How the media negotiates blood, pain and police brutality while on duty

Following a tumultuous day, on which protesters stormed into President’s House on July 9,  the then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa officially, via speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene, announced that he would resign on July 13. 

Tens of thousands of protestors stormed into the President’s House and the Presidential Secretariat; all this wasthe culmination of never seen public discontentment over the past months. 

Jubilant crowds were enjoying the swimming pool facility, lying on cosy beds and capturing the best moments of the Aragalaya. A few were even using the kitchen. 

However, the peaceful protest since morning was under threat when a tense situation occurred near the Prime Minister’s residence around 7 pm on that historic July day. 

Media freedom was under severe threat when four Sirasa TV News First journalists were grotesquely attacked while they were on duty by the Police and the Special Task Force personnel close to the private residence of Wickremesinghe.

Accordingly, while covering the incident, journalists Sarasi Pieris, Waruna Sampath, UD Sinthujan, Janitha Mendis, and two media workers who went to rescue them - Kalimuththu Chandran and Chanuka Weerakoon, were hospitalised following the brutal assault by security officers.

Daily Mirror visited the injured journalists at the National Hospital Colombo to uncover what exactly transpired during the incident. 

Pieris speaking to Daily Mirror, said that starting from the Colombo Fort, she had been covering proceedings since morning. She had returned to the office around 4 pm as her mobile was running low on battery. She had also wanted to have lunch. Then again, with Waruna Sampath, she had rushed to the Prime Minister’s residence following the tear gas attacks on the protestors as per the request by the authorities at the newsroom.

“ I was walking with the mike hand while Waruna was carrying the camera. When we reached the place, STF was chasing civilians with batons. And I saw a gun being fired; I am not sure whether those were rubber bullets, but I saw a spark from the gun and there was a sound. At that moment I was on a call connected to the office, reporting that a tense situation was unraveling. We then hurried to a corner surrounded by trees while the recorder was on. The security officers chased the civilians, and then they came towards us. They were shouting at us, saying “you achieved what you wanted,  so leave. You media are not allowing us to do our jobs” (Ogollonta ona de karagaththane, me media apita rassawa karaganna denneth na). Then Waruna replied, saying that we were doing our duty to the people. 

Sarasi said that Janitha had also been around them initially, but had lost track of him until she heard Janith screaming at the security officers, saying he needed to take the other two journalists with him. “ The other two were us. By then, the security officers had surrounded Waruna and started beating him. He fell down and tried his best to shield himself from the attacks using his camera. I really believed that they would shoot at us, so I ran towards our vehicle, but  I was attacked suddenly. Around three or four officers attacked me and I fell. I was begging them not to beat me, but they paid no heed,” she sighed.  Sarasi sustained a severe head injury and showed us her badly beaten body which was displaying bluish bruises.

Waruna Sampath,  elaborating on the incident, said that while they were reaching their destination, they felt that the security personnel was chasing the civilians. “I was walking with a live recording turned on. After some time, we were confronted by the security officers, and I explained that we were simply doing our duty. There was an SSP as well. I showed my ID to him, but he just turned away. Within seconds I was surrounded by the security officers and being beaten. I was being severely attacked on the head, and it was unbearable. I tried shielding my head using the camera. Then one STF officer dragged me away and told me to run, but they still beat my legs. Somehow, I managed to run away and inched towards a bus halt nearby, completely beaten and exhausted. Gladly, some protestors were nearby, and they supported me,” he added. 

Janitha Mendis, the new Media Team manager, speaking to Daily Mirror, said that he was at the Presidential Secretariat when he got the message that protestors were attacked with tear gas near the Prime Minister’s residence. “ There was a barricade near Flower Road, and I was allowed to go in by the security officers. I saw Waruna and Sarasi arguing with the security personnel. I turned on the live feed while going in because we wanted to report the truth. When I was entering, a security officer started shouting at me, “You got what you wanted, so leave now (Dan umbalata ona de unane, dan yanna).” At that moment, I was attacked by an officer from the back. I asked why they were attacking me, and they pushed me using their shields. I was videoing what was happening while they were attacking me, and I was attacked from all sides. When I turned, I saw Sarasi being beaten by three-four security personnel and she was screaming for mercy. Some civilians helped me escape, and when I reached Sarasi she was bleeding from her head profusely,” he added.

Janitha, while showing the handkerchief he used to put pressure on Sarasi’s injured head while she was bleeding, sighed. 

Chanuka Weerakoon, news 1st News Editor, who went to assist the injured journalists and report on what happened to the journalists, was also attacked. 

“ We went in a vehicle fully stickered with the News 1st Logo and wore the official News 1st T-shirt. We got out of the vehicle and walked towards where the  incident was taking place. Then a civilian came to the front and told the security officers that we were from the media and not to attack. Nevertheless, at the same moment, tear gas was thrown in front of me. I staggered backwards a little and then again asked not to attack us because we had come to take back our fellow journalists. Then again, tear gas was fired. After a little while, a police officer came running to my side with a baton, and I ran back about 500m. When I heard a civilian had been attacked, I turned back. Then the aforementioned police officer attacked me. Two-three police officers or STF caught me then, and I was brutally attacked. While they attacked, another tear gas was fired; I barely managed to find a tap nearby to wash my face, and our colleagues took me to the hospital,” he said. 

Chanuka said that he was severely beaten and suffered injuries to his head, neck, and back. He added that he requires a neck collar to recover from the injuries. 

Daily Mirror also contacted Police Spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa to inquire about the incident. “ We openly apologised to the media institution and assured that necessary legal action would be taken upon investigations. The very same day, the IGP requested the special investigation unit to conduct an inquiry in this regard.  Accordingly, the inquiry is ongoing,” he said. 

Apart from that, he said that the identified officers have been temporarily removed from their assigned duties. According to the latest report, SSP R. A. Liyanage has been interdicted with immediate effect in connection with the attacks. 

Daily Mirror also contacted Executive Group Director, the MTV Media Network,  Chevaan Daniel, to inquire about the incident. He said that swift legal action would be taken by the company to ensure that justice is served on those who brutally assaulted News 1st journalists.