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Sunday, July 31, 2011

Suspected EPDP goons assault 59 year old news editor of Jaffna newspaper

by D.B.S. Jeyaraj
Gnanasundaram Kuhanathan, News Editor of Tamil Daily”Uthayan” was attacked with iron rods in Jaffna by 2 thugs suspected to be from the EPDP

59 year old Kuhanathan was admitted to the Jaffna hospital&is undergoing intensive treatment for serious head injuries caused by the assault

The attack occurred around 7.30 pm on July 28th near the Manohara theatre when Kuhanathan was walking from office to his home for dinner
The 2 thugs waiting at the spot around 30 minutes had come behind Kuhanathan stealthily & struck him on the head first & then kept on hitting
Though several persons saw the assault none dared to intervene as the 2 thugs allegedly belonged to the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP)
As the thugs fled on a motor cycle,Kuhanathan bleeding profusely & shouting “Amma, amma” (mother, mother) ran into his house which was close by
Employees of “Uthayan” rushed to the house in vehicles after being informed of the incident & took the unconscious victim to Jaffna hospital
Although a complaint was lodged & Police are conducting “inquiries” no serious arrest is likely to be made as the EPDP was behind the attack
The EPDP has been systematically targetting the “Uthayan” newspaper as the party perceived it as being pro-LTTE & pro -TNA & anti – EPDP
2 workers were killed in May 2006 when 5 EPDP gunmen launched an attack on the newspaper premises. Later Grenades were hurled in March 2009
Currently the Uthayan is perceived as a mouthpiece of the Tamil National Alliance as the owner E.Saravanabavan is a TNA Jaffna district MP
While Saravanabavan has Police protection as a MP, the defenceless Uthayan journalists are being attacked by the cowardly EPDP Goon squad
On May 28th 2011,”Uthayan” staff reporter S.Kavitharan (31) was attacked by suspected EPDP goons near Jaffna Hindu College on his way to work
Kavitharan was hospitalised after the attack which happened at about 6.30 am in the presence of several persons who were afraid to testify
Jaffna People are afraid to testify against the EPDP as they do not trust the Police which is seen as being controlled by Douglas Devananda
(This is a bundle of tweets posted on Twitter by DBS Jeyaraj)