Mariathas Manojanraj

Mariathas Manojanraj <Ta>
Died	July 27, 2006 Jaffna
Occupation	Newspaper distributor for Thinakkural
Ethnicity	Sri Lankan Tamil

Mariathas Manojanraj was a minority Sri Lankan Tamil distributor for the Tamil newspaper Thinakkural from Jaffna, Sri Lanka. He was killed by a mine which exploded when he went to collect newspapers for distribution on 27 July 2006 in Navakeeri near Jaffna.^[1]

Background

Mariathas Manojanraj was part of a series of killing of Tamil media workers particularly those seen supporting the Tamil nationalist cause as the newspaper Thinakkural was seen to be doing. It was seen as part of the intimidation of Tamil media.^[2] Free Media Movement an International Federation of Journalists associate reported that newspapers like Sudor Oli and Thinakkural have received threats from anti-LTTE para-military groups demanding that their distribution be stopped and there were attempts to unofficially censure Tamil media organisations.^[3]

Incident