PUBLIC RALLY AGAINST MEDIA SUPPRESSION

Government moves to silence Damilvani

2009-09-24 | 11.30 AM
The government in response to the damning and controversial interview given to the London Guardian by

Damilvani Gnanakumar

after returning to London following her release from the “illegal detention camp” in Vavuniya, has arrested members of the family that provided lodging to her while she was in Vavuniya, Lanka News Web reliably learns.

Damilvani has stopped revealing details to the media following this incident. Although Damilvani has told the media that she was unable to speak due to mental stress, the real reason for her silence is the arrests made in Sri Lanka. She has decided to revert from her initial decision of informing the international community about the real situation in the displaced camps through
media interviews in order to protect the relatives who provided her with shelter back in Sri Lanka.

Lanka News Web further learns that the government has decided to delay the release of Tamil nationals who are citizens of Australia and Canada from the displaced camps in order to prevent the Sri Lankan government from facing a similar situation.

-http://www.lankanewsweb.com/news/EN_2009_09_24_003.html

Election laws blatantly broken

Southern Provincial Council polls

PAFFREL files rights petition in Supreme Court

By S.S.Selvanayagam

An election monitoring body has filed a rights petition in the Supreme Court for a direction to enforce the provisions of the Provincial Council Act relating to illegal campaign practices.

People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) and an elector W.P.Wilson in their petition filed through Attorney-at-Law Mohan Balendra has cited Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake, Returning Officers of Galle, Matara and Hambantota District Secretariats, the IGP, secretaries of 18 political parties and the Attorney General  as respondents.

The Southern Provincial Council was dissolved by proclamation of the Governor of the Southern Province on August 3, 2009 and the Elections Commissioner had given notice declaring that an election is to be held. The petitioners stated that nominations were called which commenced on August 21, 2009 and ended at 12 noon on August 28, 2009.

The petitioners stated there were number of incidents reported to PAFFREL relating to illegal political campaigns, namely illegal decorations and illegal display of posters, cut-outs and banners as well as illegally constituted political party offices of the candidates.

They said that under the Provisions of the Provincial Council Act, during the period commencing from the first day of the nomination period and ending on the day on which a poll is taken at such election, no person shall, for the purpose of promoting such election display (a) in any premises, whether public or private, any flag or banner; or (b) any handbill, placard, poster, drawing, notice, photograph of a candidate, symbol or sign on any place to which the public have a right of, or are granted, access except in or any premises on any day on which an election meeting is due to be held in that premises or (c) any handbill, placard, poster, drawing, notice, photograph of a candidate, symbol, sign, flag or banner, on or across any public road; or (d) in or on any vehicle, except that is used for the conveyance of a candidate at such election.

They pointed out that every person who contravenes the provisions of the said Act shall be guilty of an offence and shall, on conviction after summary trial before a Magistrate, be liable to a fine not exceeding Rs 100 or to imprisonment of either description for a term not exceeding one month or both such fine and imprisonment.

They complained that the candidates and the members of the political parties who are taking part in the said election are campaigning for the votes of the registered voters of the said Province with blatant disregard to the relevant laws relating to campaigning.

They stated the illegal campaign and election malpractices will gather momentum as the date of the poll nears and could eventually lead to violence as the party members from opposing parties compete to support their candidate.

They expressed apprehension that the conduct of the candidates violate the right of the registered voters to freely choose between candidates to serve them and thereby their freedom of speech and expression in the exercise of their franchise.
http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=62533

I was beaten and made to sign a confession: Jashiharan

Jashiharn on left with Tissanayagam

By Susitha R. Fernando

Vetrivail Jashiharan facing charges of helping to print, publish and distribute the ‘North Eastern Monthly’ magazine in his evidence said he was beaten up by TID officers and was made to sign a document which was in Sinhala, a language he did not understand.

He said this during the preliminary inquiry to ascertain whether the confession alleged to have been made by Jashiharan to the Terrorist Investigation Department (TID) was made voluntarily.

When cross-examined by prosecution counsel Rohanthe Abeysuriya, Mr. Jashiharan said he never made a statement or a confession to the TID but one day he was made to sign a document under duress.

He said he never met ASP Premasiri Kollure who claimed to have recorded Jashiharan’s statement at the TID.

“I have never seen that officer until he came to give evidence in this court and I never signed any document given by him,” he said.

When Mr. Abeysuriya showed Mr. Jashiharan the document and asked him whether he could read it, Mr. Jashiharan said he could not read Sinhala and only recognized his identity card number.

