Tamil journalists have strongly condemned the attempted attack on their colleague Shanmugam Thavaseelan, who was targeted while investigating illegal sand mining activities in the Mullaitivu District.
The incident is the latest in a worrying trend of threats and violence against Tamil journalists, particularly those working in the North-East, where reporting on corruption, environmental exploitation, and human rights violations often puts them at risk.
The incident occurred in the 18th Ward under the occupying Sri Lankan Mankulam Police Division, where Thavaseelan was documenting illegal sand mining activities in a forest area approximately one kilometer from the A-9 road. While recording a video of sand being piled up, two individuals arrived on a motorcycle (vehicle numbers NP BFR 8429) and attempted to snatch his camera. They threatened to kill him and physically assaulted him, forcing him to flee the scene.
In addition to the attempted attack, the perpetrators reportedly removed a plowing machine used for illegal sand mining from the site and issued death threats to Thavaseelan, warning him against exposing their activities. The journalist has since filed a formal complaint with the Sri Lankan Police in Mankulam.
Tamil journalists has raised the issue with Sri Lanka's media minister Nalinda Jayatissa, who has assured them that action will be taken. However, the journalists emphasized that this incident should not be treated as an isolated or routine matter but as a serious threat to the life of a journalist and a direct attack on press freedom.
This attack is part of a disturbing pattern of intimidation and violence against Tamil journalists in the North-East, where reporters often face significant risks for exposing illegal activities, corruption, and human rights abuses. Journalists in the region have long operated in a climate of fear, with many facing harassment, threats, and physical violence from powerful actors, including state-backed groups, criminal networks, and other vested interests.