Tissainayagam sentenced to 20 years: Democracy chained in Sri Lanka

JDS – 005/AUG/09
PRESS RELEASE / 31 August 2009

Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka condemns the sentencing of journalist J.S. Tissainayagam to twenty years rigorous imprisonment under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) on August 31, 2009.

Tissainayagam’s sentence is based on a ‘confession’ that he has refuted and two articles written and published by him in 2006. The judgment also states that the two articles written by Tissainayagam that are the subject of this investigation contain material that causes ‘communal disharmony’, and this too is considered a basis for his sentence. Tissainayagam has never engaged in, or promoted, violence of any kind, and we have always known him to be committed to co-existence and inter-ethnic justice.

Since Tissainayagam was first taken into custody in March 2008, we have continuously appealed for his release on the basis that the allegations against him were unfounded. In addition, we protested against his conditions of detention and the failure to comply with minimum humanitarian standards including providing Tissainayagam with the medical treatment that he needs.

As a community of Sri Lankan journalists and media persons in exile, we express our solidarity with our colleague Tissa on this occasion and commit ourselves to appeal against this sentence and draw the attention of the world to this flagrant violation of the freedom of thought, opinion and expression in Sri Lanka.

In addition, having followed the developments in this case with grave concern, we wish to highlight the following issues with regard to the Prevention of Terrorism Act which defies principles of natural justice and is in violation of established human rights norms.

According to the judgment, writing or publishing any article that can be defined as being against the Prevention of Terrorism Act can merit a sentence of twenty years rigorous imprisonment under the terms of this Act. No journalist in Sri Lanka has ever received this type of sentence, which is a flagrant violation of media freedom. Thus, this judgment once again highlights the need to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act which violates human rights including the rights of the freedom of expression and opinion.

Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka consider this judgment to represent a critical turning point in terms of restriction of media freedom through the law in Sri Lanka. We call on all democratic forces in Sri Lanka and outside to take all possible steps to ensure a reversal of this decision.
We feel that initiating a campaign for the repeal of the PTA in Sri Lanka must be a first step in this direction.

We call on all democratic nations that enter into bilateral agreements with the government of Sri Lanka and on all donors to ensure that the repeal of the PTA is placed high on their list of critical concerns in negotiations with the government.

We wish to point out that every political party that has been involved in the creation and perpetuation of the PTA is complicit in the judgment against Tissainayagam. We appeal to all political parties and organizations committed to democratic principles to come forward to build the broadest possible platform to challenge the PTA. The repeal of the PTA is essential if we are to move towards disarmament in Sri Lanka.

We commit ourselves to work for the release of Tissainayagam and his colleagues V.Jesiharan and Valarmathy in the interests of justice and peace in Sri Lanka.

Executive Committee
Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka
C/O INSD, Kremmener Strasse 2, 10435 Berlin, Germany / journalistsfordemocracy@gmail.com

Sri Lankan Tamil Editor gets 20 years’ hard labor

Journalist J.S.Tissainayagam accompanied by Prison officials after being sentenced for 20 years RI by the Colombo High Court under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and Emergency Regulations, on Monday. Pic by M.A.Pushpakumara. c/o Sunday Times

A Sri Lankan court sentenced a journalist who wrote articles critical of a military offensive against the Tamil Tigers to 20 years’ hard labor under anti-terrorism laws critics say are used to stifle dissent.

Colombo High Court Judge Deepali Wijesundera found J.S. Tissanayagam guilty on three charges of conspiracy and violating the Prevention of Terrorism Act and powerful wartime emergency regulations that give the government wide powers of arrest.

She gave him the minimum sentence under the law.

Tissanayagam was arrested in March 2008 and accused of having links with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), after writing articles in the Northeastern Monthly magazine about the impact of the government’s offensive on civilians.

The government accused him of accepting LTTE money to write propaganda in the magazine and sow dissent between minority Tamils and the Sinhalese ethnic majority.

