SRI LANKA: JOURNALISTS FLEE COUNTRY AMID

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000081 DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/2019 TAGS: PHUM PGOV PTER PREL CE SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: JOURNALISTS FLEE COUNTRY AMID CONTINUING ATTACKS, ARRESTS AND THREATS REF: A. COLOMBO 054 ¶B. COLOMBO 47 ¶C. COLOMBO 32 ¶D. COLOMBO 25 ¶E. COLOMBO 18 ¶F. 08 COLOMBO 1117 Classified By: Ambassador Robert O. Blake, Jr., for reasons 1.4(b,d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: At least nine media personnel have left the country since the January 6 attack on the independent MTV network's broadcasting center (ref E) that marked the beginning of a recent surge in attacks and threats on journalists in the country (ref A, B, D). At least five additional journalists are considering leaving the country in the coming week as well. The most recent attack on a journalist was the assault and stabbing of Upali Tennakoon, the editor of the Sinhala language daily "Rivira" on the morning of January 23. The same day a Tamil journalist was arrested at the Colombo airport and accused of being an LTTE supporter. Lanka-e news website editor Sanda Ruwan was asked to report to the Terrorist Investigative Division for questioning about a news item published about a year ago concerning Defense Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa. Media NGO Internews reported that police authorities have requested a number of media personnel to make themselves available for similar questioning. Those receiving such requests fear they will suffer the same fate as detained journalist J.S. Tissainayagam (ref F) who currently is charged under the Prevention of Terrorism Act for articles he published in ¶2006. Tissanaiyagam's wife Ronnate reported that due to repeated threats against her husband's legal team, the lawyers are no longer representing Tissainayagam. Ronnate was unsure whether her husband would have legal representation when his trial reconvenes next week. Despite direct appeals by Ambassador to the President (ref C),and SCA A/S Boucher's stern message to the Sri Lankan Ambassador, a concerted effort appears to be underway to intimidate and silence independent voices in Sri Lankan society as the military makes a final push against the LTTE's last stronghold in Mullaitivu prior to February 4 National Day celebrations. Post also recommends that Washington authorize US MIssion Geneva to discuss the deteriorating media situation with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights with a view to energizing her on this issue. End Summary Nine Journalists Depart; Five More May Follow -------------- ¶2. (C) In a donors' coordination meeting Emboff and USAID officials, along with our European and Canadian colleagues, received a briefing from media NGO Internews. They reported at least nine media personnel have left the country since the attack on MTV (ref E). The nine media workers are all either prominent reporters or media outlet operators who are critical of the government or leading members of media rights organizations who are well known for their advocacy of freedom of expression. Internews figures track with the cases known to diplomatic representatives present at the briefing. Internews also reported that at least five other media workers may leave the country during the coming week due to increasing threats to their lives. Attacks Continue; Sinhalese Newspaper Editor Assaulted and Stabbed -------------- ¶3. (C) The latest physical attack on a journalist occurred on January 23, when Upali Tennakoon and his wife were assaulted and stabbed by assailants on motorcycles. Tennakoon is the editor of the Sinhalese language Rivira newspaper, a controlling stake of which was recently bought by members of the President's family. Tennakoon, however, had been the editor of Rivira under its prior management when it took a more independent line. While the paper had become pro-government under the new ownership, Tennakoon had a reputation in journalistic circles as being sympathetic to the opposition UNP. Some analysts asserted that the attackers were from the same motorcycle unit that carried out the assassination of editor Wickrematunge on January 8. They thought the attack might be a punishment for publishing an interview with Rohan Gunaratne, a Sri Lankan counterterrorism expert who lives in Singapore and has been critical of the government's approach to the conflict. Former Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera articulated another theory circulating among the political opposition. According to this version, the wounds inflicted on Tennakoon were slight. The incident may have been staged to show that even pro-government media can be attacked - thus diverting attention from the real perpetrators of these attacks. Tamil Journalist Accused of Being an LTTE Sympathizer Arrested at Colombo Airport -------------- ¶4. (U) On January 23 Prakash Pillai, a Tamil from Batticaloa was arrested at Colombo's international airport as he tried to depart on a flight to Singapore. Authorities accused Pillai of being a prominent LTTE supporter and posing as a journalist. Some news reports claimed that he worked for the International Federation of Journalists and others that he worked for a "prominent media house" (no further information). Still another paper claimed he was working as a freelance journalist for several Tamil newspapers and the pro-LTTE website Tamilnet. All reports indicated he carried a falsified media document when apprehended. ¶5. (SBU) Embassy officers contacted numerous journalists, none of whom know the detained individual. However, Embassy officers also contacted the International Federation of Journalists Asia-Pacific office in Sydney. According to program officers there, IFJ has received reports that they have not yet confirmed that Pillai is a journalist and had recently attended an IFJ workshop in Batticaloa that focused on safety training for media. At the workshops, participants were given a green, IFJ-issued "safety passport." IFJ officers speculated that their "passport" could be the document which the newspaper reports referred to as "forged." Journalists Called In For Questioning -------------- ¶6. (C) In its briefing to selected diplomatic missions, Internews also reported that police authorities have requested a number of media personnel to come in for questioning. Some of those selected fear that if they do comply they might be detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act or Emergency Regulations, as in the case of senior journalist J.S. Tissainayagam and his publisher Jasikaran. On January 23, Lanka e-news editor Sanda Ruwan received a request to report to the Terrorist Investigative Division about an item published in 2008 about Secretary of Defense Gothabaya Rajapaksa. (Post will continue to monitor the case, especially if Ruwan is arrested.) Tissainayagam's Lawyers Threatened, Drop Case -------------- ¶7. (C) Ronnate Tissainayagam, the wife of detained journalist ¶J. S. Tissainayagam reported that her husband's lawyers had received numerous threats, at times in open court from opposing lawyers in other unrelated cases. As a result, the legal team was no longer comfortable representing Tissainayagam in court. Mrs. Tissanaiyagam reported she was the subject of threatening phone calls as well and was being followed. Ronnate was currently searching for new legal representation but was not sure if she would be able to find a lawyer certified by the Sri Lankan bar who was willing to take the case before the next court hearing the following week. (Note: Tissainayagam, fluent in English and Tamil is unable to understand the court proceedings, generally conducted in Sinhala.) ¶8. (C) COMMENT: Despite international condemnation of the recent attacks on Sri Lankan media, Ambassador's direct intervention with President Rajapaksa (ref C),A/S Boucher's stern conversation with the Sri Lankan Ambassador, and numerous public expressions of concern by the Ambassador and Department spokespeople, assaults and intimidation against media personnel have continued. The military's strong push against the remaining Tiger territory in the lead up to National Day celebrations on February 4 apparently has energized the most chauvinistic elements of the President's Sinhalese base. As a result, a number of the most prominent journalists and others known to oppose the government (reftel) have decided it is too dangerous to remain in the country. Journalist contacts describe the current media environment as the worst the country has faced in the 25-year history of the conflict. In its 2008 press freedom index, Reporters Without Borders ranked Sri Lanka 165th out of 173 countries, the worst of any democratic country and below those of Belarus, Zimbabwe or Uzbekistan. Post will seek to continue to utilize resources like DRL's Human Rights Defender's Fund and coordinate with other Missions to intervene in emergency situations for those under threat of attack. We will also continue to press the government to end the assault on free media and protect media personnel. Post also recommends that Washington authorize US Mission Geneva to discuss the deteriorating media situation with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights with a view to energizing her on this issue. Blake