The media freedom is under severe threat in Sri Lanka following the abductions and killings of journalists and attacks on media institutions.

Sri Lanka is identified as one of the countries, where media freedom is violated. This is due to the recent attacks on journalists on Sri Lanka.

The list of journalists that were killed in Sri Lanka seems to swell. Richard de Soyza in Moratuwa , Nimalarajan of Jaffna , Antony in Vavunya, Rohana Kumara in Borella , Ramesh Atputha Raja in Wellawette , K.S.Raja in Galle face, Kuga Murthy in Thimbrigasyaya, Navaratnam Sivaram near the Parliament, Cheliyan Perinpanayakam in Pandiruppu, Iyathurai Nadesan in Batticola, Bala Natarajah Iyar in wellawette , Suhirtha Rajan in Trincomalee and Sampath Lakmal in Galkilssa are some of the victim journalists.

Media persons, particularly Tamil journalists had been killed in the recent past. There has been violence unleashed on Tamil media people and Tamil media establishment.

Killings, bomb attacks on media institutions, insults on media institutions, searches, biased allegations and threats have been the different types of violence on the Tamil journalists and the Tamil media institutions.

Media must have the right to free expressions, to collect information and to be the vehicle to convey facts to the people. But, the big question is, is there such a congenial atmosphere in the country today?.

It is the duty of the government to end the violence on journalsts and preserve the freedom of the press. Any infringement on the freedom of the press is detrimental to democracy in the country.

An English translation of the Editorial in Virakesari, a Tamil daily based in Colombo.

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