FMM condemns bomb attack on ABC Director's residence

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 March 2004, 02:21 GMT]
The Free Media Movement (FMM) Monday condemned the bomb attack Sunday night on the residence of the Managing Director of the Asia Broadcasting Corporation Mr. Raynor Silva as an undemocratic act to muzzle the independence of the free media. FMM spokesman Mr.Sunanda Desapriya said in a statement requested the authorities concerned to investigate the alleged incident immediately, media sources said.

Meanwhile Mr. Raynor Silva has requested the Commissioner of Elections Mr.Dayananda Dissanayake to investigate the attack as an instance of election related violence.

"I have a suspicion that this incident is politically motivated to coerce the ABC network radio network to cease political advertising, thus limiting our freedom to act as a private company and private media organization," said Mr. Raynor Silva in a letter to the Elections Commissioner.

Mr. Raynor Silva said: "My residence in Battaramula was severely damaged and one person was injured."

He added that he has received threatening telephone calls not to accept paid political advertisements. "However we have refused to be coerced by such terror tactics, as advertising is our core business," Mr. Raynor Silva told the Elections Commissioner.