US embassy cable - 05COLOMBO832

UNCLAS COLOMBO 000832 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT SA/INS (BRENNIG, DEAN) SA/PD (SCENSNY, ROGERS, 
STRYKER); SSA/PAS 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, KPAO, PTER, EAID, OIIP, PREL, CE, LTTE - Peace Process, Human Rights, Political Parties 
SUBJECT:   Multiparty demonstration in Colombo over murder 
of prominent journalist 
 
REF: COLOMBO #0812 
 
1. (U) Summary:  Five days after the murder of Tamil 
commentator Dharmaretnam Sivaram, a.k.a.Taraki, (see Reftel) 
prominent journalists from all political persuasions along 
with Members of Parliament and trade unionists gathered on 
the occasion of World Press Freedom Day to express concern 
for media freedom in Sri Lanka. Approximately five hundred 
journalists and others expressed outrage over the death of 
one of their own, calling for the protection of free speech 
and accountability of the perpetrators.  End Summary. 
 
2.  (U) Approximately five hundred people gathered for a 
demonstration organized by the Free Media Movement, 
including the pro-LTTE Tamil National Alliance MP's Mawai 
Senathiraja, M.K. Eelaventhan, and Suresh Premachndran, NULF 
(New United Left Front) co-leader Vasudevaa Nanayakkara, 
Kumara Rupasinghe of the Foundation for Coexistence (and 
former brother in law to the president), deputy editors of 
the government-owned Tamil Thinakaran and Sinhala Dinamina 
newspapers, editors of pro-LTTE Sudar Oli and investigative, 
anti-government Sinhala paper Ravaya, and representatives 
from the Federation of Media Trade Unions.  Members of the 
foreign press and many junior journalists also took part in 
the demonstration.  Protesters carried handmade signs in 
English, Sinhala and Tamil which read, "Death of Shiva = 
Death of Free Press," "Chandrika - Douglas - Somawansa 
Alliance Responsible," and "Sivaram was killed by the 
Alliance." (Note:  the "Alliance" refers to the ruling 
United People's Freedom Alliance coalition.  End Note) Large 
preprinted posters bearing the Free Media Movement name and 
a photograph of Sivaram covered by a target read, "Never 
again, Sivaram: Thank you for your contribution to the 
diversity and dynamism of journalism." Former JVP (Janatha 
Vimukthi Peramuna) member and Free Media Movement founder 
Sunanda Deshapriya said to the crowd, "Whether it is Sinhala 
journalists in Jaffna or Tamil journalists in the South, 
journalists should be allowed to work anywhere.  We're not 
for any political party - we are for freedom of expression." 
 
3.  (U) TNA MP M.K. Eelaventhan said of Sivaram, "Even those 
who disagreed with him loved to hear what he said."  Another 
TNA MP, Mawai Senathiraja lamented, "There have been some 
political killings since the Cease Fire Agreement, but 
Sivaram wasn't a political man, he wasn't an LTTE cadre," 
and stated the TNA would demand an international commission 
of inquiry into Sivaram's murder.  Senathiraja also stated 
Sivaram's murder was "a clear indication that journalists 
are unable to carry out their duties to the public in an 
independent manner.  This murder will have an impact on 
other journalists in publishing the truth." He agreed to an 
MTV interviewer's question that Sivaram's death might 
threaten the Cease Fire Agreement, saying, "We are under the 
opinion that this is the work of the government with the 
EPDP intelligence unit.  The LTTE has lost faith in 
government because all of these people are harbored in 
military camps."  (Note:  The Eelam People's Democratic 
Party, led by Douglas Devananda, is an anti-LTTE Tamil party 
and member of the government's coalition.  End Note) 
 
4. (U) Comment:  Some of the demonstrators were implicitly 
blaming the government while others expressed concern mainly 
for the free press environment.  The demonstration 
represented the culmination of five days of media anguish 
over the death of a journalist that most of his colleagues 
respected.  The rally demonstrated the outrage Sivaram's 
murder has caused across the political spectrum.  Prominent 
journalists at a PD-organized DVC with the head of the 
International Center for Journalists on the same evening 
used the occasion to assert that Sivaram's murder represents 
a blow to press freedom in Sri Lanka. However, the 
government has not proposed any further restrictions on 
media, and while the intimidation factor may affect a few 
columnists, it is unlikely that this single, high profile 
case will have a lasting effect on the relative freedom 
journalists here enjoy to pursue their profession. 
Journalists, among others, will continue to use Sivaran's 
death, however, to illustrate their support or opposition to 
the peace process.  End Comment. 
 
Entwistle