Eastern Journalist attacked with sword and knives

Courtesy: Lanka News Web

(April 02, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Editor of the weekend news paper Vaara Ureikal, Mr. M.I. Rahmahetulla, was attacked by gang armed with guns, long knives and swords, seriously injuring him around 10.45 pm yesterday (1st April 2009). Mr. Rahmahetulla was working on Thursday’s newspaper at his news paper office when the attack took place.

Five armed men came in a van and left in the same vehicle after the attack. He received serious cut injuries to his face, hands and chest, according to his colleagues. He was first admitted to Kathankudi Hospital and transferred to Battacola teaching Hospital within an hour. He was still unconscious when he was transferred.

Vaara Ureikal weekly reaches new stands every Friday evening and is a popular news paper among the Muslims in the area. The weekly is known for bold criticism of corruption and corrupt politicians.

Two computers, the land line telephone and stationary belonging to the newspaper were damaged in the attacked.

This attack on Muslim owned newspaper comes at a time of increasing violence in the Eastern province. Renewed attacks by the LTTE and the open confrontation between two Para-military groups, supported by the government, have undermined the security situation of the province recently. Violence in the Batticola district has increased in the recent past.

Last year On 9th May, a day before the PC election, Mr. M.I. Rahmahetulla was assaulted by a gang of three, and was robbed of his digital camera and Rs. 16,000. The incident happened around 10.00 p.m while he was on his way home after days work at the news paper office. According to his colleagues the assault was election related, the editor being blamed for not supporting a powerful ruling party politician in the area. Although Mr. M.I. Rahmahetulla had made a complaint at the Kathankudi police on the same day,but no action was taken by the police.

-Sri Lanka Guardian