Maunasami Parameswaree also spelt Manusamy Parameshwari is a minority Sri Lankan Tamil journalist for the newspaper Mawbima. She was arrested on 24 November 2006 under the under terrorism law and later released after International human rights and Media organisation campaign for her release after being jailed for 4 months without charge.[1][2][3][4]
Background
editThis incident is part of acts of violence and intimidation against journalists and human rights activists taking place in Sri Lanka. These killings are part of a series of killing, abduction, and attacks on the Tamil Media in Sri Lanka.[5][6][7] These killings, abductions, and threats are seen as part of the dirty war launched by Mahindra Rajapakse government.[8][9]
Incident
editMaunasami Parameswaree was arrested when she went to interview a Tamil women whose brother had been abducted. She and the women were arrested. Her family members were assaulted in Gompala in Kandy. Mawbima was forced to close for carrying critical reports about the Rajapakse Government.[10] Dushantha Basnayake the finance director of the financial director of Standard Newspapers Private Limited which publishes Mawbima was also arrested under the anti terrorism law. Sri Lankan government newspaper published a stories that explosives was recovered based on her confession however it turned that it was a fake story by the Sri Lankan officials and no explosives were recovered.[11] She was a strong critic of human rights violations by the Sri Lankan Military.[12]
Release
editMaunasami Parameswaree was released after no evidence could be found against her but the fate of the women arrested with her is unknown.[13][14]
References
edit- ^ Shocking Violations" of Journalists’ Rights Continue in Sri Lanka Archived 2011-06-10 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Handunnetti, Dilrukshi; Wamanan, Arthur; Kannangara, Nirmala (25 November 2007). "Sad saga of post Rajapakse media freedom". The Sunday Leader. Sri Lanka. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
- ^ "Sri Lanka: Freelance Tamil journalist arrested". Committee to Protect Journalists. 30 November 2006. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
- ^ "Parameswaree Maunasámi". Committee to Protect Journalists. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
- ^ "Tamil media caught in ongoing conflict". Archived from the original on 12 July 2010. Retrieved 29 January 2009.
- ^ Intimidation of Tamil media.
- ^ "Press Freedom, World Review, June - November 2006". Archived from the original on 31 December 2008. Retrieved 29 January 2009.
- ^ Fact-finding report by the International Press Freedom Mission to Sri Lanka
- ^ Sri Lanka: "Shocking violations? of journalists? rights continue in Sri Lanka"[permanent dead link]
- ^ Sri Lankan Media harassed
- ^ Court frees young woman journalist who had been held for four months Archived 2008-12-04 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Dateline: Let the Games Begin[permanent dead link]
- ^ BBC Sri Lankan journalist released
- ^ SRI LANKA: Court frees Mawbima reporter Archived 2010-07-12 at the Wayback Machine