Govt. under fire over Leader fire

Media organizations and media rights groups yesterday mounted pressure on the government to expedite inquiries into the attack on the Sunday Leader and Irudina printing press in Ratmalana close to a high security zone as police failed to make a breakthrough in their investigations.

A protest being held in front of the Fort Station on Friday. Pix by Saman Kariyawasam

Following a strong public protest from the main organizations representing journalists, some of the international organizations including the Commonwealth Press Union (CPU) have called the government to take immediate action to arrest those responsible for the attack and prevent such incidents.

Police have so far recorded statements of 10 people, all employees who were present at the time a group of about 16 men stormed the building, overpowered the unarmed security guards and set fire to the printing machines. DIG Jayantha Wickremaratna told The Sunday Times that the building was not located in a high security zone and that there were no police check points at the time of the incident. He said there were other roads that could be used to avoid other check points and reach the particular building.

However, Leader Publications chairman Lal Wickrematunga said this building was located near the high security zone and they were not permitted to build the parapet wall above six feet because of this. He also said their security personnel were unarmed.

He said on the day of the attack the usual police road block in the area had been taken off. He said the company was carrying out its own probe into the attack and was willing to offer Rs. One million as reward to anyone with accurate information. Residents in the vicinity said vehicles entering the area after midnight were subject to thorough security checks as the Ratmalana airport boundary was closeby.

They said security had been further strengthened following the attack on the Air Force camp in Anuradhapura."We find it difficult to believe that armed men came to this location in the early hours and escaped after carrying out such an attack,” a resident said.

Arrest dangerous trend

The Newspaper Society of Sri Lanka condemning the attack on the Sunday Leader printing press said it was the responsibility of the government to immediately arrest this dangerous trend. Excerpts from statement:“The Newspaper Society of Sri Lanka condemns the savage attack on the building which houses the Printing Press of the Leader Publications in Ratmalana.

“It is incomprehensible how at a time of high security and regular checks, an armed gang should have perpetrated such a depredation and we have a right to demand of the Inspector General of Police and the Commanders of the Security Forces in charge of the Ratmalana area, what price law and order?

“We see this not as an isolated attack on a newspaper Publisher. Sri Lanka’s record on Media freedom has not been bright. The Leader Newspaper has been a severe critic of the Government, which is all the more reason why the Government must bring the culprits to book. Sri Lanka must not be perceived as a country where a person can be physically violated for his views and beliefs.“It is a most dangerous trend that this Government must immediately arrest, if its citizens are to live as free men and women in a Democratic Society.”

Independent Newspapers under threat

Executive Director of the Commonwealth Press Union (CPU) Lindsay Ross has written to President Mahinda Rajapaksa urging the Government to investigate the arson attack at the Leader publications print site as a matter of extreme urgency saying this inident raises serious questions over the future safety of all the independent newspapers in Colombo.

Excerpts:“The Commonwealth Press Union, which represents the interests of the independent press of the Commonwealth, unreservedly condemns the arson attack at Leader Publications print site, on November 21. The intimidation, at gunpoint, of the employees and the subsequent firebombing of the printing presses by masked gunmen are unacceptable in a democracy and we urge the Government to investigate this contemptible action as a matter of extreme urgency. “As it is well documented that the Leader has been a frequent and outspoken critic of the Government, it is even more imperative that the Government is seen to act swiftly to bring the perpetrators to justice.

“If an incident of this nature can occur in a high-security zone close to a military airfield and guarded by military personnel, it does raise serious questions over the future safety of all the independent newspapers in Colombo. “The CPU is deeply concerned over the deteriorating situation with regard to press freedom in Sri Lanka. Over the past two years much of the progress made in recent years has been systematically eroded and incidents such as this only create a chilling atmosphere and ensure that Sri Lanka remains high on international watch lists.

The gutted printing equipment

“Previous to the Leader attack, we had already recently raised concerns over the plight of the independent Tamil newspapers, including murders of journalists that appear to go unresolved, and the predicament of internationally renowned journalist, Iqbal Athas, who has had to leave the country amid very genuine fears for his safety. Just today we received news of yet another journalist abducted in Jaffna.

“The apparent unwillingness of the authorities to intervene in these incidents are indicative of a disturbing trend; that of trying to silence any independent voice that is critical of the government. Whilst we appreciate that Sri Lanka has a serious terrorism problem, there can be no excuse for suppressing either the rights of individuals to express opinions or for the right of the population to be independently informed of issues of national importance. It is universally recognised that a free press is a cornerstone of democracy and if the government of Sri Lanka has a genuine commitment to press freedom it will act swiftly to ensure that independent newspapers and their employees can work in an atmosphere free of fear and intimidation.

Rein in anarchical forces

The Editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka also condemned in the strongest manner possible the burning down of the printing press.“While appreciating the difficulties face by the Government in combating terrorism, the Guild is firmly of the view that when democratic freedoms of the citizens, cherished for so long , are trampled by the jackboots of anarchical forces in the manner it was done in this instance, it will negate the very purpose for which terrorism is being squashed, i.e. to permit democracy to flourish.”

SL back in IPI Watch List

The International Press Institute (IPI) has unanimously decided to add Sri Lanka to the IPI Watch List while retaining Ethiopia, Nepal, Russia, Venezuela and Zimbabwe on it.

The IPI Watch list includes countries in which press freedom conditions have rapidly deteriorated. The guiding principle behind the Watch List is to open up a dialogue with these countries before they slide into repression, the statement said. Sri Lanka was added to the IPI Watch List in October 2000, after the then President Chandrika Kumaratunga imposed heavy restrictions on the media. However, the Board removed Sri Lanka from the Watch List in September 2003, after an IPI delegation travelled to Sri Lanka to meet Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and other ministers.

Unfortunately, the situation has deteriorated over the last 18 months, and the report of an international mission to Sri Lanka that included IPI in June 2007 said the pressure on the media have multiplied with increasing fears for the safety of journalists, IPI said.

The statement also criticised the government for the lack of progress in the investigations of murdered and attacked journalists.

Culture of impunity prevails

The Free Media Movement (FMM) condemning the attack said the Morning Leader editor has been critical of the Asia Tribune website, which according to the editor, works hand in hand with the paramilitary Pillayaan Group.

It also said the newspaper’s editor Lasantha Wikramatunga as well as Morning Leader Editor Sonali Samarasinghe have been harassed and threatened continuously during the past two years. “All Leader publications are critical towards the government and exponents of opposition political views," the Free Media Movement said.

"FMM holds authorities responsible for not being able to protect the printing house. The culture of impunity that prevails in this country has prevented any meaningful inquiry into all acts of violence against media and journalists that has taken place under this government," it added.

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