• Media activists say country cannot advance without justice for past crimes

Media activists urged the Government to take immediate measures to expedite investigations into crimes against journalists and media institutions, pointing out that the Government has promised to take such measures into several cases including the assassination of journalist Dharmaratnam Sivaram.

They made these remarks during a press briefing held this week at the Jaffna Press Club in commemoration of the 20th death anniversary of Sivaram, which was followed by a remembrance event and a protest demanding justice for Sivaram.

During the discussion, the Professional Web Journalists’ Association’s Freddy Gamage pointed out that 44 journalists and media workers have been murdered during the past few decades and that 39 of them were Tamil. He expressed concerns that although several governments promised to serve justice for them including the 2015 ‘good governance’ Government, no concrete action has been taken. He added that despite the present National People’s Power-led Government’s promise to take immediate action with regard to seven crimes including Sivaram’s assassination, there are no reasons to suggest that those investigations have in fact been expedited.

Meanwhile, the Internet Media Action Convenor Sampath Samarakoon opined that the country cannot advance without serving justice for past crimes against citizens, especially journalists, both in the North and the South.