05-04-2004, 08:58 PM
Police raid Tamil writer's home
<b>By Frances Harrison
BBC correspondent in Colombo </b>
<b>Police in Sri Lanka have raided the house of a prominent Tamil journalist, Dhamaratnam Sivaram, who edits the pro-rebel website TamilNet. </b>
A statement from the human rights group, Reporters Without Borders, said it now feared for his safety.
Mr Sivaram said at least 15 policemen searched his house on Monday night while he was not at home.
The raid came as Norwegian peace envoys are in Colombo trying to restart peace talks with the Tamil Tiger rebels.
This action against a well-known Tamil journalist does not send a positive signal as the Norwegian diplomats, led by Erik Solheim, try to get the government and the rebels back to the negotiating table.
<span style='color:#ff0009'><b>The raid... is an act of crude intimidation aimed at stepping up pressure on Mr Sivaram's family
R Thurairatnam
Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance</b>
Mr Sivaram said the police told his family that they were looking for weapons, possession of which would be an unbailable offence.
But Mr Sivaram, who was in eastern Sri Lanka at the time, said the police failed to find any weapons in his house.
<b>Intimidated </b>
A statement from Reporters Without Borders said the family was only shown an identification card by a police officer and they felt intimidated by the raid.
However, the police chief in Sri Lanka told the BBC that his men were acting on information and did have a warrant from a magistrate to conduct the search.
The Sri Lankan Tamil Media Alliance criticised the action against Mr Sivaram, calling it an act of crude intimidation, adding that the timing of the incident - on World Press Freedom Day - spoke volumes about the state of media freedom in Sri Lanka.
Reporters Without Borders called on the Sri Lankan government to provide a public explanation for the treatment of Mr Sivaram as well as "genuine guarantees" for his safety.
In recent weeks, the government has been increasingly concerned about the influx of illegal weapons into the capital from supporters of the breakaway rebel commander Colonel Karuna, in the east of the island.</span>
<b>By Frances Harrison
BBC correspondent in Colombo </b>
<b>Police in Sri Lanka have raided the house of a prominent Tamil journalist, Dhamaratnam Sivaram, who edits the pro-rebel website TamilNet. </b>
A statement from the human rights group, Reporters Without Borders, said it now feared for his safety.
Mr Sivaram said at least 15 policemen searched his house on Monday night while he was not at home.
The raid came as Norwegian peace envoys are in Colombo trying to restart peace talks with the Tamil Tiger rebels.
This action against a well-known Tamil journalist does not send a positive signal as the Norwegian diplomats, led by Erik Solheim, try to get the government and the rebels back to the negotiating table.
<span style='color:#ff0009'><b>The raid... is an act of crude intimidation aimed at stepping up pressure on Mr Sivaram's family
R Thurairatnam
Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance</b>
Mr Sivaram said the police told his family that they were looking for weapons, possession of which would be an unbailable offence.
But Mr Sivaram, who was in eastern Sri Lanka at the time, said the police failed to find any weapons in his house.
<b>Intimidated </b>
A statement from Reporters Without Borders said the family was only shown an identification card by a police officer and they felt intimidated by the raid.
However, the police chief in Sri Lanka told the BBC that his men were acting on information and did have a warrant from a magistrate to conduct the search.
The Sri Lankan Tamil Media Alliance criticised the action against Mr Sivaram, calling it an act of crude intimidation, adding that the timing of the incident - on World Press Freedom Day - spoke volumes about the state of media freedom in Sri Lanka.
Reporters Without Borders called on the Sri Lankan government to provide a public explanation for the treatment of Mr Sivaram as well as "genuine guarantees" for his safety.
In recent weeks, the government has been increasingly concerned about the influx of illegal weapons into the capital from supporters of the breakaway rebel commander Colonel Karuna, in the east of the island.</span>
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