UTHAYAN to be silenced...

The Free Media Movement is deeply concerned and condemns the attempt to silence the UTHAYAN newspaper, published in Jaffna.

According to the Managing Director of the newspaper, Mr. E. Saravanapavan, the threat had been made over the phone, and the caller is alleged to have told the staff member who answered the phone, that the newspaper must stop functioning immediately. The threatening phone call had been made to the newspaper office on January 6, 2008 around 10.45 a.m.

Upon the staff member inquiring as to where the call was being made from, the caller had said it was from the Kayts police station. A complaint regarding this has been made to the Jaffna Police on January 8, 2008.

This is not the first instance that the UTHAYAN newspaper has been threatened. Intimidation of the newspaper has ranged from its staff being killed, to attacks to its building and obstructing the distribution of the newspaper.

The FMM reiterates its stand that freedom of expression is essential for democracy to flourish and requests the Inspector General of Police to look into the matter immediately and stop intimidation of the media.

Suspect killer of Maheswaran not identified at the identification parade

The suspect killer of UNP MP T. Maheswaran who was produced to an identification parade under case number 9521 at the number 03 Magistrate Court of Colombo this morning was not identified by the police officer who shot at the suspect.

However, the police officer earlier said to media that he identified the suspect at the hospital after he was admitted there with gunshot injuries received from him following the shooting at MP Maheswaran at the Sivam Kovil, Kochchikade.

SSP Anura Senanayaka earlier mentioned at a press briefing that police had identified the suspect as the killer and the need was to look into his links.

Two UNP MPs are in danger...

Badulla district UNP MP Lakshman Senevirathna said at the parliament yesterday (08) that a discussion had been held at higher echelons to kill him and another UNP MP.

Stating that a decision had been taken to shut the mouths of his and MP Johnston Fernando, he urged the Speaker to take the responsibility of their security.

MP Senevirathna recalled how his exposure in the parliament that the abductions and the killings of Tamil and Muslim businessmen were carried out by an Air Force official called Gajanayaka was proved right. Government MPs filed a no-confidence motion against him but later the CID arrested the suspect.

MP Senevirathna said to Lanka-e-News that he could not reveal all the details of the discussion at this moment. However, he said that several top officials of a top level place related to defense had discussed to harm the lives of MP Senevirathna and Johnston Fernando.

BBC question based on 'Lanka E News' report - Keheliya

Defence spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella in Parliament yesterday said, remarks made by him to the BBCs Sandeshaya programme, that the assassin of MP T. Maheswaran was connected to the EPDP, had been misconstrued by Opposition members.

While accepting the fact that he had said the assassin had connections to Minister Douglas Devananda, Minister Rambukwella said the interview had ended with him stressing that a final conclusion regarding the murder could only be reached following a full investigation.

"What I said during the interview has been criticized by Opposition MPs without taking into account everything I said in the interview. At the end of the interview I stressed that only a full investigation into the assassination would reveal the truth behind the incident", he said.

The Minister however accepted that during the interview he said the assassin was connected to Minister Douglas Devananda, but noted that this was in response to a 'leading question' posed by the BBC reporter.