Lanka e News the most victimized and hunted down media website : plaint filed in HRC- 11 respondents cited

(Lanka-e-News- 22.May.2014, 11.30PM) During the last several days , the despotic Rajapakse regime had barred access to 8 websites by its diabolically calculated efforts aimed at banning media websites.

The Sri Lanka trade union of cyber media organization and leaders of opposition political parties yesterday (21) filed a plaint with the human rights commission (HRC) against the recommendations of the regime’s Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) and the regime’s dictatorial actions.

UNP general secretary Tissa Attanayake , Nava sama samaja party leader Dr. Wickremebahu Karunaratne , Siritunge Jayasuriya , the convener of ten media oranization Saman Wagaarachchi, cyber media trade union convener Freddy Gamage and Website journalist Kelum Shivantha were present on the occasion. The UNP general secretary also submitted a adjournment-motion to the Parliament secretary.

The plaintiff who signed the petition handed over today to the HRC is : Freddy Gamage (Sri Lanka cyber media union convener)

The respondents are :
Lalith Weeratunge – Chairman of SL telecommunications regulatory commission (TRC
Anusha Pelpita – Director General of SL telecommunications regulatory commission 
Keheliya Rambikwella – Minister of mass media and information
Charitha Herath –Secretary to Ministry of mass media and information
Nimal Welgama –Chairman , Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) 
Lalith De Silva – Chief Executive officer (CEO) , Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) 
Kapila Chandrasena –CEO ,Mobitel private Co. 
Dr. Hans Wijeyasuriya – CEO and Director , Dialog Asiata consolidated Co.
Vel Salaman – CEO, Etisalat Lanka private Co. 
Thirukumar Nadesan – CEO , Hutchison telecom Co.
Suren Gunawardena – CEO , Bharathi Airtel Lanka Co.

In the plaint filed it is mentioned that the obstructions created against media websites are not something newly introduced , and within SL, the 8 websites that were victimized and banned by injunction orders are Lanka e news , Lanka news web , Lanka Guardian , Tamil net, Colombo telegraph , Sri Lanka Mirror, The independent and the Jaffna Muslims .

The plaint also states that among those websites , Lanka e news was the most victimized and hunted down. Some time ago the website office was set on fire, and one of its journalists Prageeth Ekneliyagoda went missing (still untraceable) . Its Editor Sandaruwan Senadheera had to flee the country , and the website is now operating from abroad. Six of its journalists were also arrested earlier by the CID , the plaint further states.