The secretary of the Working Journalists’ Association Poddala Jayantha was torture by a gang of thugs on June 01, 2009.

LankaEnews

LankaEnews

Media persons that tried to save my life were produced in court; it is a crime, Poddala writes to the IGP

(Lanka-e-News, June 04, 2009, 4.00 PM) The secretary of the Working Journalists’ Association Poddala Jayantha says that manipulating his abduction case to intimidate more journalists instead of bringing the culprits into books is very distressing. He mentions thus in a letter he wrote to the Inspector General of Police. The complete letter is as follows:

“I write this letter to bring to your notice a shocking incident that I came to know while being treated in National Hospital for the serious injuries sustained in torture by a gang of thugs on June 01, 2009.

Benet Rupasinghe and Sandaruwan Senadheera of Lanka-e-News website have been arrested and produced in court regarding the crime against me.

These two persons are close professional associates and personal friends of mine. They have taken steps to inform the Inspector General of Police, the President’s office, government ministers and other authorities, media activists and my wife about the incident and I believe that their urgent mediation helped me to save my life at least like this.

I think that misinterpreting their action and producing them in court as accused is a crime that will not be approved by any person with sense.

I cannot describe in words the mental agony I underwent while being in pain and near paralyzed condition in hospital when I heard about this incident.

It is very painful manipulating this incident to hunt more media persons instead of apprehending the culprits.

Therefore, I kindly appeal from you to focus you attention to this matter and to correct it.

Signed by

Poddala Jayantha

Sri Lanka Working Journalists’ Association

(In the photos, the editor of Lanka-e-News visiting Poddala Jayantha in hospital and Poddala Jayantha in hospital)

(In the photos, the editor of Lanka-e-News visiting Poddala Jayantha in hospital and Poddala Jayantha in hospital)

(Lanka-e-News, June 04, 2009, 4.00 PM)

(Lanka-e-News, 04.June.2009, 8.30PM) Minister of Media and Information Anura Priyadarshana Yapa says that he has not received a list of the journalists that have been under LTTE pay list although he had heard about such list. He says that he cannot point finger at anybody until the investigations are conducted.

At the cabinet press briefing held in the auditorium of the Ministry of Media today (04), a journalist pointed out that state-owned and some other media had announced that around 50 journalists had been in LTTE payroll assisting them. He said that if it was true, the government could publicize the list and take legal action against them instead of abducting and killing them. He asked if the government was trying to prevent exposing the culprits that abducted and assaulted Poddala Jayantha, through arresting Lanka-e-News chief editor Sandaruwan Senadheera and news editor Benet Rupasinghe, who informed the police chief, Information Director Anusha Pelpita. President’s Coordinating Secretary Kumarasiri Hettige, Poddala Jayantha’s wife and other relevant authorities.

The Minister Anura Yapa said that attacking Poddala Jayantha was a worthless act and he is an employee of Lake House that has not created any problem in his work place. The Minister said that Poddala Jayantha was a friend of his and he was unaware how the incident took place.

Minister Yapa said that nothing could be expressed about any journalist until investigations are carried out. The Minister said he was unaware of a list of names given by Daya Master and no one could be blamed until an investigation is conducted despite there is such list.

He said that the investigations should be on the persons that helped the LTTE for money and not about the individuals that talked with LTTE, the Minister said in response to a query of a journalist.
The Minister said that two journalists had been arrested for interrogation and released on bail by court. He said that he could not advise police on the ways the investigations should be conduced. “No matter of interrogating. Release them immediately if there is no connection,” the police have been instructed, the Minister says.

A journalist explained that although the Minister said that there was no list of journalists that helped the LTTE, the Dinamina newspaper that is under his administration stated in its editorial written by Mahinda Abesundara that Sunanda Deshapriya and Poddala Jayantha were Tiger associates that should be killed. Independent Television Network Thulawa programme compeer Sudarman Radaliyagoda repeatedly asked from the Army Commander what action would be taken against the anti-war journalists. A journalist queried if the media practice of these journalists would not put some other journalists in peril. Minister Yapa said he could do act if something happened in media under his Ministry and promised to focus his attention to the matter.

