2ND LEAD

Attacks on media escalate in Jaffna, newspapers burnt by alleged SL military squad

[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 February 2013, 04:26 GMT]
A newspaper distributor who was on his way to Vadamaraadchi through Jaffna - Point Pedro Road to distribute the copies of the Jaffna edition of Tamil daily Thinakkural was attacked and all the newspapers in his possession and his motorbike were put to fire by an alleged Sri Lankan military intelligence squad that intercepted the distributor at Puththoor Junction at 5:00 a.m. on Thursday. In the meantime, Uthayan paper distributor to Vadamaraadchi narrowly escaped from another attack around the same time. The latest attacks come within three weeks of a similar attack on Uthayan paper distributor.

The newspaper distributor of Yaazh Thinakkural, who was attacked and thrown at the roadside, was rescued by the villagers and was rushed to hospital.

Media organizations in Jaffna blamed Sri Lankan military intelligence run squads for the attacks and threats on independent Tamil journalists and media in Jaffna.

Threats and intimidations against the journalists and media workers in Jaffna has been escalating in the recent days, the representatives of media organizations in Jaffna said.

In the meantime, purchase and control of Tamil media has taken place on a larger scale in Colombo by local and outside forces in complicity with the genocidal State and regime in the island, informed circles said, citing the changes in the editorial line of some leading Tamil dailies.

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