“The constitution itself gives freedom of press, but that doesn’t allow anybody to spread false information to spur ethnic violence,” prosecutor Sudarshana DeSilva told the court.

The LTTE, until its defeat after a 25-year war in May, had fought to create a separate nation for Sri Lanka’s minority Tamils, arguing that successive post-independence governments led by the Sinhalese majority had repressed Tamils.

Western governments and press freedom groups condemned his arrest as symbolic of crumbling press freedom in Sri Lanka, where the Committee to Protect Journalists says at least eight journalists have been killed since 2007.
Others have been beaten, harassed, detained and threatened with death. Tissanayagam, who is Tamil, signed a confession but later told the court he did so under duress.

“This is a good lesson for all journalists to be cautious when writing in future,” defense lawyer Anil Silva said. “He lost his job in the ’80s when talking about labor union rights. Now, he lost his freedom when talking about Tamil rights.”

Silva said his client would appeal.

Tissanayagam’s conviction today in the High Court was the first of a journalist under the country’s Prevention of Terrorism Act.
By Ranga Sirilal
Courtesy: Reuters and AFP

Journalist Prageeth abducted and released

(Lanka-e-News 29.Aug.2009 6.30PM) Independent correspondent and Journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda was abducted on 27th August by a group which accosted him having arrived in a white Van. He was forcibly bundled into the Van blindfolded ,handcuffed and taken away.

According to Ekneligoda , on the 27th night at about 12.30 a.m. ,when he was on his way walking to his home down Mekandura Road , a white Van had suddenly pulled up alongside him. Then, three hefty individuals of young age who descended from the Van had caught him and forcibly pushed him into the Van , was then immediately blindfolded and handcuffed.

These abductors who did not say anything ; after travelling for about half an hour , took him to a house and kept him in a room handcuffed to an iron bar till early morning.

On the following day , he was asked to do a wash ; and later, his blindfolding cloth and handcuff were removed. A leader of the group who was in the house has then come up to him and said, we have made a mistake. You are of no use to us. But, don’t whisper one word about this to anyone , he has warned. After blindfolding and handcuffing him again , he was brought in the Van and dropped near a quarry at Koratota at about 10.30 a.m. on 28th August, Ekneligoda told ‘Lanka e News.’

The leader of the group had examined his identity card . It appeared that the group who abducted him are experienced , Ekneliyagoda further stated. Ekneliyagoda has made a complaint to the Homagama Police on 28th noon in this connection.

Ekneliyagoda was for a while attached to the ‘Lanka e news’ and had written several articles. He was a cartoonist also.

- http://www.lankaenews.com/English/news.php?id=8238

be there on 31st- solidarity with Tissa; freedom of expression on trail

PLATTFORM FOR FREEDOM  invites citizens who care for freedom of expression and democracy in our country to come to courts, HIGH COIRT  no 3 at  Colombo to show solidarity with Tissa.

On 31st Sep 2009 verict of Tissainayagam case will be delivered.

invitation in Sinhala by Platform for freedom

Death Threats against Dr. P. Saravanamuttu comdemned

26th August Colombo.
As concerned citizens and members of civil society organisations committed to the protection and defence of human rights and democracy in Sri Lanka, we are gravely disturbed at the most recent attempt to intimidate Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, Director, Centre for Policy Alternatives through a death threat by letter posted to his home. We condemn it unreservedly.  On August 20th 2009 Dr Saravanamuttu received a letter threatening him with death for allegedly passing information to the European Union which the letter claims will result in the GSP + plus facility being denied to Sri Lanka.

Dr Saravanamuttu, and the organizations he heads, the Centre for Policy Alternatives, is involved in contributing to public policy making and implementation processes to ensure good governance, proposing constructive policy alternatives aimed at strengthening and safeguarding democracy, pluralism, the rule of law, human rights and social justice, and drawing attention to the social and political consequences of development. At a time when space for dissent has been restricted he has been one of the outspoken critics showing exemplary courage in speaking out.

