Our Colombo correspondent and four other scribes under threat- AT

http://www.asiantribune.com/?q=node/18415

Colombo, 12 June, (Asiantribune.com): According to an alleged confession of a personal security officer,himself a Naval officer, of a very ‘high ranking’ Naval officer, five journalists, including the Asian Tribune Colombo Correspondent and Bottom Line newspaper defence columnist, Ruwan Weerakone are reported to be under threat for reportage during war times, well informed intelligence sources revealed.

Weerakone this morning made a complaint to the Piliyandala Police, 20 kilo metres South of Colombo (CIB 1354-223 complaint reference) in which had mentioned the name of the very ‘high ranking’ Naval officer who had issued threats on him and the other four journalists.

A short while ago, a very senior police officer of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) confirmed that the personal security officer of the very ‘high ranking’ naval officer was in the process of making a voluntary statement regarding the threat on the five journalists that had emanated from his ‘boss’.

The alleged confession has been made by the personal security officer of the very ‘high ranking’ Naval officer after he had surrendered himself to the intelligence authorities, these sources said.

He is alleged to have confessed that he was instructed through a Commodore by the said ‘high ranking’ officer to keep surveillance on the five journalists reporting the war front at the height of battles with the LTTE.

These journalists are correspondent for Asian Tribune and the Bottom Line newspaper, Ruwan Weerakone, Prasanna Fonseka – formerly of Lake House and currently with Siyatha newspaper, Tissa Ravindra from Rivira newspaper, Mihiri Fonseka of Lakbima and Amal Samantha of the Rupavahini Corporation.

All these five journalists had been critical of the very ‘high ranking’ Navy officer, during the progress of the recently concluded Eelam War IV. Even on this website, our defence correspondent during two occasions exposed the unloading of arms and ammunition by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on the coasts of Chalai in December 2008. He also revealed that the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) had destroyed this weaponry while it was still lying on the beaches of Chalai. The lethal cargo was detected through images sent back by the SLAF’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and targeted by the SLAF.

Another instance was, when the SL Navy claimed that it had deployed a tough naval blockade off the seas during the Eelam War IV, the defence correspondent of this website questioned as to how two boats with nine horse power engines each could pierce the cordon and land on the beaches of Rameswaram in India.

The naval officer and personal security officer of this ‘top’ Naval man has told the authorities that the aim of the surveillance on the five journalists was to cause serious harm to them as his superior viewed the truth as bitter, sources said.

When ex-Sri Lanka Air Force officer Squadron Leader Nishantha Gajanayake was taken into custody some time back, over an accusation of his demanding a ransom over some Tamil persons, the name of this personal security too had surfaced during investigations. However, at that time this very ‘high ranking’ Naval officer had safeguarded his personal security officer from any legal actions being taken or arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), the sources further revealed.

According to confidential information received, this personal security officer had been absconding from the Navy and had later surrendered to the law enforcement authorities.

It is also learnt that unidentified persons had visited the earlier residence of Weerakone at Kohuwala many times inquiring about the whereabouts of Weerakoon. Some of the residents, who had felt suspicious is reported to have informed the Editor, Bottom Line, Weerakone said.

- Asian Tribune -

Protecting journalists

http://www.lankanewspapers.com/news/2009/6/44756.html

One may wonder whether attacks on journalists in this country are being carried out by ghosts. For, not even the entire khaki brigade has been able to nab a single assailant. The only problem with this spooky theory may be that the violent eidolons pursuing poor scribes and threatening their earthly existence are capable of operating even during daytime, considered anathema to incorporeal beings.

The UNP on Wednesday demanded a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to probe attacks on journalists. The government naturally rejected that call. It has also refused to take any action against plunderers of public assets even on the basis of damning reports by parliamentary watchdog committees like COPE and PAC! So, even if a PSC were to be set up to investigate attacks on media, how could we expect anything worthwhile to come of that exercise?

We have a massive police department maintained at a huge cost to the public purse besides a number of special outfits like the CID to assist it in investigations. There is a judiciary which has, of late, taken to activism. What needs to be done by way of dealing with the culprits responsible for attacks on media personnel is to jolt the police into conducting proper investigations, nabbing suspects and hauling them up before courts. The fact that lawmakers have had to take upon themselves the task of probing such incidents is a sad reflection on the police. Why keep a dog and bark yourself?

Journalists should beware of parliamentarians or politicians of all hues masquerading as messiahs. All of them have a history of suppressing media freedom and assaulting or murdering media personnel. When Richard de Zoysa was abducted and brutally murdered, he was vilified posthumously in the same Parliament where protests are now being made against the assassination of Lasantha and assault on Jayantha. Depending on politicians to protect journalists is like entrusting the safety of game to hunters! Politicians do only two things to media persons: When in power they use bludgeons on journalists and when out of power they use journalists as bludgeons.

Media personnel are not alone in the predicament of being denied justice, which has become a rarity in this country owing to the subjugation of the police, the judiciary and the public service as a whole to the whims and fancies and political interests of governments in power. How can one expect justice in a country with a conviction rate of only four per cent and with every scoundrel in politics?

If parliamentarians are really desirous of helping journalists function free from threats and attacks, there is one thing they should do. They should put their house in order. The day they desist from interfering with the police and the judiciary and other branches of the State service, shielding criminals and indulging in criminal activities to retain or gain power, we may be able to regain Paradise Lost so that all Sri Lankans including the endangered journalists, will be happy and free.