[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 March 2008, 00:15 GMT]
In another blatant attempt to curb media freedom in Sri Lanka, the racist Sinhalese government has abducted three journalists belonging to TamilNet.
Yesterday morning, I. Shivalingam, a TamilNet reporter from Wattala, boarded the morning train to come to the TamilNet office in Colombo. However, he never reported for work, and has not been seen or heard of since he left his home. Investigations by TamilNet reveal that a white van was seen in the vicinity of the Fort Railway Station round about the time that I. Shivalingam was scheduled to be there. TamilNet investigations have also found that Ranjini, a neighbour of Shivalingam, has also disappeared the same day under suspicious circumstances. This supports the idea that the racist Sinhalese government of Sri Lanka is slowly but steadily kidnapping Tamils for their sinister plans.
In the afternoon, our special correspondent K. Kathiresan left office to attend a press conference held by the Media Centre for National Security, but he never returned from that conference. It is clear that in a location full of racist Sinhalese military personnel, abduction was not difficult to orchestrate.
The last of our valiant journalist to be kidnapped was P. Ganeshan. He left office and took his usual route back home, but the bus he traveled in had been stopped at a checkpoint in Slave Island, according to fellow passengers. None of them remember Ganeshan boarding the bus again. He never reached home. Unfortunately, his family was so engrossed with watching Ran Depaya on Sirasa TV that they did not note his abduction until several hours after its occurrence.
Reports spread by jealous neighbours that P. Ganeshan was wanted by the police for giving his wife’s lover cyanide is completely false, as is the story given by the MCNS that Kathiresan was turned away from the press briefing due to lack of a satisfactory ID. Our loyal, 100% accurate, nonbiased reporters have been abducted by the racist GOSL because these brave souls were instrumental in exposing the corruption, racism, and genocidal actions of the government.
Sunanda Deshapriya of the Free Media Movement has issued a statement denouncing the abduction of reporters from TamilNet. He has said that “such dedicated journalists will never again be seen in this island. They have been the voice of the oppressed (including the LTTE) for a very long time. The FMM hopes that their struggle will be continued by like minded (Eelam supporting) journalists.”
Reporters Without Borders have also condemned this abduction, and have demanded that Japan stops the export of white vans to Sri Lanka.
TamilNet would like to inform its readers that despite such threats to our existence and a depleting workforce, we are determined to bring 100% accurate, unbiased news to you as always. Until our very last reporter is taken away from us, we will fervently be behind every claymore mine attack, air raid and assassination, bringing you nothing but the truth.
Dr. Watson T. Ponapillai MD, FCRAP
Editor in Chief, TamilNet
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