Sri Lanka: Letter from Sandhya Ekneligoda

Mr. Ban Ki-moon
Secretary General, of the United Nations
New York.

24th January 2011

Dear Sir,

Disappearance of Journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda on 24th January 2010

I am the wife of journalist, Prageeth Ekneligoda, who disappeared on 24th January 2010.  I am also the mother of Sanjaya and Harith Ekneligoda, aged 16 and 13 respectively. Our sons have been severely traumatized by their father’s disappearance and still live in anticipation of his return, even though one year has passed, with no information of his whereabouts.

Prageeth Ekneligoda is a journalist, cartoonist and human rights defender who at the time of his disappearance had over 20 years experience in the media field. Prageeth was an independent journalist, dedicated to creating a more progressive and rights oriented Sri Lankan community. To this end, Prageeth continuously wrote on key social and political issues including minority rights, women’s rights and the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. Above all, Prageeth was a peaceful man who advocated a negotiated, political solution to the ethnic conflict. Prageeth openly condemned the Government’s war policy and was critical of the human rights violations committed against civilians in the North and East.

In late 2008, Prageeth produced conclusive evidence of the use of chemical weapons by Government forces against Tamil civilians in the North. Prageeth, who believed that such weapons were being used with the aim of annihilating the Tamil population living in LTTE controlled areas, dedicated his time and effort to gathering further evidence and to raising awareness regarding this issue at different forums both locally and internationally.

On 27th August 2009, Prageeth was abducted in a white van by a group of unidentified men, who held him overnight in what he believes is a military torture chamber and released him the following day.  Following his release, Prageeth was aware of a threat to his life and security and believed that his communication and activities had been placed under close surveillance by the Government.

Despite these threats, Prageeth eventually resumed work as a journalist and was outspoken in his criticism of this Government’s military policy. He highlighted the human cost of the war on civilians living in conflict areas and produced evidence of human rights violations committed by Government forces including the use of chemical weapons. Following the announcement of Presidential Elections in November 2009, Prageeth, who desired change above all else, worked together with several civil society groups and the main opposition party to support the candidature of General Sarath Fonseka as the Common Opposition Candidate.

On 24th January 2010, two days prior to the Presidential Election, Prageeth was abducted by a group of unknown persons, while on his way home from work. Prageeth has not been seen or heard from since then. Neither has his disappearance been investigated by the Sri Lankan police.  I have submitted several complaints to the local police and to the Inspector General of Police regarding his disappearance, but to date, no credible investigation has been conducted based on my complaints. I have also submitted a complaint to the National Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (NHRC) and letters to the Honorable Attorney General, the Presidential Secretariat and several key Government and opposition figures. Internationally, I have submitted a complaint to the U.N. Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances (Annex 1) and the International Committee of the Red Cross in Sri Lanka. More recently I submitted a detailed account of Prageeth’s disappearance and related documents to the U.N. Panel on Sri Lanka set up by you. (Annex 2).

I have spent the past year since Prageeth’s disappearance, following up every source that may provide information on Prageeth’s fate or whereabouts. I have consistently demanded accountability for his disappearance and called for a credible investigation into the circumstances of his disappearance by the local police. However to date, all national institutions including the police and the NHRC have refused to investigate the incident or provide any relief to my family.  Various government officials and police spokespersons have made various statements with variety of promises, but they have not been kept and the Habeas Corpus case I filed in Sri Lankan courts had also not brought any relief. (Annex 3)

The continued refusal of Government institutions including the police, to investigate Prageeth’s case has led me to believe that this Government or its agents were in some way complicit in Prageeth’s disappearance.
Suppression and violent reprisals against human rights defenders and media activists has become commonplace in Sri Lanka. I have faced threats and intimidations as a result of my quest for information and accountability in Prageeth’s case. As a result of these threats, my children and I face an uncertain future and live and work under constant fear.

As a citizen of a country which has membership in the United Nations and is bound by the United Nations Charter, I appeal to you and your office, through your representative in Sri Lanka and other mechanisms at your disposal, to intervene in Prageeth’s case and to persuade the Government to conduct a credible inquiry into his disappearance or to provide me with details regarding his whereabouts.

Prageeth’s disappearance was not an isolated incident, but took place against the backdrop of a series of attacks, abductions and killings committed against journalists and human rights defenders in Sri Lanka.  Prageeth Ekneligoda, Lasantha Wickrematunga and Sivaramam (Taraki) are three such journalists who paid a supreme sacrifice in order to build a more progressive and peaceful Sri Lanka. Their sacrifice was based on a universal love and respect for the sanctity of life and the humanity of future generations in this country.  All three, Prageeth, Lasantha and Sivaramam have left behind grieving children and families who to date have not received an adequate response from the Government as to the circumstances of their fathers’ death or abduction.

I use this opportunity to draw attention to the fate, not just of my children, but to the suffering of a growing population of children of murdered or disappeared human rights defenders who continue to wait for news of their parents.  These children are the future and hold the key to our survival. By brutally suppressing dissent and free speech in this manner and systematizing violence in Sri Lankan society, this Government has destroyed the children’s right to a peaceful and normal environment and has forever changed their future.  I believe that we have a duty to intervene in the face of such violence for the sake of our children and in the interest of all children in Sri Lanka. In doing this we continue the legacy of activists such as Prageeth.  

In light of the failure of the Sri Lankan Government to take any measures to provide redress to my family, I urge you to intervene in this case and to persuade the Government to provide details of Prageeth’s whereabouts or to conduct a credible inquiry into his disappearance.

My only hope is to hear the voices of my sons calling ‘thatha’ (father) in front of a living Prageeth.

Thanking you.

Yours Sincerely,

Sandhya Ekneligoda