Parliamentary Secretary Deepak Obhrai Calls on Sri Lanka to Ensure Media Freedom and Investigate Journalist Attacks

Journalists who covered Sri Lanka's Tamil ethnic cleansing disappear and are murdered frequently.

Faraz Shauketaly

(OTTAWA) - Deepak Obhrai, M.P and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, today made the following statement in the House of Commons:

Lasantha Wickrematunge & Prageeth Ekneligoda

“Canada remains deeply concerned about the state of media freedom in Sri Lanka. The offices of a newspaper in Northern Sri Lanka were attacked again on Saturday. The BBC recently suspended all radio broadcasts following what it called 'continued interruption and interference' by the national broadcaster. Faraz Shauketaly, a journalist, was shot on February 15.

"The 2009 killing of Editor Lasantha Wickrematunge and the 2010 disappearance of Prageeth Ekneligoda, a cartoonist, remain unresolved.

"Last month’s UN Human Rights Council resolution on Sri Lanka expressed concern at continuing reports of violations of freedom of expression as well as intimidation of and reprisals against journalists.

"Canada urges the Government of Sri Lanka to ensure freedom of expression and the safety of media personnel, and to fully investigate these attacks."

Source: News release from the Office of Deepak Obhrai, M.P.