(Lanka-e-News, 04.June.2009, 8.30PM)

Gallant journalist Lasantha Wickramathunga passed away

(Lanka-e-News, January 08, 4.00 PM) Sunday Leader editor Lasantha Wickramathunga who was shot when he was arriving in the office this morning in his vehicle, passed away at Kalubowila Teaching Hospital a short while ago.

Wickramathunga was a fearless journalist who exposed corruption and other malpractices of the politicians. He came under constant threat of the rulers and there were legal measures too against him.

He was shot and injured previously too and there was an attempt to arrest his under the present regime. He was continuously under the threat of a powerful person of the government.

Lasantha Wickramathunga is a past student of St. Benedict College, Kotahena. He commenced his career as a journalist from Sun newspaper. He was one time the Private Secretary of late Mrs. Sirima Bandaranaike when she was the Opposition Leader. He was the Sri Lanka Freedom Party organizer of the Colombo North electorate too.

Lasantha is the son of Colombo North former MP and Colombo Municipal Council former Deputy Mayor Harris Wickramathunga.

He was the founder editor of Sunday Leader. Leader Press was once set on fire by the forces who were in fear of his pen.

(Lanka-e-News, January 08, 4.00 PM)

Assassination of Sunday Leader editor: Heinous crime committed to damage social fabric and bring disrepute to the country -President

(Lanka-e-News, January 08, 2009, 8.40 PM) Issuing a statement condemning the killing of Sunday Leader editor Lasantha Wickramathunga, President Mahinda Rajapakse says that his government reiterates its commitment to upholding the principles of Media Freedom and Freedom of Expression, even under the most trying circumstances.

Following is the full text of the statement;

‘My government and I most vehemently and unequivocally condemn the murder of Mr. Lasantha Wickramatunga, Editor of The Sunday Leader, which took place today.

‘I am both grieved and shocked by his tragic death as Mr. Wickramatunga was a close friend of mine who I have known for many years as a courageous journalist. ‘This heinous crime points to the grave dangers faced by the democratic social order of our country, and the existence of forces that will go to the furthest extremes in using terror and criminality to damage our social fabric and bring disrepute to the country. It is significant that such an attack was carried out at a time when the country is gaining repeated victories over the forces of terrorism, in our efforts to establish freedom and democracy throughout the country.

EU condemns murder of anti-government journalist in Sri Lanka

The Earth Times (Thu, 08 jan.2009 )

US Condemns Attacks on Media in Sri Lanka

By VOA News
09 January 2009

The U.S. State Department has condemned the murder of a Sri Lankan newspaper editor critical of the Colombo government, as well as a separate attack earlier this week on a private broadcasting network.

Spokesman Robert Wood called the killing of the "Sunday Leader" newspaper editor, Lasantha Wickramatunga, and the attack on a TV station "deplorable acts," aimed at silencing independent voices in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka's president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, condemned the murder and ordered a full investigation.

However, Reporters Without Borders said the president and state media are partly to blame for the editor's murder. The Paris-based press rights group said "they had incited hatred against him and allowed an outrageous level of impunity to develop as regards violence against the press."

Lasantha Wickramatunga was fatally shot Thursday morning as he drove to work.

Human rights group Amnesty International says at least 14 media workers have been killed in Sri Lanka since the beginning of 2006, while others have been detained and tortured.

In other news, Sri Lanka's military is projecting that it will take control of the last rebel-held territory within weeks.

After capturing the rebel headquarters, Kilinochchi, last week, the military said Thursday it has overrun another rebel-held town of Pallai. It said the rebels appear to be preparing for a last stand against the government in the northern town of Mullaittivu, one of the Tigers' last remaining strongholds.

The Tamil Tigers have dismissed the army's recent gains as "insignificant" and have vowed to continue to fight back.

Tamil rebels have been fighting since 1983 to establish an independent homeland for Sri Lanka's minority Tamil community. More than 70,000 people have been killed in the violence.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.