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April 28, 2025 – Tamil –
On April 28, 2025, journalists and civil society members gathered in Jaffna to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the assassination of renowned Tamil journalist Dharmeratnam “Taraki” Sivaram. The event, organized by the Jaffna Press Club, the Eastern Province Journalists Association, and the Professional Online Journalists Association, took place at the memorial for murdered journalists on Main Street, Jaffna.
Sivaram, a former senior editor at TamilNet, was abducted in Colombo on April 28, 2005, and later found murdered near the Parliament. Despite international condemnation and demands for accountability, his killers have never been brought to justice.
Participants at the commemoration lit candles and laid floral tributes before portraits of Sivaram and fellow journalist Selvarajah Rajivarman, who was also murdered on the same date two years later. An awareness protest was held, calling for justice for murdered media workers and highlighting the ongoing impunity surrounding attacks on Tamil journalists.
Reports of intimidation and surveillance by Sri Lankan police and intelligence services emerged during the event, with intelligence officers photographing attendees and journalists covering the commemoration. This apparent effort to intimidate and harass underscores the dangerous climate for journalists in Sri Lanka, particularly those reporting on human rights violations and the Tamil national question.
Sivaram’s work, which sharply analyzed the political and military dimensions of the Tamil struggle, made him a key figure in Tamil journalism. His writings and advocacy for the Tamil cause also made him a target. His murder has come to symbolize the threats faced by journalists in Sri Lanka.
The Mullaitivu Press Club also held a separate event, featuring floral tributes and the screening of a documentary on Sivaram’s life.
Despite the supposed end of the armed conflict in 2009, Tamil journalists continue to face threats, harassment, and violence, particularly those documenting ongoing militarization, land grabs, and human rights abuses in the North-East.
The commemoration serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges to press freedom in Sri Lanka and the need for justice for Sivaram and other murdered journalists.
Reference –
https://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?artid=15019&catid=13
https://www.tamilguardian.com/content/journalists-protest-mark-20-years-sivarams-assassination