“It was a document written in Sinhala and by then I had been severely assaulted and could not even stand up. I asked a TID officer to explain what was in the document before signing but they continued to beat me,” Mr. Jashiharan said adding that he was shown where to sign the document.

“I did not give any statement voluntarily,” Mr. Jashiharan reiterated.

He denied giving a statement to ASP Kollure and also denied being produced before the ASP at anytime.

Mr. Jashiharan said he was examined by doctors last year on March 26 and May 10, 11 and 27 and that he had not complained about being assaulted due to fear that he would be further assaulted by the TID.

To a prosecution question Mr. Jashiharan said J. S. Tissainayagam was his friend and he was journalist and was a journalist in Batticaloa.

At this stage Mr. Jashiharan requested for a chair as he found it difficult to stand up.

He said Red Cross officials visited him several times.

Further trial was put off for October 1.

Mr. Jashiharan and his wife V. Madhimalar were indicted on four counts including the aiding and abetting to print, publish and distribute the magazine ‘North Eastern Monthly’ during the period June 1, 2006 to June 1, 2007. They were also charged under the Emergency Regulations for making payments or collecting funds from Non-Governmental Organisation to run the said magazine.

Senior State Counsel Rohantha Abeysuriya and State Counsel Shehan de Silva appeared for the prosecution while Saliya Peiris and K.V. Thavarasha appeared for the defence.

http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=62530

Dr . Packiasothy summoned to CID and questioned for over 2 ½ hours.

(Lanka-e-News 22.Sep.2009 7.00PM) Executive Director of Center for policy alternatives, Dr. Packiasothy Saravanamuttu was summoned to the Colombo CID and questioned for two and half hours. A 12 page statement was recorded, according to information given by Dr. Saravanamuttu to ‘Lanka e news’.

Dr. Packiasothy said, he was questioned by the CID on the death threat letter he received, the steps taken thereafter and to whom this information was passed .

Dr. Saravanamuttu had gone to the CID on the 21st instant at the latter’s request. As there was no clerk to record his statement in English , he had been asked to come again today (22).

Recently, the Govt. accused Dr. Saravanamuttu of meeting the European Union (EU) and for inducing the EU not to grant the GSP + concessions to SL.

http://www.lankaenews.com/English/news.php?id=8366

SAFMA-SL President questioned by CID

Lakshman Gunasekara

COLOMBO: Senior journalist and South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA)-Sri Lanka President, Lakshman Gunasekara, was questioned for over an hour by officers of the Colombo Crimes Division (CID), Friday afternoon. He was questioned regarding a public statement signed by a group of prominent civil society activists condemning the recent death threat received by Dr. P Saravanamuttu, Executive Director Centre for Policy Alternative (CPA), one of Sri Lanka’s most active pro-democracy organisations.

Gunasekara, former editor of the Sunday Observer, and currently working as a foreign correspondent and media consultant, was reportedly questioned by a team of three police officers of the Colombo Police headquarters Crimes Division, who had explained they were, as part of an investigation into the complaint made by Dr. Saravanmuttu about a death threat he had received, interviewing all those who had signed the statement that was published in several newspapers.

The officers had questioned Gunasekara about his profession; how he had heard about the death threat; why he had signed the statement; how he had set about signing the public statement; and why he took the threat seriously.

Said Gunasekara, “The officers were most polite and reasonable and did not ask any questions outside their stated intention. A uniformed officer wrote down my statement in a small notebook as I responded to the questions and at the end of the interview, I was allowed to peruse the handwritten statement. But the handwriting was mostly illegible and it was read out to me by the officer who wrote it. I then signed the statement at the end of the final sentence and dated my signature.”

Several journalists and civil society activists had been questioned in similar lines prior to Gunasekara, during the past few days. This follows reports that President Mahinda Rajapaksa had instructed Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to verify the facts stated in the public statement, which had been published in the press condemning the death threat to Dr. Saravanamuttu.

On August 20th Dr. Saravanamuttu, one of Sri Lanka’s leading scholar-activists, was warned he would be killed if the European Union’s GSP + benefits are not extended to Sri Lanka in October. The threat, in the form of a letter, written in English and mailed to Dr. Saravanmuttu’s residence, alleged that the GSP + loss would be due to information supplied by Dr. Saravanamuttu to Ms. Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the EU’s Commissioner for External Relations.

Earlier this month, he was detained at the airport, while returning from an overseas tour, and questioned by the CID for several hours before being released.

