Aiyathurai Nadesan
Encyclopedia
Aiyathurai Nadesan, a prominent and veteran minority Sri Lankan Tamil journalist was shot dead on May 31, 2004 on his way to work in eastern Sri Lanka
n town of Batticaloa
by gunmen belonging to an armed paramilitary
group widely believed to be so called Karuna Group.
Nadesan, the father of four children and aged 50 at the time of his death, hailed from Nelliyadi, a town in North Jaffna
District in Sri Lanka. He wrote under the pen name Nellai Nadesan.
Large crowds attended Nadesan's funeral on 3 June 2004 in his hometown. The normal life of Nelliyady, came to a standstill. Shops were closed. The hearse was taken to the Nelliyady Madhya Maha Vidiyalayam Thursday morning from his residence where funeral orations were delivered by Tamil National Alliance
parliamentarians, LTTE activists and Sunanda Deshapriya of the Free Media Movement
. A protest demonstration was held in Colombo
on 9 June 2004, condemning the Nadesan’s killing and a one day shut down was observed in the town of Trincomalee
. Police have yet to make any arrests in his death.
of 2000 Prize awarded by the Sri Lanka Editors’ Guild. He was the Batticaloa
based columnist for Virakesari
, the country’s leading Tamil language
newspaper, for more than twenty years.
And also he was the local correspondent for Shakthi TV
News and the London
based International Broadcasting Corporation. For being a prominent member of the local press, Nadesan received the prize for the best Tamil journalist in 2000.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n town of Batticaloa
Batticaloa
Batticaloa is a city in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka. It is the seat of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka. It is on the east coast, south by south east of Trincomalee, and is situated on an island.-Etymology:...
by gunmen belonging to an armed paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
group widely believed to be so called Karuna Group.
Biography
Jaffna
Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical...
District in Sri Lanka. He wrote under the pen name Nellai Nadesan.
Large crowds attended Nadesan's funeral on 3 June 2004 in his hometown. The normal life of Nelliyady, came to a standstill. Shops were closed. The hearse was taken to the Nelliyady Madhya Maha Vidiyalayam Thursday morning from his residence where funeral orations were delivered by Tamil National Alliance
Tamil National Alliance
The Tamil National Alliance is a powerful minority Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance in Sri Lanka. It was formed as an amalgamation of moderate Tamil parties as well as number of former rebel groups...
parliamentarians, LTTE activists and Sunanda Deshapriya of the Free Media Movement
Free Media Movement
The Free Media Movement is media freedom watchdog organization of Journalists from Sri Lanka.It evolved out of the standing committee of journalists, which was formed in late 1991. The standing committee was formed by a group of journalists and media personnel as a reaction to the then government...
. A protest demonstration was held in Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
on 9 June 2004, condemning the Nadesan’s killing and a one day shut down was observed in the town of Trincomalee
Trincomalee
Trincomalee is a port city in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka and lies on the east coast of the island, about 113 miles south of Jaffna. It has a population of approximately 100,000 . The city is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours. Overlooking the Kottiyar Bay,...
. Police have yet to make any arrests in his death.
Career
He was the Vice-President of the Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance and a recipient of the Best JournalistJournalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
of 2000 Prize awarded by the Sri Lanka Editors’ Guild. He was the Batticaloa
Batticaloa
Batticaloa is a city in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka. It is the seat of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka. It is on the east coast, south by south east of Trincomalee, and is situated on an island.-Etymology:...
based columnist for Virakesari
Virakesari
Virakesari ta:வீரகேசரி is the name of one of the leading Tamil dailies in Sri Lanka. Virakesari is the oldest and the largest circulated Tamil Newspaper in Sri Lanka. Virakesari is owned by Express Newspapers Limited, a leading print and web media organization in Sri Lanka.- Foundation...
, the country’s leading Tamil language
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
newspaper, for more than twenty years.
And also he was the local correspondent for Shakthi TV
Shakthi TV
Shakthi TV is the first Tamil television service of Sri Lanka. It is one of the many television channels which broadcast in the Tamil Language in Sri Lanka. A few others being Vettri TV, operated by the Rupavahini Group and Vasantham TV operated by the Independent Television Network, both of which...
News and the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
based International Broadcasting Corporation. For being a prominent member of the local press, Nadesan received the prize for the best Tamil journalist in 2000.
Past incidents of intimidation
- On 3 April 2000 a bomb exploded at his home in Batticaloa. The United NationsUnited NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression reported to the UN Commission on Human Rights in February 2002. The report said;
"Those responsible for the incident were linked to pro-Government Tamil paramilitaries. Mr. Nadesan had received a telephone death threat after his paper ran an article in March 2000 about atrocities committed by a member of the People’s Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE, an armed paramilitary group that supports the Government’s battle against LTTE separatists. Mr. Nadesan had not written the article, although he had regularly written about the activities of PLOTE and other pro-Government Tamil groups in Batticaloa."
In July 2001 the Commanding Officer of the 233 Brigade in Batticaloa, Col. Manawaduge warned and threatened Nadesan. He was summoned to the Commanding Officer's office and told that he writes only anti-government and anti-military news and articles and warned that if he continues in this fashion, action would be taken against him under the Prevention of Terrorism ActPrevention of Terrorism ActPrevention of Terrorism Act could refer to four different sets of Acts of Parliament, in three different countries:* Prevention of Terrorism Acts, passed between 1974 and 1989 to deal with terrorism in Northern Ireland in the United Kingdom...
. This incident was the subject of an intervention by Free Media MovementFree Media MovementThe Free Media Movement is media freedom watchdog organization of Journalists from Sri Lanka.It evolved out of the standing committee of journalists, which was formed in late 1991. The standing committee was formed by a group of journalists and media personnel as a reaction to the then government...
on 24 July 2001. This incident was also reported by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression in February 2002.