The pathetic plight of journalists in Sri Lanka: “Satans rule and corpses eat the law books” - Uthayan Editorial


(Uthayan Editorial via Tamil Insight, 10 01 2009) - The technical studio of one of the most popular and private MTV/MBC television networks that belongs to Maharaja group in Colombo was fired down and devastated in a major armed attack by unidentified persons on wee hours of last Tuesday. Before the smoke from the attacks subsided, unidentified persons gunned down Lasanta Wikramatunga, the chief editor of Sunday Leader in broad day light on streets in Ratmalana, Colombo. Wickramatunga fought for his life for a few hours in the hospital before finally giving in.

Lasanta was a courageous journalist who had consistently exposed the loopholes, red-tapism, atrocities and corruption of the government in everything from war to development in every weekly issue of Sunday Leader.

In his latest editorial, he had written with deep anguish on how the Southern Lanka treated the minority Tamils in the name of military victory.

Since he had consistently exposed the negativities of those in power through meticulous investigative reports, Lasantha was often considered controversial and unwanted for the administration. Now that has turned to be his nemesis.

The incidents that are taking place in Southern Lanka following the victory of Kilinochchi have created tension and anguish among people especially the Tamils. The day after MTV studio was attacked, LTTE was banned in Colombo. Even then, there were doubts about repercussions to such a move.
As far as the Tigers are concerned, the government has initiated many steps against them much before. Hence though the government had announced a ban amid celebrations it is not going to create any new pressure for the Tigers. So it is widely believed that journalists would be affected by this ban.

Those who publish news and details about the Tigers and those journalists who are in touch with the LTTE leaders for the sake of work would be the worst affected. It would now be easier for the government to harass them under emergency laws and gazette regulations. That would be the only use of this ban. The attack on MTV’s museum, the ban on LTTE and the assassination of Lasantha Wickramutunga only indicate that the media freedom in Sri Lanka has plunged into depths from where it just cannot be retrieved.

US Consul general in Colombo Robert Blake has also pointed out this eventuality. He had mentioned that journalism is a dangerous proposition in Lanka. In the same vein, he has added that only journalists can provide a solution to the ethnic crisis. They have to identify, express and publish the fundamental reasons for the racial discord and thus help achieve a solution, Blake has said.
He has said that independent media can play a greater role in ensuring good governance, ensuring participation of all communities in a society, functioning of a democracy and freedom of expression.
For ‘committing the crime’ of making such valid contribution as a journalist, Sunday Leader’s Chief Editor Lasantha Wikramatunga has been ‘honoured’ with the bullets.

The invisible hands of the powers that had no courage to face the questions risen by Wickramatunga in a just and fair manner has assassinated him in a disgustingly fearful way and gloats in hiding.
Tamil poet Bharathi’s statement “When Satans rule, corpses will eat the books of laws” (’பேயரசு செய்தால் பிணம் தின்னும் சாத்திரங்கள்’) perhaps become true in Colombo…!

(An English translation of the Editorial in the Uthayan, a Tamil daily, based in Jaffna. Translation by tamilinsight.org)

This entry was posted on Saturday, January 10th, 2009 and is filed under Editorials, News & Analysis. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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