper reporters in Mannaar have complained to Tamil Journalists Association in Vanni that ruling SLFP-men have issued death threats to them for their reporting on inciting violence at Koanthaip-piddi jetty on Friday. An armed Muslim gang incited a section of the Muslims after Jummah Prayer to join them in causing destruction to the boats of uprooted Tamil Catholics while the dispute between communities was being already addressed by the civil officials at divisional and district level.

Two journalists, S.R. Lambert and ASM Faszmi have complained that they have been issued death threats, Tamil media sources in Colombo said.

Meanwhile, informed sources in Mannaar told TamilNet that the men who have issued death threats are closely connected to SL minister of Industry & Commerce, Rishard Badurdeen,

The same gang that destroyed the boats on Friday, confronted one of the journalists, S.R. Lambert, while he was at the site of the incident witnessing the episode, the sources further said.

The other journalist, subjected to threat, is a Muslim journalist.

Two months ago, another Muslim journalist, 72-year-old MA Cader, who expressed solidarity with thousands of civilians who had gathered for a prayer expressing solidarity with Mannaar Bishop, was assaulted by a close-relative and an employee of Rsihard Badurdeen. The senior journalist was forcibly put into a pickup vehicle and attacked. The attack was reported after The SL Minister Badurdeen had issued veiled threats against Mannaar Bishop during a speech in the SL Parliament.

Chronology:

16.07.12  SLFP-men issue death threat to journalists in Mann..

14.07.12  SL Minister operates armed gang causing ethnic ten..

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ITAK activists threatened by SLA intelligence operatives in Mullaiththeevu

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 December 2011, 14:34 GMT]
Activists of the Ilangkai Thamizh Arasuk Kadchi (ITAK) in Mullaiththeevu of Vanni, who were engaged in organizing party activities this week have been threatened with death by intelligence operatives of the Sri Lanka Army, sources in Mullaiththeevu told TamilNet. The intimidation by the occupying SLA has come following the leading activists of the ITAK Mr.C.V.K.Sivagnanam and Mr. Kunanayagam, went to the district distributing forms to enrol members to the party. The SLA intelligence personnel have targeted the activists of the party in Mullaiththeevu for accepting these forms.

SLA intelligence operatives trespassed into the house of the ITAK volunteers and seized all forms at gun point. Those refused to hand over such forms have been threatened with death, according to the sources.

The SLFP of SL President Mahinda Rajapaksa is given free hand to take forward its political agenda in the district.

While the activities of ITAK and other TNA member parties remain virtually banned in Mullaiththeevu by the SLA, the presence of paramilitay groups of Karuna and Devananda, and the associates of Namal Rajapakse, the son of Mahinda Rajapaksa, have been increased in the district.

In the meantime, ITAK central committee meeting was held on Friday at the residence of Mr.Sampanthan in Trincomalee. Seven parliamentarians attended the meeting along with other members.

University students in Jaffna still face death threat from SLA intelligence

[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 November 2011, 18:57 GMT]
Representatives of the Jaffna University Students Union (JUSU) are continuously being threatened with death and intimidation by the Sri Lanka Army intelligence operatives. Some members of the JUSU on Tuesday narrowly escaped from the hands of the SLA intelligence division personnel when they were returning from Puththoor in Ki'linochchi district after making arrangements for holding free special classes for G.C.E.O/L students of Vanni who are to sit for the forthcoming examinations scheduled to commence in the first week of December.

JUSU members returning from Puththoor in motor bicycles were followed by a group of SLA intelligence unit men in motor bikes from the nearby SLA camp. JUSU representatives escaped from the chasing SL operatives near Ki'linochchi town by leaving their motor bicycles in the protection of some TNA parliamentarians and got in to a passenger transporting bus to Jaffna, according to an escaped JUSU representative.

The JUSU representatives were followed by army intelligence personnel in a planned way to cause harm to them, he added.

On October 16, the Student Union leader S. Thavapalasingam was severely attacked by alleged SL military intelligence personnel. Another student activist of the Jaffna University was attacked in Paranthan in Vanni 7 days later on 23 October.

The SL police and SLA intelligence operatives were monitoring and videotaping the protests organized by the students and were using the video and photos to identify key activists of the JUSU, the students further say.

The students allege that certain key personalities within the Jaffna University who are backed by EPDP leader and SL Minister Douglas Devananda were also supplying information about the activities of JUSU to SLA intelligence.

JUSU sources citied a recent incident in which the SL Police in Jaffna were allowed to enter the student hostel intimidating students over a complaint of assault between two students and a warden of the hostel while the student representatives had been taking steps to sort out the dispute between students and academic staff, a group of police officials for the first time in the university history  had entered the premises of the institution in two vehicles.

In the meantime, the Vice Chancellor of Jaffna University, Ms Vasanthy Arasaratnam, is reported to have admonished varsity security staff for allowing journalists to attend a media briefing held by the JUSU at the university. The VC had warned that security officials who were on duty at that time would be sent home.

Under the current circumstances the movement of suspicious persons inside the varsity premises is reported to have increased and the Vice Chancellor and relevant persons for the administration had failed to prevent such movements, the JUSU representatives allege.

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