Mariathas Manojanraj

Mariathas Manojanraj was a minority Sri Lankan Tamil distributor for the Tamil newspaper Thinakkural from Jaffna, Sri Lanka. He was killed by a mine which exploded when he went to collect newspapers for distribution on 27 July 2006 in Navakeeri near Jaffna.[1][2][3][4]

Mariathas Manojanraj <Ta>
Died27 July 2006
Jaffna
OccupationNewspaper distributor for Thinakkural

Background

Mariathas Manojanraj was part of a series of killing of Tamil media workers particularly those seen supporting the Tamil nationalist cause as the newspaper Thinakkural was seen to be doing. It was seen as part of the intimidation of Tamil media. Free Media Movement an International Federation of Journalists associate reported that newspapers like Sudor Oli and Thinakkural have received threats from anti-LTTE para-military groups demanding that their distribution be stopped and there were attempts to unofficially censure Tamil media organisations.[5]

Incident
Assassinations of Journalists
during the Sri Lankan Civil War
See also Human rights in Sri Lanka

Mariathas Manojanraj was killed while he was travelling by motorbike to collect newspapers by a mine blast. He had earlier registered at the Sri Lankan checkpoint.[6] The Sri Lankan Army claims that he was a victim a mine meant for an Army Patrol however his relatives claim that the Tamil paramilitaries or the Sri Lankan is responsible for it .[7]

Government investigation

The international Press institute has called in for impartial government investigation.[8][9]

See also

References
  1. "Newspaper vendor killed amid continuing threats against Tamil media". Reporters Sans Frontiers. August 2006. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  2. "The war against the media". Sunday Leader. 22 April 2007. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  3. "Mission Statement - Article 19" (PDF). Article 19. 11 October 2006. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  4. "Mariathas Manojanraj". International News Safety Institute. 27 July 2006. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  5. "Struggle for survival" (PDF). - International Media Support. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  6. "Thinakkural distributor killed in explosion in Jaffna". TamilNet. 27 July 2006. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  7. World Press Freedom Review. IPI. 2006. p. 157.
  8. "Joint Mission to Sri Lanka - International Advocacy and Fact Finding". IPI. 25 June 2007. Archived from the original on 11 August 2014. Retrieved 25 June 2007.
  9. Vidura. C. Sarkar. 2006. p. 37.


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