Dr. Saravanamuttu is the latest in a long line of prominent people, mostly journalists, who have received death threats. Dr. Saravanamuttu’s Centre for Policy Alternatives has been at the forefront of civil society groups facilitating the activism of media rights defence bodies and journalists’ organisations struggling to survive continued harassment by successive regimes and other political forces, including the recently defeated LTTE. In recent years, there has been a revival of repression of the media by various political elements and many journalists, including newspaper editors, have been threatened, beaten up and in some cases murdered and in other instances convicted to long prison terms under repressive counter-insurgency laws. Nearly all have been critical of government policy.

In their statement, the 133 civil society activists that included Gunasekara said they were gravely disturbed by the attempt to intimidate Dr. Saravanamuttu, and unreservedly condemned the death threat. They also called upon the State to take all necessary measures to investigate and bring to justice those responsible for making these threats and extend their solidarity and support to Dr. Saravanamuttu and to all at the CPA.

The latest round of CID interrogation, has many journalists and rights activities questioning whether another kind of political prosecution is on the way, while the Asian Human Rights Commission has pointed out that the visits by the CID and the questions are without any basis in law and are direct interference into the basic rights of citizens to engage in any kind of solidarity work within the framework of the law.

Gunasekara is founder-President of SAFMA-SL Chapter and is the immediate past President of SAFMA. He was a founder member and one time Secretary and Trustee of the Free Media Movement, and has long been active in media and human rights work parallel to his career as a mainstream newspaper journalist. He was part of the founding team of the Sunday Leader newspaper whose founder-Editor is perhaps the most prominent Sri Lanka journalist to have been harassed and then assassinated.
http://www.southasianmedia.net/Archive_full.cfm?nid=609869|

Abducted and assaulted journalist Poddala Jayantha led team elected uncontested for SLWJA 2009- 2011.

Jayantha after abduction and assault at GH, Colombo June 2009

23rd September 2009, Colombo

Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association (SLWJA) elected new office bearers for next two years uncontested today. The team led by former secretary of SLWJA Poddala Jayantha elected President and team led by him will run the biggest journalists organization in Sri Lanka for next two years.

Journalists Poddala Jayantha was abducted on 1st  of June 2009 and assaulted severely breaking one of his legs and injuring the other. He is still  receiving medication and cannot walk without help. Police has not carried out any investigation in to the abduction so far.

Under Poddala Jayantha’s leadership SLWJA built a new office premises and it will be ceremoniously opened on 2nd October.

New offcie building for SLWJA

He is on of the few media activists remaining in the country under innumerable intimidations and hardships.

Pro government  groups have not  even able to field a list of candidates  for the election.

The news office bearers elected uncontested are fellows:

President -Poddala Jayantha
Vice Presidents     – Ganasiri Kothigoda & Prasanna Fonseka
General Secretary     - Lasantha Ruhunage
Assistant Secretary     - Kurulu & Upali Seram
Treasure         - Gamini Susantha
Assistant Tresura     - S.Kaneshan & A.N,K.Ramsy
National Organizer     - Kanchana Marasinghe
Executive Committee :
Vineetha Gamage, Sampath Deshpriya, Sampath Vilegoda,
Shanika Sriyananda, Prageeth Perera, Wasanthi Nanayakkara
Mihiri Fonseka, Titokugan, Thana Musamil, Manoj Rathnayaka
Kamani Hettiarchchi, Duminda Sampath, Gamini Pushpakumara
T.Nadarasa, Indunil Weerarathna, K.W.Janaranjana
Dileesha Abesundara, Rukmal gamamge,Hemamalee wijerathna
L.Devaadiran, Ranga Jayasuriya, Thushari Hemamali, Shantha Wijesuriya

Court fixes inquiry into FR filed by Sunday Leader journalist

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 September 2009, 08:07 GMT]
The three –member bench of the Supreme Court Friday listed the Fundamental Rights petition filed by journalist Arthur Wamanan Sornalingam of the Sunday leader to be taken up on November 9 for inquiry as the court was told that the two parties concerned were agreeable to a mutually negotiated settlement. The petitioner cited the Police Chief, CID (Special Unit) OIC, its DIG and SSP, Minister Mano Wijeratne and the Attorney General as respondents. The Chief Justice Asoka de Silva, Jagath Balapatebendi and S.I.Imam were the members of the bench.

