Slain journalist Sukirtharajan remembered

January 27, 2025 – Sri Lanka – 

Journalists and activists in Sri Lanka’s Tamil-majority north-east recently gathered to commemorate Subramaniyam Sugirdharajan—a Tamil journalist for Sudar Oli who was assassinated on January 24, 2006, in Trincomalee. He was just 35 and a father of two.

Sugirdharajan earned widespread respect for exposing atrocities: he documented that five Tamil students were shot at point-blank range—contradicting claims that they died from a grenade blast—after the “Trinco 5” massacre. His reporting directly challenged the Sri Lankan military and allied paramilitary groups, prompting swift retaliation.

Commemorative events held on January 24 in Trincomalee, Batticaloa, and other towns featured candlelight vigils, flower offerings, and garlanding of his photo near monuments such as Gandhi Park. Local journalists, union leaders, civil society activists, and family members participated, making impassioned calls for justice, even years after the murder and the killing of the five students, none of which have been prosecuted.

His death is remembered as emblematic of sustained targeting of Tamil journalists, particularly those who reported on human rights violations during and after Sri Lanka’s civil war. At least 41 media workers, mostly Tamil, have been killed or forcibly disappeared under similar circumstances.

Activists and the Mullaitivu Press Club have warned that “the whole country is in darkness” when such crimes remain unsolved and perpetrators enjoy impunity.

These annual remembrances serve both to honor Sugirdharajan’s bravery and resilience and to spotlight the ongoing struggle for press freedom in Sri Lanka. With the country slipping to 146th in the Reporters Without Borders press freedom index, these commemorations aim to keep pressure on authorities to investigate journalist murders and uphold accountability.

The collective memory of Sugirdharajan’s sacrifice continues to inspire Tamil journalists and their allies, emphasizing the critical need to protect media workers and ensure justice in regions still affected by conflict and impunity.

Reference – 

https://www.tamilguardian.com/content/slain-tamil-journalist-subramaniyam-sugirdharajan-remembered-north-east

https://srilankamirror.com/photo-story/slain-journalist-sukirtharajan-remembered-pics/?amp=1