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 Radhika Devakumar receiving her national tolerance award A gang of unidentified gunmen entered her house at around 7.30pm and fired three shots at point blank range, wounding her in the shoulder, abdomen and chest and leaving her critically ill. Family members took her to the teaching hospital in Batticaloa, where she remains in intensive care. Radhika was working as a provincial correspondent for the Thinakaran Tamil language daily, published from Colombo. She also worked as freelancer for Shakthi TV and ran her own media development organisation in close proximity to Batticaloa town. From 2005 to 2007 she worked as a radio programme producer for Internews. In 2007 she won the national award for Reporting Diversity and Respect for Tolerance, in a public service media award programme organised by the five leading media organizations in Sri Lanka. She was also the media secretary for the Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurei Chandrakanthan of the TMVP in June this year. She was the media secretary of another minster in the Eastern Provincial Council at the time of attack.  The FMM has consistently noted that journalists cannot and should not take up partisan political positions, hold public office or function as advisors to party political groups as it invariably informs their frame of reference and undermines accurate and impartial journalism. Journalists must be independent and impartial. 
The FMM has consistently noted that journalists cannot and should not take up partisan political positions, hold public office or function as advisors to party political groups as it invariably informs their frame of reference and undermines accurate and impartial journalism. Journalists must be independent and impartial. However, intimidation, harassment and death threats to journalists, especially Tamil journalists, have been on the rise over the past two and a half years. Although more than dozen journalists and media workers have been killed during this period, not a single case has been investigated to completion. Disturbingly, we now see a pervasive culture in Sri Lanka where disagreements (especially with journalists) end in violence and intimidation as a means of resolution, and with complete impunity. This must stop. Condemning this brutal attack, we demand that the government initiates an independent and open inquiry into this shooting. The failure to protect journalists in Sri Lanka is a sign that the rule of law is hostage to armed groups and does not bode well for any sustainable and meaningful peace in Sri Lanka. Note: The author, Sunanda Deshapriya, is a spokesperson for the Free Media Movement in Sri Lanka.
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