CPJ seeks probe as one more Tamil scribe killed in Lanka

New York, May 1 (UNI) The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has deplored the killing of Selvarajah Rajeewarnam, a reporter for Tamil newspaper Uthayan, and called on the Sri Lankan government to investigate and bring his assailants to book.

Rajeewarnam was on assignment in Jaffna on Sunday when he was shot by unidentified gunmen about 180 meters from a military checkpoint, according to news reports.

The CPJ is investigating whether Rajeewarnam was shot because of his work.

Rajeewarnam had worked for another Tamil paper Namadu Eelanadu, which had closed after its managing editor Sinnathamby Sivamaharajah was killed outside his home in Jaffna in August 2006.

Rajeewarnam had been working at Uthayan for about four months.

''We call on the Sri Lankan government to assert its authority and bring these killers to justice,'' Joel Simon, CPJ executive director, said yesterday.

''Sri Lanka's civil conflict cannot be used as an excuse to allow such deaths to occur with impunity.'' The CPJ's database suggests that six Sri Lankan journalists - all Tamils - have been killed since May 2004.

Five were murdered and one was killed in crossfire; no culprit has been brought to justice in the killings.

Uthayan has often been under attack.

In September 2006, the CPJ called on the Sri Lankan authorities to protect Uthayan's staff after receiving a plea from E Saravanapavan, the newspaper's managing director, to publicise the numerous threats against his staff.

CPJ is a New York-based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide.

UNI