Sri Lankan Journalist Missing for One Month

(February 25, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) appeals to Sri Lanka’s President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, who has recently also assumed the role of Media and Information Minister, to do all in his power to investigate the disappearance of journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda and ensure his safe return to his family.

The Lanka-e-News.com online reporter and cartoonist disappeared on January 24, two days before the country’s presidential elections. Eknaligoda is reported to have written several articles during the election campaign in favour of defeated candidate Sarath Fonseka.

Eknaligoda’s wife, Sandhya, publicly appealed to Sri Lanka’s authorities on February 21 to locate her husband and expressed concern that investigations were not making progress, the BBC reported. Sandhya has also filed a petition seeking judicial intervention to find her husband.

Grave concerns are held for Eknaligoda’s welfare.

“Sri Lanka’s authorities, at the direction of the President, must employ all resources to conduct a thorough and immediate investigation to locate Eknaligoda and ensure his safe recovery,” IFJ General Secretary Aidan White said.

“As Sri Lanka gears up for general elections in April, we call on the Government to fulfil its responsibility to ensure the election campaign is conducted in an environment in which journalists are able to report safely and without fear of retribution for the content of their work.”

On February 15, Sri Lanka’s five main organisations of journalists - the Free Media Movement (FMM), the Federation of Media Employees’ Trade Union (FMETU), the Sri Lanka Working Journalists’ Association (SLWJA), the Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance (SLTMA) and the Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum (SLMMF) - issued a joint statement to condemn attacks against independent media personnel by police and other parties.

According to the statement, police confiscated the cameras of Sirasa TV journalist Sugath Wijerathna and Swarnavahini TV journalist K.H.M. Samathapala as they reported on a protest for the release of Fonseka, who is held in detention, in Dehiatthakandiva. Police reportedly erased all footage of the protest.

On February 14, the equipment of Sirasa TV journalist Rahula Hemantha and Sivatha group journalist Ajith Pushpakumara was also reportedly confiscated by unidentified people in Tangalle while the journalists were reporting on a similar protest.

The Sri Lanka Five condemned these acts of violence as a violation of the public’s right to information and a threat to democratic values.

The IFJ joins the Sri Lanka Five in stressing to Sri Lanka’s leadership that the democratic success of the upcoming elections depends on media personnel being able to facilitate the free flow of information from diverse sources to the Sri Lankan public.