Aiyathurai Nadesan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Aiyathurai Nadesan
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A Nadesan
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Aiyathurai Nadesan was a well-known and experienced journalist from Sri Lanka. He was part of the Tamil minority group. Sadly, he was shot and killed on May 31, 2004. This happened in the eastern Sri Lankan town of Batticaloa as he was going to work. People widely believe that gunmen from an armed group, often called the Karuna Group, were responsible.
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About Aiyathurai Nadesan
Aiyathurai Nadesan was 50 years old when he died. He had four children. He came from a town called Nelliyadi in the North Jaffna District of Sri Lanka. He used the pen name Nellai Nadesan when he wrote his articles.
His Funeral and Public Reaction
Many people attended Nadesan's funeral on June 3, 2004, in his hometown. Life in Nelliyadi stopped that day. Shops were closed to show respect. His coffin was taken to Nelliyady Madhya Maha Vidiyalayam. Here, members of parliament, activists, and media freedom groups spoke about him.
A protest was also held in Colombo on June 9, 2004. This protest condemned, or strongly spoke out against, Nadesan's killing. The town of Trincomalee also had a one-day shutdown. Police have not yet arrested anyone for his death.
His Career as a Journalist
Nadesan was an important figure in the media. He was the vice-president of the Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance. He also won the Best Journalist of 2000 Prize. This award was given by the Sri Lanka Editors' Guild.
For more than twenty years, he was a columnist based in Batticaloa for Virakesari. This is the country's main Tamil language newspaper. He was also a local reporter for Shakthi TV News. In addition, he worked for the International Broadcasting Corporation, which is based in London. Because he was such a prominent journalist, Nadesan received the award for the best Tamil journalist in 2000.
Challenges He Faced
Aiyathurai Nadesan sometimes faced difficulties because of his reporting.
Bomb Incident at His Home
On April 3, 2000, a bomb exploded at his home in Batticaloa. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression reported on this incident in February 2002. The report said:
"Those who were responsible for this incident were connected to Tamil groups that supported the government. Mr. Nadesan had received a scary phone call. This happened after his newspaper published an article in March 2000. The article was about bad actions by a group called the People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam, or PLOTE. This group is an armed group that supports the government's fight against LTTE separatists. Mr. Nadesan did not write that specific article. However, he often wrote about the activities of PLOTE and other pro-government Tamil groups in Batticaloa."
Warning from a Military Officer
In July 2001, a military officer named Col. Manawaduge warned Nadesan. He was called to the officer's office. He was told that he only wrote news and articles that were against the government and the military. He was warned that if he continued, he could face trouble under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. The Free Media Movement spoke out about this incident on July 24, 2001. The United Nations Special Rapporteur also reported on this incident in February 2002.
See Also
- Sri Lankan civil war
