NY Amnesty rally protests violence against journalists in Sri Lanka
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=25286
Several hundred human rights activists participated in a protest event
"Get On The Bus (GOTB)" sponsored by Amnesty International, in New
York Friday afternoon outside the Sri Lanka consulate in midtown,
protesting against violence against media in Sri Lanka, attendees to
the event said. The protesters visited three other country missions in
New York, Libyan Mission (political prisoners), Darfur (international
justice and accountability), and Myanmar (people of Burma/democracy).
The protesters highlighted the month-long detention of J.S.
Tissanayagam and the killing of 'Sudar Oli' correspondent Subramaniyam
Sugirdharajan in Trincomalee in 2006.
The Amnesty delegation spokeswoman, after meeting with the Sri Lankan
Consul-General, said that the offiical assured her that the charges
against Mr. Tissainayagam would be investigated, and that within the
next two weeks, Tissainayagam would receive medical treatment for his
current health issues.
Miriam Young of the US NGO Forum on Sri Lanka, addressing the
demonstrators at the St. Barts Church on Fifth Avenue, said that the
Emergency Regulations under which Mr. Tissanayagam is being held are
in contravention of international standards.
She said that Amnesty members must press the US government to pressure
Colombo to either bring charges on Mr. Tissanayagam or to release him
immediately. If there is a trial, a representative from the US Embassy
must attend the trial every day, she said.
Ms. Young added that although the U.S. has no strategic interests in
the island, it still provides training and surveillance equipment to
the Sri Lankan armed forces and so has influence over its actions. She
emphasized that a healthy democracy requires freedom of expression and
that this freedom is under threat on the island.
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