SLJTU condemns attack on scribe

The Sri Lanka Journalists? Trade Union (SLJTU) has condemned the assault on a journalist attached to the Uthayan newspaper in Jaffna on Thursday night.
SLJTU urged the authorities to effectively address?the attacks faced by journalists, to ensure speedy justice and to safeguard the professional?rights of the media workers in the country.
The newly formed media trade union also wrote to Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and IGP N.K. Illangakoon regarding the incident.
The trade union noted that the Uthayan newspaper and its staff have constantly come under attack and there have not?been effective investigation into these incidents of violence.
“There have been three incidents?of violence reported against the Uthayan newspaper during the past six months. The newspaper?press suffered an arson attack in April this year,” SLJTU noted.
Uthayan journalist Kunalan Dileep was heading home on his motorbike when he was attacked by a group of men who approached him in a three-wheeler.
The attackers had assaulted him near the Mahajana College in Tellippalai, Jaffna and then fled the scene.
He was taken to the Tellippalai?hospital with injuries sustained mostly to his arm and legs which were not serious in nature.
The newspaper said that the attack came just days before he was to publish an article on the northern elections. (Colombo Gazette)