Murdered journalist Sivaram remembered across the North-East

Memorial events were held across the North-East to mark the 17th anniversary of murdered Tamil journalist, Dharmeratnam Sivaram. 

Sivaram, popularly known under his nom-de-plume Taraki, was abducted in front of Bambalipitiya police station in Colombo on April 28 2005, and was found dead several hours later in a high security zone in Colombo, which at the time had a heavy police and military presence due to the ongoing conflict. His killers, highly suspected to be linked to the government of then-president Chandrika Kumaratunga, were never caught.

A protest was held in Batticaloa this morning, to commemorate and demand justice for Sivaram and other Tamil journalists that have been murdered on the island.

TNA politicians R Shanakiyan and M A Sumanthiran also joined members of the clergy and other journalists in paying tribute to Sivaram at memorial in the city.

The Jaffna Press Club held a remembrance event for Sivaram and another murdered Tamil journalist, Selvarajah Rajivarman.

Rajivarman, who worked for Namathu Eezhanadu and Thinakkural before joining the Uthayan, was killed on April 29, 2007, by a lone gunman in the middle of Jaffna town. He was just 25 years old at the time. Rajivarman used to go to the police stations and hospitals to seek information about the many crimes that were taking place in Jaffna at the time. 

The Mullaitivu Press Club also held a memorial event at their office which was attended by civil society representatives and families of the disappeared. 

Families of the disappeared in Vavuniya remembered Sivaram by lighting candles on their 1896th day of continuous protest. 

Vavuniya Tamil Journalists Association also paid tribute to the slain journalist by laying flowers and lighting candles.