The Sri Lankan government has publicly accused prominent Tamil journalist and human rights defender Kumanan Kanapathipillai of “terrorist activities and financial crime” during a UN session, in what has been described as a deliberate smear campaign to intimidate him.
At the Committee on Enforced Disappearances in Geneva on Friday, a Sri Lankan government representative claimed there was “reliable information” linking Kumanan to “terrorist activities and financial crime,” alleging that he had “provoked protestors against government forces for personal gain.”
M T T Ruwan Kumara, Director of the Criminal Records Division (CID) of the Sri Lankan police, went on to claim that police investigations had “discovered 31 SIM cards used by the same person,” adding that, “if it is dual SIM, that equals 16 and a half/17 phones.” The official told the UN body that Kumanan’s statement had been recorded by the Counter Terrorism and Investigation Division (CTID), after he was summoned in Mullaitivu last month, and that he was questioned “in front of two attorneys.”
Rights organisations and journalists condemned the remarks as baseless and dangerous. “It is normal for SIM cards to be activated and expire over time, and he has had many since 2014,” one source said. “He has never provoked protestors, as they falsely claim. This was a deliberate attempt by the government to threaten and smear him and his reputation internationally.”
The smear comes after repeated harassment of Kumanan by Sri Lankan security forces, particularly in the run-up to UN Human Rights Council sessions. He was summoned to the CTID sub-station in Alampil on August 17 for what police called an “inquiry,” a move that drew widespread condemnation from rights defenders.
The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders has previously raised concerns about the intimidation of Kumanan.
Advocacy groups have warned that Colombo’s latest remarks mark a dangerous escalation.
“We are now increasingly worried for his safety, as it is clear the government is engaging in a witch hunt determined to silence him and his journalistic activities,” a source told the Tamil Guardian.
Tamil journalists across the North-East continue to face heavy surveillance, interrogations, and intimidation, particularly around memorial and protest events. The public attack on Kumanan at a UN forum, observers warn, shows the lengths to which the state will go to discredit and endanger those documenting abuses.
