Tamil Journalist Murukaiya Thamilselvan Survives Abduction Attempt Amid Rising Threats in Sri Lanka

09 January 2025 -Sri Lanka – 

Freelance journalist Murukaiya Thamilselvan, a Tamil reporter from northern Sri Lanka, narrowly escaped a violent kidnapping attempt on December 26, 2024, while traveling on the A9 road near Kilinochchi. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), unidentified men in a vehicle intercepted him, forcibly dragged him from his motorcycle, and attempted to abduct him. Thamilselvan resisted, calling for help, which prompted the attackers to flee the scene.

The motive behind the attack appears to be linked to his recent investigative reporting on local corruption and criminal networks. Thamilselvan had published several reports implicating politically connected individuals in land grabs and financial fraud. His coverage had drawn anonymous threats before the incident, underscoring the hostile environment journalists, particularly from the Tamil minority, continue to face in Sri Lanka’s post-war north.

This attempted abduction follows a troubling trend of targeted harassment and violence against Tamil journalists. Advocacy groups, including CPJ and the Tamil Guardian, report that journalists in the region are regularly surveilled, interrogated, and physically assaulted for their reporting. Earlier in 2024, journalist Subramaniyam Bhaskaran was attacked after exposing corruption within a farmers’ association. Many of these incidents go uninvestigated, with perpetrators enjoying near-total impunity.

The CPJ has called on Sri Lankan authorities to launch an immediate, impartial investigation into Thamilselvan’s case and to provide him with adequate protection. They also urge the government to address the broader climate of intimidation against journalists and ensure the freedom of the press, especially for ethnic minority reporters.

The attack highlights the precarious state of press freedom in Sri Lanka, where democratic space continues to shrink amid political polarization and rising authoritarian tendencies. For Tamil journalists, the risks are compounded by ethnic discrimination and historical marginalization.

Thamilselvan’s survival underscores the resilience of local reporters committed to truth-telling despite immense danger. But it also signals an urgent need for national and international stakeholders to act by demanding justice, enhancing journalist safety, and ensuring that the voices of marginalized communities are not silenced through violence and fear.

Reference – 

https://www.tamilguardian.com/content/tamil-journalist-attacked-escapes-kidnap

Sri Lankan journalist narrowly escapes kidnap after crime reports – Committee to Protect Journalists