Reuters Institute focuses on Sri Lankan journalism
By Bob Dietz/CPJ Asia Program Coordinator on December 28, 2012 11:08 AM EST
The most recent paper produced by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford, "Media Freedom in post-war Sri Lanka and its impact on the reconciliation process<," does a great job of cataloging the abuse Sri Lankan journalists continue to face after the decades-long civil conflict with Tamil secessionists ended in May 2009.
Written by BBC Tamil Service producer Swaminathan Natarajan, the report also outlines the wave of abuse that has come since President Mahinda Rajapaksa first rose to national power as prime minster in April 2004 before becoming president in 2005. Natarajan makes use of a lot of CPJ's data, but his 41-page report also sets the problems of Sri Lankan journalists in a broader political context. It's well worth the read.
Bill Sweeney is CPJ's editorial director, responsible for all of the organization's online and print publications. He is former New York City news editor for The Associated Press.