SLWJA condemns actor's threats against journalist

The Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association in a press communique yesterday expressed disgust over the incident of film actor Ranjan Ramanayake abusing Lake House journalist Anura Bandara Rajaguru in obscene language and threatening him with death opposite the Lake House building on June 20. Anura Bandara Rajaguru is the Co-editor of "Lak Janatha" daily of the Lake House.

Posing death threats on Rajaguru on the basis of an article he contributed to a newspaper is a serious violation of his human rights as well as a threat to media freedom, the press communique said.

This behaviour on the part of Ramanayake is utterly ridiculous and distasteful in view of his standing as a strong proponent of the campaign against the culture of political thuggery. If Ramanayake thinks that his cinematic heroism can frighten the media personalities of this country we have to reiterate that it is an outright misbelief, the media release added.

We request the authorities concerned to take appropriate action on the complaint made by Rajaguru to the Fort Police Station regarding this incident, urged the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association's media communique yesterday.