He is a well respected scholar and is invited to speak and write not only on Sri Lanka but on broader issues of democracy, governance and social justice issues at a global level, by many institutions and organizations around the world.

In the past years, Dr. Saravanamuttu and the CPA have engaged in a range of actions aimed at ensuring that the Sri Lankan government honours its obligations under Sri Lankan law and international conventions that it has ratified.  This work has often been in collaboration with other Sri Lankan organizations concerned with the promotion and protection of human rights in accordance with the right of association and expression guaranteed in the Constitution.

The campaign to call for the Government of Sri Lanka to comply with its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and a host of other international agreements that Sri Lanka has ratified has been an ongoing one by CPA and other organizations working to ensure human rights accountability in Sri Lanka.  The engagement of these groups with the discussions on the extension of the GSP+ facility to Sri Lanka is part of this wider process.  As reiterated by the CPA, its position is that GSP Plus benefits MUST be renewed, and that Sri Lanka should use the opportunity to also strengthen its human rights protection framework by complying with international and national law.

We deplore the intimidation levelled at Dr. Saravanamuttu and call upon the state to take all necessary measures to investigate and bring to justice those responsible for making these threats.  We also extend our solidarity and support to Dr. Saravanamuttu and to all at the Centre for Policy Alternatives at this time, and call on the authorities to ensure that all steps necessary are taken to guarantee the safety and security of Dr. Saravanamuttu, his family and his staff.

