Investigate assault, death threats against journalists PDF Print E-mail
Tuesday, 13 November 2007
The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) is concerned that two journalists from a local Tamil daily, Malaysian Nanban, have come under physical and verbal threats, allegedly over articles they have written. We are concerned with the growing threats on journalists from the Tamil language dailies, particularly those that are critical of the leadership in the community that prevent them from carrying out their duties safely. We call for a thorough and impartial investigation to be carried out and action be taken should it be proven that the duo were deliberately prevented from discharging their duties.

 

On November 2, photojournalist R. Raman, who goes by the name R. Kalaramu, was assaulted by three men outside his office in the southern state of Johor. He sustained injuries to his head and is now in coma. Yesterday, his colleague in the northern state of Kedah, M. Nagarajan, lodged a police report after receving death threats from an anonymous caller. Both journalists have been reporting on the education problems in the community, in particular the possible closure of Tamil schools and the poor state that some of the schools are in. Raman is also known to write on the politics of the Indian community.

 

According to Nagarajan, he received two phone calls by an unknown person warning him not to report on the state of a Tamil primary school that failed to register any students for next year’s Year One. He told CIJ that the local community, led by the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) had sought ways to encourage families to send their children to the school, including seeking the help of the media. "The caller hurled vulgarities to me and threatened that if I continued to pursue the story, I would face the same fate as my colleague who was attacked a week ago," Nagarajan told CIJ.

 

On April 3, journalists from Malaysian Nanban and the Makkal Osai were threatened by members of the Indian party, the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), which is a member of the ruling coalition, during a local by-election. One had vulgarities hurled at her while the other was pushed and shoved. They were both prevented from taking photographs at the nomination of candidates for the by-election.

 

In recent months, these two newspapers have come under pressure from the MIC in particular over stories that call into question the party's leadership in tackling issues like education, political tussles and other problems. In response, these newspapers and their journalists have been threatened, boycotted and harrassed. The suspension of Makkal Osai for a month since August 24 over the publication of a picture of Jesus Christ holding a cigarette, is believed to be linked with the MIC's unhappiness with the newspaper's critical stance.

 

CIJ calls on all parties to respect the role of the media in reporting issues of public concern and to ensure that journalists are able to work in a safe environment.

 

Issued by

 

Gayathry Venkiteswaran
Executive Director,  CIJ

 

For inquiries, call 03-40230772.


 
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