PassionParade
Chant and Chant
Journalists and activists took the space on Hospital Road in Jaffna while chanting slogans to protect media freedom.
A protest was organised by Free Media Movement (FMM), Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance (SLTMA), Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum (SLMMF), Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association (SLWJA), Federation of Media Employees Trade Union (SLMETU),Media Movement for Democracy (MMD) and South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA).Nearly 47 journalists from Colombo traveled to Jaffna by A9 highway to show solidarity. They condemned the brutal assault by protesting in front of the Sri Lanka Transport Board bus stand in Jaffna on 16th of August 2011. It was a rare protest for the Peninsula people to witness. “ஏதாவது பிரச்சினையோ?” ~ “Is there any problem?”, “என்ன பிரச்சினை?” ~ “What is the problem?”, “இங்கை என்ன நடக்குது?” ~ “What is happening here?” a few onlookers, passers ~ by and shop keepers asked me while the protest was getting underway on a balmy day in Jaffna. “இங்கை உண்மையா என்ன நடக்குது? ~ “What is actually happening here” asked the owner of a newly built restaurant, while I was running to the restaurant roof top to capture the moments on my camera.
There was chaos as the protesters arrived in Jaffna town with placards in Tamil. Police in the vicinity came closer and asked them not to block the traffic. Verbal argument took place between the Police and the protesters. But the protesters kept chanting and walking. The traffic came to a standstill for a couple of moments, as the protesters took the space on the mot busiest road in Jaffna, the Hospital road while carrying the placards in Tamil ~ “யாழ்ப்பாண ஊடகவியலாளர்களுக்கு யார் பாதுகாப்பு?” ~ “Who is responsible for the lives of the journalists in Jaffna?”, “ஊடக சுதந்திரம் பாதுகாக்கப்பட வேண்டும்” ~ “Media freedom needs to be protected”, “எப்போ முடியும் யாழ்ப்பாணத்தில் அடக்குமுறைகள்?” ~ “When will the suppression come to an end in Jaffna?”, “ஊடக சுதந்திரத்தைப் பாதுகாக்க ஒன்றுபடுவோம்” ~ Let’s unite to protect media freedom”, “குகநாதனுக்கு விழுந்த அடி உண்மைக்கு விழுந்த பேரிடி”~ Assault on Kuganathan is an assault on the Truth, “ஊடகத்துறைக்கு எதிரான அடக்குமுறையை ஒழிப்போம்” ~ Eradicate Suppression Against the Media” “ஊடகத்தின் மீதான தாக்குதலை உடனே நிறுத்து” ~ “Stop Attacking the Media Immediately”, “ஜனநாயகத்தின் குரலை ஒடுக்காதே” ~ “Don’t Suppress the voice of Democracy”, “தேர்தலில் தோற்றவர்களா மண்டையைப் பிளந்தார்கள்?” ~ “Did they split the head those who lost the elections?”
The protesters chanted “Let Us Write”,“Continue; Continue; Continue to Write”,“Do Not Kill; Do Not Kill; Do Not Kill Us; Do Not Kill the Journalists, Do Not Kill the Democracy”,“Uthyan was attacked, but nobody was arrested”, “Bring the culprit to the courts”“Do Not Attack; Do Not Attack; Do Not Attack the Media”, “Take Your Hands Off Media”“Stop; Stop; Stop the Suppression” “Kuganathan; Kuganthan who wrote the plight of the people”, “Kuganathan was attacked with Iron rods”,“Kuganathan; Kuganathan; Keep Writing, “Lift the Emergency Immediately” in Tamil and Sinhala. There were nearly 350 journalists, activists and politicians participated in the protest according to the organisers.
“I want to continue to highlight the activities against the humanity” ~ Gnanasundaram Kuganathan. Please click passionparade.blogspot.com/2011/08/i-want-to-continue-to-... to read and view more.
Chant and Chant
Journalists and activists took the space on Hospital Road in Jaffna while chanting slogans to protect media freedom.
A protest was organised by Free Media Movement (FMM), Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance (SLTMA), Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum (SLMMF), Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association (SLWJA), Federation of Media Employees Trade Union (SLMETU),Media Movement for Democracy (MMD) and South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA).Nearly 47 journalists from Colombo traveled to Jaffna by A9 highway to show solidarity. They condemned the brutal assault by protesting in front of the Sri Lanka Transport Board bus stand in Jaffna on 16th of August 2011. It was a rare protest for the Peninsula people to witness. “ஏதாவது பிரச்சினையோ?” ~ “Is there any problem?”, “என்ன பிரச்சினை?” ~ “What is the problem?”, “இங்கை என்ன நடக்குது?” ~ “What is happening here?” a few onlookers, passers ~ by and shop keepers asked me while the protest was getting underway on a balmy day in Jaffna. “இங்கை உண்மையா என்ன நடக்குது? ~ “What is actually happening here” asked the owner of a newly built restaurant, while I was running to the restaurant roof top to capture the moments on my camera.
There was chaos as the protesters arrived in Jaffna town with placards in Tamil. Police in the vicinity came closer and asked them not to block the traffic. Verbal argument took place between the Police and the protesters. But the protesters kept chanting and walking. The traffic came to a standstill for a couple of moments, as the protesters took the space on the mot busiest road in Jaffna, the Hospital road while carrying the placards in Tamil ~ “யாழ்ப்பாண ஊடகவியலாளர்களுக்கு யார் பாதுகாப்பு?” ~ “Who is responsible for the lives of the journalists in Jaffna?”, “ஊடக சுதந்திரம் பாதுகாக்கப்பட வேண்டும்” ~ “Media freedom needs to be protected”, “எப்போ முடியும் யாழ்ப்பாணத்தில் அடக்குமுறைகள்?” ~ “When will the suppression come to an end in Jaffna?”, “ஊடக சுதந்திரத்தைப் பாதுகாக்க ஒன்றுபடுவோம்” ~ Let’s unite to protect media freedom”, “குகநாதனுக்கு விழுந்த அடி உண்மைக்கு விழுந்த பேரிடி”~ Assault on Kuganathan is an assault on the Truth, “ஊடகத்துறைக்கு எதிரான அடக்குமுறையை ஒழிப்போம்” ~ Eradicate Suppression Against the Media” “ஊடகத்தின் மீதான தாக்குதலை உடனே நிறுத்து” ~ “Stop Attacking the Media Immediately”, “ஜனநாயகத்தின் குரலை ஒடுக்காதே” ~ “Don’t Suppress the voice of Democracy”, “தேர்தலில் தோற்றவர்களா மண்டையைப் பிளந்தார்கள்?” ~ “Did they split the head those who lost the elections?”
The protesters chanted “Let Us Write”,“Continue; Continue; Continue to Write”,“Do Not Kill; Do Not Kill; Do Not Kill Us; Do Not Kill the Journalists, Do Not Kill the Democracy”,“Uthyan was attacked, but nobody was arrested”, “Bring the culprit to the courts”“Do Not Attack; Do Not Attack; Do Not Attack the Media”, “Take Your Hands Off Media”“Stop; Stop; Stop the Suppression” “Kuganathan; Kuganthan who wrote the plight of the people”, “Kuganathan was attacked with Iron rods”,“Kuganathan; Kuganathan; Keep Writing, “Lift the Emergency Immediately” in Tamil and Sinhala. There were nearly 350 journalists, activists and politicians participated in the protest according to the organisers.
“I want to continue to highlight the activities against the humanity” ~ Gnanasundaram Kuganathan. Please click passionparade.blogspot.com/2011/08/i-want-to-continue-to-... to read and view more.