SAFMA & SAWM condemn attach on journalist Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema

SAFMA & SAWM condemn attach on journalist Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema

 The latest attack on a media person in Sri Lanka which occurred on Saturday, 24^th August 2013 early morning was against the family and the person of Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema, a leading political columnist and a senior journalist of the Sunday Leader.

Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema has been a consistent critical commentator and this attack fits into the pattern of continuing attacks and harassment against critics of the government. In this light, it is clear that the severe repression of the freedom of expression and the mass media still continues.

The Sri Lanka Chapters of South Asian Free Media Association (SAAFMA) and South Asian Women in Media (SAWM) condemn this latest attack, and call for an independent inquiry and a monitoring mechanism to investigate this and the previous attacks.

Given the long record of persistent violence against the media and the notable failure to successfully prosecute any of the perpetrators has discredited the current governmental institutions of law and order.

SAFMA and SAWM urge all concerned citizens’ groups to prevail on the combined government and oppositional political leaderships to collaborate in establishing such a credible and independent mechanism that might be a first step in reviving a civilized political culture in Sri Lanka. 

South Asian Free Media Association (Sri Lanka Chapter)
South Asian Women in Media (Sri Lanka Chapter)

24^th August 2013