Jaffna GA wants SL police to investigate bloggers in Jaffna

[TamilNet] SL Police in Jaffna have filed cases, on behalf of Sri Lankan Government Agent in Jaffna against persons whom she alleges as engaging in a systematic campaign against her. The Judge at the District court of Jaffna, M. Ganesarajah, on Monday instructed the SL Police to investigate the background of two Tamil blogging sites that were mentioned by the SL Police. The write-ups and photos that appeared in the websites characterising Imelda Sugumar as being subjected to pressure from the SL military governor of North have no substance, she claims. Independent civil officials said public persons such as Ms. Sugumar should be prepared for facing such criticism in a civic manner and not engage in exercises threatening even the ‘non-existing’ freedom of speech in the peninsula.

The write-ups appeared following the recent visit by a British Conservative MP, James Wharton, who was accompanied by the new Sri Lankan High Commissioner in UK.

The British MP was only taken to meet selected personalities in Jaffna, including the Bishop of Jaffna in addition to TNA parliamentarians.

Despite Mr. Wharton displaying interest in greeting the public, the visit looked like a ‘guided tour’ by Colombo, civil sources in Jaffna said.

The SL military governor of North, Maj. Gen. G.A. Chandrasri, has been blamed for the arrangements of the sophisticated ‘guided visits’ that seek to promote Colombo’s so-called development of Tamil areas. Such visits intend to camouflage the systematic structural genocide being committed on Eezham Tamils in the name of ‘development’.

A similar trend was observed during the visit by a Canadian delegation on Monday this week.

In the meantime, Tamil civil officials have come under strict scrutiny for meeting foreign diplomats and visitors and are frequently reminded by the authorities in Colombo that foreign diplomats need to acquire permission in advance to meet SL government servants.

At the same time, the Sri Lankan military intelligence has also stepped up harassments, seeking information on civil society representatives who are in touch with foreign diplomats in Colombo.

The SL military establishment has conveyed subtle warnings to certain academics through the administrative hierarchy at the University of Jaffna, informed sources at the university told TamilNet.

Meanwhile, three lecturers and 8 student leaders have been named, allegedly by the SL military operatives, who gave printed death threats through an unknown motorbike squad that entered the premises of the University and put up the posters at various locations.
TN

An English PEN Briefing for authors travelling to the Galle Literary Festival 2012 Introduction

Sri Lanka is a beautiful but extremely complex country. Its people are recovering from a 25 year long civil war which has divided society along ethnic and religious
lines. Following the war, the Government has become steadily more authoritarian, with more power consolidated in the office of the President, and the old emergency
laws remaining in place to suppress activism and free expression.

As Sri Lanka slides into an ever more draconian pattern of government, it is no surprise that the Galle Literary Festivalcomes under close scrutiny. Last year,
several prominent writers, including Noam Chomsky and Arundhati Roy, along with Reporters Sans Frontiers, called for a boycott of the festival, arguing it gave “legitimacy to the Sri Lankan government’s suppression of free speech”. Each year, there are writers who find themselves in agreement with this view, and withdraw from the festival or decline the invitation.

In the light of these calls, some authors attending the 2011 festival have contacted PEN, asking for information on the state of free expression in Sri Lanka. In response to these requests, we have compiled this short briefing, giving information on the recent history, politics and literature of the country.

We do not take a view on whether or not an individual author should attend the festival – individuals should balance the benefits of cultural exchange with concerns about the state of free expression in Sri Lanka. Following the festival, we would be very keen to hear about the experiences of any authors who choose to attend.

Read the full briefing as a PDF  Galle-Literary-Festival-Briefing-2012

Govt’s move to deflect dissent – FMM

The Free Media Movement of Sri Lanka (FMM) says that it did not campaign against the European Union’s Generalised System of Preferences plus (GSP+) facility to Sri Lanka.
It said that FMM only campaigned for retaining GSP+ by urging Sri Lanka government to respect human rights obligations.

Public opposition

The Convenor of FMM, Sunil Jayasekera told Sandesaya that recent allegations levelled against FMM by the government is to counter the growing public opposition on government attacks on media freedom.

The Sri Lankan government Information Department website on Tuesday accused the FMM of carying out a campaign requesting the termination of the GSP+ tariff concession to Sri Lanka.

The government said FMM personnel who have fled the country had sent petitions to EU against Sri Lanka.

FMM convenor, Sunil Jayasekera answering to a question by Sandesaya about the activities of exiled journalists named by the website; Sunanda Desapriya, Poddala Jayantha and Uvidu Kurukulasuriya have put Sri Lanka government to difficulties by their work said that anyone with a free mind and thinking can express their ideas freely.

Human rights

“Free Media Movement made its observations about the GSP + when they are not in Sri Lanka. We wanted the government to respect human rights conventions that are agreed to by the Sri Lankan authorities” convener Jayasekera said.

Sri Lanka government has accused former conveners of FMM Sunanda Desapriya and Uvidu Kurukulasuriya and former President of Working Journalists Association of Sri Lanka, Poddala Jayantha saying that they have used financial resources of FMM to carry out the campaign against Sri Lanka.

Convenor Sunil Jayasekera rejected these allegations

BBC Sinhala

Sri Lankans Protest Editor’s Unsolved Murder

Hundreds of political and human rights activists on Wednesday questioned the Sri Lankan government’s will to solve the killing of an outspoken newspaper editor three years ago.

Platform for Freedom, which is comprised of opposition politicians and activists, lit lamps in remembrance and held a protest meeting against the killing of Lasantha Wickrematunga, the editor of the Sunday Leader newspaper.

Wickrematunga was a harsh critic of the government’s conduct in the long civil war against the now-defeated Tamil Tiger rebels and alleged human rights violations. He also wrote forthrightly on bribery and corruption.

The editor was assassinated by four men riding motorbikes on Jan. 8, 2009, while driving. A self-written obituary by Wickrematunga published by his newspaper days after accused President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government for his killing.

“We have been asking the government to do justice for Lasantha for the past three years. But now we wonder if there is any use in asking this government anymore,” said Britto Fernando, convener of the movement.

“The message is clear, the government has proven through its actions that it has failed to protect democracy and human rights.”

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said the failure to solve Wickrematunga’s killing places the responsibility for his death on the government.

The government has repeatedly said that it is keen on solving the murder.

Sri Lanka was especially dangerous for journalists during the final years of its 26-year civil war. Fourteen media workers were killed between 2006 and 2009, when the war ended, according to human rights group Amnesty International.

No media killings are confirmed since then, but a journalist abducted in 2010 still is unaccounted for.

KRISHAN FRANCIS Associated Press
ABC