Dirty Tricks

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) – an international organisation that promotes media freedom -- voiced concern about last week's arson attack on the independent Sunday Leader newspaper's printing press in the run up to next month's polls.



Reporters Without Borders (RSF) – an international organisation that promotes media freedom -- voiced concern about last week's arson attack on the independent Sunday Leader newspaper's printing press in the run up to next month's polls. "We call on the authorities to put a stop to these acts of intimidation against independent media in order to allow journalists to work freely and ensure diversity in the press coverage of the election campaign," the press freedom organisation said.

Around seven or eight armed individuals entered the printing press in Ratmalana, near Colombo, at about 8 p.m. on 16 October, according to the police and employees present at the time.

They hit and threatened publication manager S.

A. Dias, demanded that printing of the newspapers should stop, and set fire to 40 bundles of newspapers before leaving.





The employees were able to put the fire out before it could spread to the presses.

In recent years, The English language Sunday Leader has developed a reputation for