The Supreme Court had earlier granted leave to proceed with the fundamental rights violation petition filed by Mr. Wamanan for the alleged infringement of his right to equality and equal protection of the law, discrimination on the grounds of race, language and place of birth, the freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention as well as freedom of speech and expression including publication.

In his petition, Mr. Wamanan said that on October 24 last year at about 4:15 p.m. OIC Chandana de Silva and another person came to his premises and requested him to hand over copies of the bills received by him for the use of his mobile telephone but did not give any reasons for doing so.

He had told the CID officers he was using his mother’s mobile phone and handed over copies of the bills.

Later OIC de Silva had requested Mr. Wamanan to accompany him to the CID office saying he had no choice in the matter.

Then he was arbitrarily arrested and detained by the CID on a complaint made by Minister Mano Wijeratne that he had threatened the latter over the phone.

He and his mother were bundled into a car and taken to the CID office and that the police refused to record his statement in Tamil or in English.

http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=30299

Election violence very high in the UPFA: PAFFREL

By Olindhi Jayasundere

In the days leading up to the Southern Provincial Council election, the UPFA has had eight internal conflicts within the party and has had the highest number of complaints made against them in the past several months, the elections monitor PAFFREL said yesterday.

PAFFREL Executive Director, Rohana Hettiarachchi told the Daily Mirror that there were 29 complaints made against the UPFA, four made against the UNP, one made against the JVP and a total of 15 made against all the other parties competing in the election The Executive Director said the highest number of complaints was made in the Hambantota district where 22 complaints were made. However, he said in Galle, where there had been 18 complaints, the level of violence was also quite severe.

“The situation in Galle had been very serious. We had 18 complaints there, out of which four were for assault, three for threats and intimidation, three for damaging party offices, two for misusing government resources and six were made for illegal propaganda,” he said.

Hettiarachchi said that most of the complaints made in the Galle district were against the UPFA by the JVP party.

He said the most amount of hostility between parties took place in Hambantota and Galle. “In Matara the situation has been very stable. There have been only 10 complaints made in the district and things are looking well there,” he said.

The PAFFREL Director said that although several complaints had been made against certain political parties, it was only a few that were acting violently. “There are 1090 candidates taking part in the upcoming Southern Provincial council election, but it was just a mere five or six candidates who were creating chaos. Of these few candidates, several of them are UPFA members,” he said.

Hettiarachchi said the number of cases of hostility within parties had not been as high as those between political parties, but this time there was much significance to the number of internal cases because they had been highlighted due to recent events that had taken place.

“Certain internal party matters such as the incidents involving UPFA candidate Nishantha Muthuhettige that had been highlighted in the public eye would prove to have an adverse effect on other members of the party as well as other political parties,” he said.

Meanwhile, Police Spokesman, Nimal Madiwake told the Daily Mirror that the President had made a firm order for every individual taking part in provincial elections, irrespective of which party they were from, to maintain law and order and to ensure that a free and fair election takes place next month.
http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=62358

Journalist to settle dispute with minister

Arthur

When the fundamental rights petition filed by The Sunday Leader journalist Arthur Wamanan Sornalingam was taken up for inquiry yesterday, the Court was told that the two parties concerned were agreeable to a mutually negotiated settlement.

Mr. Wamanan in his petition said he was arbitrarily arrested and detained by the CID on a complaint made by Minister Mano Wijeratne.

The Bench comprising Chief Justice Asoka de Silva, Justices Jagath Balapatabendi and S.I. Imam listed the matter to be taken up on November 9.

The Supreme Court had earlier granted leave to proceed with the fuandamental rights violation petition filed by Mr. Wamanan for the alleged infringement of his right to equality and equal protection of the law, discrimination on the grounds of race, language and place of birth, the freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention as well as freedom of speech and expression including publication.

Mr. Wamanan said he and his mother were bundled into a car and taken to the CID office and that the police refused to record his statement in Tamil or in English.

He cited the Police Chief, CID (Special Unit) OIC, its DIG and SSP, Minister Mano Wijeratne and the Attorney General as respondents.

In his petition, Mr. Wamanan said that on October 24 last year at about 4.15 p.m. the OIC Chandana de Silva and another came to his premises and requested him to hand over copies of the bills received by him for the use of his mobile telephone but did not give any reasons for doing so.

Mr. Wamanan had told the CID officers he was using his mother’s mobile phone and handed over copies of the bills. Later OIC de Silva had requested Mr. Wamanan to accompany him to the CID office saying he had no choice in the matter.
http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=62374