Killing of a young journalist shakes Yalppanam.

Sahathevan Nilakshan, 22, a young media student at Yalppanam University Media Research and Training Center and a part time journalist was shot dead on 01.08.2007 around 5:00 a.m. by unidentified gunmen on motorcycle in front of his house. The killers called the victim out of his house at Station Road, Kokkuvil West in Yalppanam and gunned him down. Nilakshan was one of the editors of ‘Chaa’laram’, a popular student magazine published by Yalppanam District Student Federation.

Nilakshan had actively participated in the second death anniversary of assassinated journalist Tharaki Sivaram held recently. Deluxshan, an old student of Jaffna Hindu College . His mother is the principal of Kokkuvil Hindu Primary school.

Varman, another energetic and young journalist who was one of the organizers of Sivaram’s first death anniversary, was shot dead allegedly by paramilitary members operating with Sri Lanka Army and police in Jaffna peninsula. The brazen killing of the young and promising media student and many youths being killed summarily by motor cycle riding armed men right inside Sri Lanka Army (SLA) High Security Zone (HSZ) in recent times, has paralysed the people of Yaalppanam peninsula.

His father, Rajaratnam Sahadevan, 59, testified at the inquest:

“At around 5.30 in the morning, three people entered our house in Kokkuvil through the front door. They demanded that we open the door, which we refused to do. The intruders broke down the door and asked for the names of our two sons. We gave the names. They took out the younger son, Nilakshan, and said they had to speak to him. They also told us not to leave the house..

We heard them talking in the front hall of the house. After a while we heard shots. The intruders ran away and jumped over the gate. My son was injured and fell to the ground. One of the perpetrators was wearing long trousers and a turban, the other two were wearing half trousers and suits.”

Nilakshan was courageous, energetic and had leadership qualities. He campaigned for the democratic rights of the Eelamtamil people and the educational rights of the Eelam Tamil students in the Yalppanam peninsula during and after his education at Hindu College. He actively participated in protests against the killings, abductions, rapes, tortures and robberies committed by the Sri Lankan armed forces and paramilitary groups against the Eelam Tamil population.

Despite threats by the Sri Lankan police and army to punish participation in protests with gunfire, Nilakshan mobilised many students to participate during the Ponguthamil event in 2001. As secretary of the Tamil Students’ Association, he campaigned for the educational development of poor Eelam Tamil students in the Yalppanam peninsula. He promoted solidarity and co-operation among the students, created a Tamil national consciousness and a sense of freedom from the Sinhalese occupation.

We have lost a valuable young leader with personality and spirit of freedom. The Mahinda Rajapaksa government has destroyed the future of the young generation of Eelam Tamils by killing such people.

Nilakshan’s dedication and commitment will be greatly missed by the students and the community in the Yalppanam peninsula.