Slain Tamil journalist Sahadevan Nilakshan remembered in Jaffna 19 years on

Tamil journalist Sahathevan Nilakshan, who was shot and killed by suspected Sri Lankan military intelligence personnel on August 1, 2007, was remembered in Jaffna on Saturday.

At a time when the Jaffna district was on lockdown due to military-imposed curfew, and the city’s streets were heaving with troops, so-called unidentified gunmen were able to approach Nilakshan’s home in Kokkuvil. 

The perpetrators forced a friend of the journalist to accompany them to Nilakshan’s home and call him outside, before gunning him down.

Nilakshans family, friends and fellow journalists gathered at the Jaffna Press Club on August 1 to remember him. A garland was placed around a portrait of Nilakshan and flowers were laid and lamps were lit in his memory.

At the time of his death, Nilakshan was a media studies student at the University of Jaffnas Media Resources and Training Centre and served as the editor of Saaralam magazine. He was also a former president of the Jaffna University Students Union.

During the armed conflict, at least 41 Tamil journalists were assassinated but no one has been held accountable for the deaths. Today, Tamil journalists remain under the threat and face intimidation by Sri Lankas security forces for reporting on issues affecting Tamils in the North-East.