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Stark warnings for those seen as 'traitors' in Sri Lanka
A Sri Lankan rights group said on Tuesday it had received a threat accusing it of treason, the day after a media activist was beaten up in the latest episode in the country's long history of politically tinged violence. Press rights groups have warned that journalists seen as sympathetic to the defeated separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were at risk, and on Monday, media activist and journalist Poddala Jayantha was abducted and beaten. On Tuesday, the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) in Colombo said a letter left at its office titled "Notice to the Traitors" talked about the military victory over the Tamil Tigers last month that ended a 25-year separatist war. "That is through the dedication of the present government, fearless military commanders and heroic warriors born in our motherland. And also, through the sacrifice of their bones, flesh and streams of blood," said a copy of the letter provided by CPA. Since the declaration of victory on May 18, anger from government backers has been directed at Sri Lankan journalists and activists seen as having supported the Tigers during a war that killed 6,200 soldiers in its last three years. "This (victory) was achieved by defeating the activities of the wretched traitors like you who commit evil acts against Mother Lanka," the letter said, and warned the CPA to shut down for a week to honour the fallen. CPA Director Paikasothy Saravanamattu told Reuters he had reported the letter to police and the presidency. "We will continue to do our normal work, because we are not doing anything illegal," he said. President Mahinda Rajapaksa has vowed to find those guilty of rights and media abuses, and his government denies press freedom groups' criticisms that such attacks are never prosecuted. "We have no intention of harming or assaulting any media men. We don't have any hand in it. We are doing investigations to find out who these people are," Minister of Mass Media and Information Anura Priyadarshana Yapa told Reuters. Posted by: Fred 2009-06-03 |
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