Rashmi Mohamed

A 2002 cease-fire between the predominantly Sinhalese government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which claims territory for an ethnic Tamil homeland, was abandoned in January. Ethnic Tamil journalists perceived as supporting independence have long been under murderous attack, but 2008 brought an escalation in physical and verbal attacks on mainstream journalists who dared to be critical of the government’s military operations.

We issued this statement today after learning of the death of Rashmi Mohamed, a provincial correspondent for Sirasa TV. He was one of 27 people who died when a suspected rebel suicide bomber blew himself up today inside a crowded opposition party office in Anuradhapura in northern Sri Lanka.

"We join with our Sri Lankan colleagues and the family of Rashmi Mohamed in mourning his death. It is saddening to lose a journalist while they are doing their job, but it is a reminder of the dangers that they face in countries like Sri Lanka where violence has become so commonplace," said Bob Dietz, CPJ's Asia program coordinator.