1.    Ahilan Kadirgamar
2.    Ameena Hussain
3.    Anberiya Haniffa
4.    Angelica Chandrasekeran
5.    Anita Nesiah
6.    Ann Jabbar
7.    Anoma Wijewardene
8.    Ashoka Thevarapperuma
9.    Association of Family Members of the Disappeared
10.    Association of War affected Women
11.    B. Shanthakumar
12.    Bhavani Loganathan
13.    Cedric de Silva
14.    Chameera Perera
15.    Chaminda Weerawardhana
16.    Chandra Hewagallage
17.    Chandra Jayaratne
18.    Chandraguptha Thenuwara
19.    Chulani Kodikara
20.    Citizens Committee for Forcibly Evicted Northern Muslims
21.    D. D. N. C. Wimalarathne
22.    D.B.S. Jeyaraj
23.    Damaris Wickremesekere
24.    Damayanthi Mutukumarage
25.    Dilan Kumara
26.    Evelyn Buell
27.    Freddy Gamage
28.    G.V.D Tilakasiri
29.    Dr. Gananath Obeyesekera
30.    Gameela Samarasinghe
31.    Gamini Viyangoda
32.    Godfrey Yogarajah
33.    Hilmy Ahamed
34.    Inas Jinnah
35.    Indrani Kusumalatha
36.    J. C. Weliamuna
37.    Dr. Jagath Weerasinghe
38.    Jayantha Dhanapala
39.    Javid Yusuf
40.    Dr. Jayadeva Uyangoda
41.    Jayanthi Gunewardena
42.    Jeanne Samuel
43.    Dr. Jehan Perera
44.    Jezima Ismail
45.    Judy Piertersz
46.    K. M. Chitrasena
47.    K.S. Ratnavale
48.    Dr. Keshini Soysa
49.    Kevin Shimmin
50.    Kishali Pinto Jayawardene
51.    Kumaravadivel Guruparan
52.    Kumudini Samuel
53.    Kusal Gunasekera
54.    Lakshman Gunasekara
55.    Lakshmi Jeganathan
56.    Lionel Bopage
57.    Luther Uthayakumaran
58.    M. C. M  Iqbal
59.    Mahim Mendis
60.    Maithree Wickramasinghe
61.    Mannar Women for Human Rights and Democracy
62.    Dr. Mario Gomez
63.    Mihiri Weerasinghe
64.    Muslim Women’s Research and Action Forum
65.    Dr. Muthukrishna Sarvananthan
66.    Dr. Nalaka Gunawardana
67.    National Peace Council
68.    Dr. Neloufer de Mel
69.    Nigel de Silva
70.    Nilusha Hemasiri
71.    Nimalika Fernando
72.    Nimanthi Rajasingham
73.    Nirmala Rajasingam
74.    Dr. Nishan de Mel
75.    P. Rajanayagam
76.    P.B. Gowthaman
77.    Priyadharshanie Ariyaratne
78.    Dr. Qadri Ismail
79.    Raja M.B. Senanayaka
80.    Rajan Hoole
81.    Rajan Philips
82.    Ramani Muttettuwegama
83.    Rasika Deepani
84.    Rights Now- Collective for Democracy
85.    Rohini Hensman
86.    Rohini Weerasinghe
87.    Rosanna Flamer-Caldera
88.    Roshini Fernando
89.    Ruki Fernando
90.    Rukshana Nanayakkara
91.    S. G. Punchiheva
92.    S. Nanthikesan
93.    Sagarica Delgoda
94.    Sam Perera
95.    Saman Sri Liyanage
96.    Sanjeeva Bandara
97.    Santhush Pararajasingham
98.    Sarala Emmanuel
99.    Saroja Sivachandran
100.    Saumaya Liyanage
101.    Seetha Ranjani
102.    Selvi Sachithanandam
103.    Dr. Selvy Thiruchandran
104.    Dr. Sepali Kottegoda
105.    Shantha Pathirana
106.    Sharmini Boyle
107.    Sherine Xavier
108.    Shreen Saroor
109.    Sithie Tiruchelvam
110.    Sri Lanka Democracy Forum
111.    Sriyani Pathirage
112.    Sudarshana Gunawardana
113.    Sujeewa Bandara
114.    Sulochana Colambage
115.    Dr. Sumathy Sivamohan
116.    Sumika Perera
117.    Sunanda Deshapriya
118.    Sunila Abeysekera
119.    Suvendrini Kakuchi
120.    Tarika Wickeremeratne
121.    Thiru Sampandan
122.    U. D. M. Seelawathi
123.    Udaya Kalupathirana
124.    Upekha Chitrasena
125.    V. Jeychithra
126.    Vanamali Galappaththi
127.    Vasuki Nesiah
128.    Visaka Dharmadasa
129.    Dr. Wijaya Jayatileke

SINHALA STATEMENT ON THREAT TO SARA -read as a PDF

Media ‘responsible’ for police abuses

By Saroj Pathirana
BBC Sinhala service

President Rajapaksa has convened a special meeting with senior DIGs (photo by Chandana Perera)
President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who convened a special meeting with senior DIGs last week, has paid compensation to Angulana victims

Victims of abuses and media activists have accused polarised media of partly responsible for the alleged serious abuses by the police and security forces.

The public in the south have reacted very angrily after recent incidents of two young people dying while in police custody in Angulana, Moratuwa and a brutal assault on a student in Malabe.

The wife and the son of the former director of Colombo Crime Division, and a group of police officers are accused of abducting and brutally assaulting Nipuna Ramanayake, a young IT student.

At least 18 police personnel and the family members of Senior Superintendant of Police (SSP) Vaas Gunawardena are currently detained in custody.

I am very sad to hear incidents of police abuses in the south. But if the media in the south accurately reported the killing in Trincomalee, these unfortunate incidents would have been avoided

Dr. Manoharan, father of a Tamil victim

Sinhala language newspapers and electronic media have widely publicised the recent abuses by the police in the south.

“I don’t think it is the police to be accused,” Chandana Sirimalwatta, the editor of Lanka Sinhala weekly told BBC Sandeshaya.

“The government, including the head of state, has been giving out signals to the police to the effect that they won’t be punished for any abuse.”

