South Asian Free Media Association

(SAFMA) - Sri Lanka Chapter

Media Release - Attack on Siyatha studios

Affirming Sri Lanka’s reputation for violence against the media

The Sri Lanka Chapter of the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) condemns the
dastardly attack on the news section of Siyatha, one of Sri Lanka’s most popular and
diversified television and radio stations. In the early hours of today, 30th July, 2010, an armed
gang intruded into the premises of the studio complex, even as broadcast operations were on-
going, and proceeded to bomb and otherwise damage the facilities and equipment, resulting in
severe infra-structure damage and injury and traumatising of media personnel.

SAFMA-Sri Lanka, whose parent is recognised by the SAARC Secretariat as the body for
mass media professionals in the South Asian region, deeply regrets the continuation of this
tragic pattern that has persisted in the country for over two decades. While almost all of the
numerous other attacks on media institutions and enterprises that have occurred in the past 20
years and more have gone unsolved, SAFMA calls on the law and order authorities to act
quickly to investigate this crime and violation of democratic rights and bring the culprits to
book. Given that none of the numerous previous such incidents have been successfully
investigated; the onus is on our agencies of law and order and national security to disprove the
growing reputation of this country of consistent failure to investigate and resolve such crimes.

This latest attack can only confirm the perception of the outside world that despite the valour
of our heroic armed forces and agencies of law and order in suppressing insurgencies and
rebellions, much of the crimes committed outside insurgent activity, especially attacks on the
vital institutions of Democracy such as the mass media, go unresolved. How is it that
seemingly ‘powerful terrorists’ have been vanquished, but other perpetrators of barbaric
violence, especially violence against those sectors monitoring governance, such as the media,
have been roaming the country for the past twenty years and more without detection and
conviction? Is this a manifestation of abject professional failure and incompetence on the part
of the agencies of law and order or, is it a deliberate discrimination between those anti-social
elements who attack the State and those who attack civilian sectors of Sri Lanka society?

If Sri Lankan citizens are to continue to have faith in the agencies of Law and Order and not
seek intervention by international institutions such as the United Nations, it is time that the
authorities prove their mettle by responding quickly and efficiently in the case of Siyatha.

Sharmini Boyle
Secretary - SAFMA Sri Lanka.

Secretariat, A3-1/2, Manning Town, Colombo - 8, Sri Lanka

Phone / Fax: 011 2684557 Email: safmasrilanka@gmail.com Website: southasianmedia.net