The Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI) yesterday issued the following statement about the abduction of journalist Krishni Ifham by a yet unidentified group widely believed to belong to a state agency.

``The Sri Lanka Press Institute is deeply disturbed about the re-appearance of the dreaded white van when journalist Krishni Ifham was bundled into a vehicle outside her mother’s Wattala home and driven apparently to Kandy by three persons (the driver and two others) who she believed were policemen as they told her they needed a statement from her.

``This young mother of two children who works for the Inter News, a media development institution, had at the end of her long ride been asked some questions about her previous employment in the Panos office in Colombo, dropped off at the Kandy bus stand with Rs. 200 bus fare to get home to Wattala.

``She first lodged a complaint with the Wattala police and thereafter with Kiribathgoda police as requested by the police as she lives within the jurisdiction of the latter police station.

``The SLPI has no quarrel with the journalist, like any other citizen, being questioned by a legitimate law enforcement agency in connection with any investigation that is underway. If this was the case, she could have been requested to report to a specified police station or even taken there with a chaperone, and any questions that needed answers asked and a statement duly recorded.

``But why a white van and, presumably, a drive to Kandy? The victim does not know exactly where she was taken because there were curtains on the van and she could not see where it was headed. She presumes it was Kandy because she was eventually dropped off at the Kandy bus stand.

``Ifham says that she was in no way harassed, given a bun and a sachet of milk and was questioned in a civilized manner. No statement, however, had been recorded. As this is being written, nothing further has been heard about this matter and there had been neither an admission nor denial of the suspicion that an agency of the state was involved.

``Other more serious cases including the killing of Lasantha Wickramatunga followed by an assault on Upali Tennakoon, editor of the Rivira and, more recently, breaking Poddala Jayantha’s leg, remain unsolved. There is a strong perception both locally and overseas that the harassment of journalists bear a State imprimatur. Such will be the general belief until it is proved otherwise.

``We stress with all the emphasis at our command that this must stop. If an agency of the State is in fact involved, those responsible must be brought to account. If not, whoever is engaging in such actions is clearly bent on falsely implicating the State and must be urgently brought to book.