However, many media activists are of the view that media, Sinhala nationalist newspapers in particular, are also responsible for the breakdown of law and order in the south.

‘Terrorism’ vs ‘democracy’

“During the war between the government forces and the LTTE, nationalist Sinhala media spread the ideology that all Tamils are LTTE supporters,” says Rohitha Bashana Abeywardene.

Mr. Abeywardena is the spokesman for the Journalist for Democracy in Sri Lanka (JDS), a recently formed exiled media workers’ organisation.

SSP Vass Gunawardena (photo: Sunday Times Sri Lanka)
SSP Vaas Gunawardena’s family members are accused of abducting and assaulting a student

“When five Tamil students were killed in January 2006, Sinhala media either tried not to report the incident or to portray the victims as LTTE supporters.”

Dr. Manoharan, father of one of the young victims in Trincomalee, agrees.

“I don’t think media in the south did justice to my son,” he told BBC Sinhala service.

Irida Lanka, a newspaper affiliated with Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), has been very supportive of the government’s military offensive against the LTTE.

“Our newspaper adopted a policy of supporting the unitary state of Sri Lanka and we could not support any anti-democratic militancy,” says Mr. Sirimalwatta.

“And the security forces were carrying out operations to wipe out terrorism in this country,” he said.

Bindunuwewa massacre

That approach by the Sinhala media outlets, says Sunanda Deshapriya of Free Media Movement (FMM), encouraged security forces and the police to continue their abuses in the south.

“I am very happy that they report the incidents in the south,” he said.

Our newspaper adopted a policy of supporting the unitary state of Sri Lanka and we could not support any anti-democratic militancy

Chandana Sirimalwatta, Editor, Irida Lanka

“But the same media did not bother to carry a detailed report by the human rights commission that clearly pointed the finger on the police when a group of young Tamils were massacred in Bindunuwewa.”

26 young suspected former LTTE members were killed by a mob of a few hundred Sinhalese villagers armed with knives, rods and torches while the inmates were sleeping in Bindunuwewa detention centre in October 2004.

The Sri Lankan Army detachment that was posted there had been withdrawn the previous day, for unknown reasons.

After a years-long investigations and trials, all of the accused, including police officers, were acquitted and released.

Mr. Deshapriya says the attitude by the Sinhala media is a reflection of Tamil media coverage under the LTTE.

Tamil media

“During the ceasefire between the LTTE and the government, we carried out a research in the LTTE-controlled areas,” he said.

“Tamil newspapers were behaving as if no murder was carried out by the LTTE. While the Tamil media was accusing the government for every abuse, the Sinhala media were accusing the government for every murder and abduction.”

Dr. Manoharan says apart from the institutional nationalism, some journalists were intimidated by the parties not to report the truth in a conflict situation.

SS Raja, who accurately reported the killing of five Tamil students according to Dr. Manoharan, was gunned down within few weeks.

The medical doctor who has treated many Sinhala security force personnel in Trincomalee has since fled the country with other family members due to fear for their life.

“I am very sad to hear incidents of police abuses in the south. But if the media in the south accurately reported the killing in Trincomalee, these unfortunate incidents would have been avoided.”
-http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/highlights/story/2009/08/090823_media_police.shtml

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who convened a special meeting with senior DIGs last week, has paid compensation to Angulana victim

Death threat deals new blow to free expression

SOURCE: Freedom House

(Freedom House/IFEX) – Washington – August 21, 2009 – The Sri Lankan government is solely responsible for ensuring the safety of prominent human rights activist Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, who received an anonymous death threat at his home yesterday. Freedom House urges that the Sri Lanka government demonstrate that it will not continue to tolerate such vigilantism by carrying out a full and impartial investigation and bringing the perpetrators to justice.

Saravanamuttu, executive director of the Centre for Policy Alternatives, is the latest in a number of high-profile people who have been threatened, assaulted or, in some cases, murdered in recent months in the country.
Almost all of the victims – including activists, journalists and lawyers – have been targeted because of their criticism of government policies.

