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| Slain young Tamil journalist S. Nilakshan was killed in front of his house in Jaffna on August 1, 2001 by unknown assassins. |
Nineteen years have passed since the killing of Sahathevan Nilakshan, a young Tamil journalist, media student at the University of Jaffna, and editor of the student magazine Saaralam. On this 19th anniversary of his killing, we solemnly remember his life, honour his commitment to journalism, and once again call for truth, justice, and accountability, a statement from his family and friends said.
On 1 August 2007, while Jaffna was under one of the strictest military curfews during the armed conflict in Sri Lanka, armed men arrived at Nilakshan's family home in Kokkuvil in the early hours of the morning. They called him outside and shot him dead in front of his parents. He was only 22 years old.
Nilakshan had recently returned to Jaffna after successfully completing a two-week journalism training programme in Colombo. He was an active media student at the University of Jaffna and had previously served as President and later Patron of the Jaffna Tamil Students' Union. He was widely respected as a promising young journalist committed to truth, public service, and the free exchange of ideas.
The circumstances surrounding his killing remain deeply troubling. The assassination took place in an area that was under heavy military control and during a period of strict curfew, raising serious and longstanding questions as to how armed perpetrators were able to move freely and carry out the attack without interception. To this day, these questions remain unanswered.
Nineteen years later, no one has been held accountable for Nilakshan's killing. No credible investigation has produced justice for his family, his colleagues, or the wider media community. His mother, who waited for more than fifteen years in the hope that those responsible would be brought to justice, passed away without seeing accountability for the murder of her son.
Nilakshan's case continues to symbolize the broader pattern of violence against journalists in Sri Lanka and the persistent culture of impunity that has denied justice to victims and their families. His killing is not merely an unresolved individual crime; it represents a continuing challenge to freedom of expression, press freedom, the rule of law, and democratic accountability.
While commemorating the 19th anniversary of his killing, we respectfully urge the Government of Sri Lanka to “conduct an independent, impartial, effective, and transparent investigation into the killing of Sahathevan Nilakshan.
“Ensure that all those responsible, regardless of rank or position, are identified, prosecuted, and held accountable in accordance with international standards.
Take concrete measures to combat impunity for crimes committed against journalists and human rights defenders.” the statement said.
Strengthen protections for media workers and guarantee an environment in which journalists can carry out their work without fear of violence or intimidation.
“We also call upon the United Nations, international human rights mechanisms, diplomatic missions, and international press freedom organizations to continue monitoring this case and to support efforts aimed at ensuring truth, justice, accountability, and guarantees of non-recurrence.”
Remembering Nilakshan is not only about honouring one young journalist whose life was violently cut short. It is also about reaffirming the universal principles of justice, freedom of expression, and the protection of those who courageously seek and report the truth, the statement said.
“Justice delayed should not become justice denied. On this day, we pay our deepest respects to Sahathevan Nilakshan and stand in solidarity with all journalists and families who continue to seek truth, justice, and accountability.” (Northeastern Monitor/August 2/2026)
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