Unidentified gunmen shot dead a Tamil journalist in Vavuniya in the latest in a string of attacks against media personnel, a rights group said, bringing to 24 the number of people killed in the past two weeks in the northern town.
Meanwhile, the violence in Vavuniya continued unabated, including a 5 hour armed robbery spree that netted the thieves over Rs. 20 million.
Subash Chandraboas, 32, editor of the Tamil monthly ‘Nilam’, was gunned down late evening on April 16 at his residence in Thirunavatkulam, Vavuniya, the Free Media Movement (FMM) said. Chandraboas also freelanced for other publications.
Four armed men, conversing in Sinhala and Tamil, entered Chandraboas’ house and shot and killed the father of one.
The killers then instructed his 7-year-old son, at gunpoint, to go to sleep.
The boy waited until the gunmen left the house before seeking the assistance of neighbours to contact his mother, who was out of the house at the time of the shooting.
The FMM, which consists of journalists and rights activists, said it was “appalled by this killing.”
“Although the reason for killing him is not clear, the FMM fears that this could be another attack on journalists and media personnel working in north and east,” where fighting is raging between the government and Tamil Tiger rebels, the statement said.
The report on the killing comes after an editor from a national daily said she received a death threat from Sri Lanka's defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, a charge denied by him.
Media organisations have described Sri Lanka as the most dangerous place on earth for journalists after Iraq, and rights groups say that critics of government policy are treated as traitors and enemies of the state.
Meanwhile, an armed gang went on an uninterrupted five-hour robbery spree in at Bandarikulam in Vavuniya on the night of April 18.
The gang robbed cash, jewellery and other valuables from several houses to the tune of Rs. 20 million, reported The Island.
The targeted houses belonged to doctors, high ranking government officials and wealthy businessmen, the paper said, adding, “a thorough survey has been done before the robbery and the victims have been predetermined, Police believe.”
“The armed raiders first disconnected the telephones, grabbed the mobile phones, tied their victims to trees and made the victims totally incommunicado before helping themselves,” the paper reported.
“Before fleeing, the gang had warned the victims that if they inform the police or security forces they would have to face the dire consequences.”
Also, at a meeting convened by the Vavuniya District Secretariat on April 18, it was revealed that 24 people have been killed in Vavuniya during the last fortnight
The meeting was presided by the District Secretary and participants included Vavuniya District Judge M. Ilancheliyan, heads of security forces and police in the area, politicians, high ranking government officials and religious dignitaries. At the meeting it was decided to form a 20-member citizens committee that would coordinate with the security forces and the civilians.