“The fact that prominent individuals such as Mr. Saravanamuttu are now being targeted shatters the myth that the human rights situation is returning to normal in Sri Lanka,” said Jennifer Windsor, Freedom House executive director. “The government must ensure that human rights activists can carry out their work in documenting the aftermath of Sri Lanka’s civil war and ongoing abuses without fear of harassment and intimidation.”

The letter Saravanamuttu received said he would be killed because he supplied information that may cause the European Union to suspend preferential trading benefits to Sri Lanka. In reality, his organization has consistently urged that the benefits be renewed and that Sri Lanka use the opportunity to bring its human rights record in line with international standards.

Sri Lankan authorities are largely failing to prosecute the perpetrators of attacks on activists, lawyers and journalists, creating a culture of impunity. In January, gunmen murdered Sunday Leader editor Lasantha Wickrematunga in Colombo just days after he predicted his death in an editorial. Months earlier, human rights lawyer J.C. Weliamuna and his family survived a grenade attack on their Colombo home. Weliamuna is the head of the Sri Lankan branch of Transparency International, an international nongovernmental organization that campaigns against government corruption. Dozens of lesser-known activists and journalists have faced the same threats in recent months.

Freedom of expression has steadily declined in Sri Lanka over the last five years, despite constitutional guarantees. Journalists and activists regularly face verbal and physical attacks, both from official sources and nationalist vigilantes. A number of journalists have fled the country and gone into exile as a result of the threats, while others heavily self-censor. Top-ranking officials, including Defense Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa, are known to openly equate criticism of government policies with treason. In addition, the Defense Ministry website and state-controlled media often engage in smear tactics against journalists and activists.

“This kind of behavior on the part of top-ranking officials is not befitting of the leadership of a democratically-elected government,” said Karin Karlekar, Freedom House senior researcher and managing editor of Freedom of the Press.

The ongoing culture of impunity is likely to further erode Sri Lanka’s ranking in Freedom in the World, Freedom House’s annual survey of political rights and civil liberties. Sri Lanka is ranked Partly Free in the 2009 edition of Freedom in the World and Not Free in the 2009 version of Freedom of the Press.

http://www.ifex.org/sri_lanka/2009/08/24/saravanamuttu_death_threat/

Media accreditation cards alien to CDF: Govt. Info chief to take up issue

By Suresh Perera

Government Information Director Anusha Pelpita assured that he would take up the issue of non recognition by the Civil Defence Force (CDF) of the media accreditation cards issued to journalists by his department.

“I will make an official intimation to CDF’s Director-General, Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera so that a circular can be issued to the rank and file”, he said.

Responding to a complaint that CDF personnel manning the checkpoint at the Dehiwala bridge had disregarded the media accreditation card and demanded the national identity card of a senior journalist, Pelpita admitted the issue need to be addressed at the highest level.

The checkpoint’s OIC, who identified himself as Bandara, had politely told the journalist that they had not been given instructions to accept the media accreditation cards issued by the Government Information Department to media personnel as a valid form of identification.

“We have been told about official identity cards of members of the judiciary, doctors and lawyers but media cards are alien to us”, Bandara explained.

Pelpita said specimens of the media accreditation card had been sent to the commanders of the tri-services and the police and there is no problem as the officers and men down the line have been adequately briefed.

Repeated attempts to contact Rear Admiral Weerasekera for comment were futile. He did not return calls by the Sunday Island.

CDF’s Deputy Director, SSP Nandana Wijeratne also could not be reached. Calls to his mobile phone evoked the curt response “Mahattaya eliyata gihin” (Sir has gone out), when told the Sunday Island was calling.

With the army moved out for security duties in the North, CDF personnel have been detailed extensively in Colombo and its outskirts.

- http://www.island.lk/2009/08/23/news10.html

HR COMMISSION PARALYZED

By Sandun A Jayasekera

The term of office of the members of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) had expired two months ago making its operations ineffectual, an HRCSL official said yesterday.

HRCSL Secretary Chandra Ellawala said the term of office of Commissioners D. Jayawickrama, Mahanama Tilakaratna, N.D. Abeywardana and M.T.M. Bafiq expired on June 17.

“The HRCSL is without members except for its the Chairman retired Supreme Court Judge S. Anandakumaraswami as such it can no longer take policy decisions,” Ms. Ellawala told Daily Mirror.

She said the HRCSL was trying to obtain more legal teeth as there were instances where some public institutions had failed to carry out its orders but this area needed further feed back as

institutions such the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal dealt with the complaints forwarded by the HRCSL on human rights violations.

Ms. Ellawala said the commission had received 6,574 complaints of HR violations last year and 3,557 complaints so far this year with most of the complaints were on Grade five school admissions, against the police and the deprivation of promotions to public servants.

“The Commission always attempts to settle complaints of HR violations through arbitration and discussions. We have a team of dedicated investigators and a panel of officers to attend to such inquiries,” she said.

Ms. Ellawala said investigation officers regularly visited police stations and it had also received complaints in connection with the highly publicized killing of two youth in Angulana and the assault on an SLIIT student.

The HRCSL had decentralized its services and regional offices had been set up at Jaffna, Kalmunai, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Vavuniya, Ampara, Anuradhapura, Kandy, Matara and Badulla.

Meanwhile, the re-activation of the constitutional Council had been stalled due to the failure of minority parties nominating a representative as required by the Constitution. President Mahinda Rajapaksa refused to approve the nomination of the minority parties as the person nominated had been an accused before a Presidential Commission.

The next hearing of the FR case in connection with the re-activation of the CC has been fixed for October 14.
- http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=58942

Tamil film industry blasts Lankan Minister

From S Murari, Chennai

Chennai, 21 August, (Asiantribune.com):  The Tamil Film Industry has blasted a Sri Lankan Minister over his charge that Rajnikanth’s movies were funded indirectly by the LTTE.

The Minister had mentioned, in an interview to Asian Tribune, that the LTTE funded production of some Tamil films. “The money was not directly sent. Millions and millions of US dollars were given to a London based  Sri Lankan Tamil. He was asked to produce Tamil films in Chennai with top stars like Rajnikanth”  in Kuselar and in the beginning with Robot later it changed hands and was renamed as Enthiran.

The minister said Rajni was paid “lavishly”, but did not say how much.

He also said in the interview that Thol Thirumavalavan of Viduthalai Chiruththaikal Katchi, Vaiko’s of Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Dr. S. Ramadoss of Pattali Makkal Katchi, and P. Nedumaran of the Tamil Nationalist Movement received LTTE money right from the very beginning.

The politicians are yet to react. Rajni has also chosen not to respond because his own latest under production film Enthiran was originally planned to be made by Ayngaran International owned by a Sri Lankan Tamil from London. A leading film distribution and high-budget production house, Ayngaran later backed out. Aygaran had distributed Rajni’s Sivaji, The Boss in the international market. It also bought international rights for Chandramukhi and Padayappa.

Unlike Rajni, the Tamil film film industry has reacted angrily to the remarks as he is a holy cow or rather a cash cow for producers.

Tamil Nadu Producers’ Council president Rama Narayanan has said: “There’s no need for the LTTE to fund a Rajnikanth film through anyone. And Rajnikanth is in no need to take up such a project.

There are a lot of producers here waiting to do a film with him. Whoever has made such a charge has done so for cheap publicity”.

Director-producer Ameer, a known LTTE sympathiser, has said the Minister has furnished no proof.

”It is only a political statement made with the intention of portraying the Tigers in bad light and diverting our attention from the Tamil cause,” said the director.

-     Asian Tribune -

http://asiantribune.com/08/22/tamil-film-industry-blasts-lankan-minister/