COLOMBO, Oct 25 (IPS) – Anyone interested in unsolved murders and disappearances will find much to learn in Sri Lanka. Fifteen to twenty years ago, the country made international headlines, not only for the government’s military offensive against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels but also for the killing of many journalists. The newly elected president, Anura Kumara Dissanayake—commonly referred to as AKD—seems determined to tackle the culture of impunity.
Local press freedom organizations in Sri Lanka documented 44 cases of journalists killed and disappeared between 2004 and 2010. International media watchdogs report low numbers because of narrowed definitions of who qualifies as a journalist. Regardless, it is well known that many journalists put their lives at risk. So far, no one has been convicted of crimes committed by journalists or all media outlets.
One of the most famous and well-known cases in the world is the murder of Lasantha Wickrematunge, who was killed in his car on January 8, 2009, on his way to work in Colombo. As editor-in-chief of an influential English newspaper Church LeaderWickrematunge was very critical of the government and prominent in public debates.
The Rajapaksa brothers, former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his brother Mahinda, are said to have interfered with the investigation into his murder and that involving journalists and members of parliament. However, the Wickrematunge family still hopes that justice will not only be done for Lasantha but also for all the journalists who were killed and their families, colleagues and society at large.
Lal Wickrematunge, who was the owner of this defunct property Church Leaderhe explained that a new process has begun, gaining momentum since the September 21 presidential election.
“This election was important because what is needed now is political will, only political will,” said Lal.
He received assurances from the two main presidential candidates, Sajith Premadasa and Anura Kumara Dissanayake, that the investigation would resume after the election.
“They asked for the return of retired CID inspectors to see if they can close these cases,” he added.
Since the clear victory of Disanayake and his formation of the interim government, Lal confirmed that these promises have been fulfilled so far. With parliamentary elections due on November 14, Dissanayake’s coalition, the National People’s Power, is expected to win a majority.
“The new president has returned to work the investigators who were previously fired or arrested for lying. These investigators have returned to work, with the aim that those involved in the killing of journalists in the South and the North face the law,” said Lal.
Hope for Accountability
After the election results were announced, a curfew was imposed, and security was tightened at international airports to prevent former politicians involved in various crimes from leaving the country. With the upcoming parliamentary elections, Lal remains optimistic.
“I believe that this is a step in the right direction. So far, the president is trusted even by those who did not vote for him, and it seems that his party will win the parliament. He promised to be transparent. Good governance, and he keeps his word, gaining the trust of people throughout the country,” explained Lal. .
He then recalled the events of January 2009, when his brother Lasantha was killed. Four men riding two motorcycles smashed the windows of Lasantha’s car. Witnesses did not hear a gunshot, but Lasantha had a hole in his skull with no exit wound, and no bullets or gunshot residue were found. It is believed that the killers used a shotgun—used for slaughtering livestock—which they hid in a rolled-up newspaper.
Suspect mastermind in the assassination of Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who served as president from 2019 to 2022. After several months of widespread protests (known as Aragalaya, which means struggle in Sinhala) against his government over claims of wasteful use of resources, fuel shortages and overcrowding. food prices, he resigned. Rajapaksa, who returned to Sri Lanka after his resignation, now lives outside the state like the other four former presidents.
As Secretary of Defense from 2005 to 2015, Gotabaya allegedly ordered the killing. The intention was linked to Church Leader‘s reporting on corruption, particularly in the purchase of Russian-made MIG fighter jets for use in Ukraine, where Rajapaksa was implicated as the main beneficiary. Rajapaksa sued the newspaper for defamation, and the case was scheduled for 2009, but the case did not proceed because of Lasantha’s murder.
The Fight for Justice Continues
Although it has been 15 years since Lasantha’s death, his legacy lives on, as do the memories of other journalists who were killed. Of the 44 cases recorded, 41 involved Tamil journalists. Many exiled Sri Lankan journalists, including those associated with JDS Lanka (Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka), continue to report on the domestic situation.
In 2021-2022, a legal initiative called “True Safe World” took place in The Hague under The People’s Tribunal on the Murder of Journalists. This program, led by the Permanent People’s Tribunal in collaboration with Free Press Unlimited, Reporters Without Borders, and the Committee to Protect Journalists, reviewed three murder cases, including Lasantha’s.
Nishanta Silva, the lead investigator in the case, now in exile in Switzerland, presented evidence pointing to the involvement of the “Tripoli Platoon,” a secret military unit directly controlled by Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Although targeted killings of journalists have stopped since 2009, Sri Lanka remains very low in international press freedom rankings. In Reporters Without Borders’ Press Freedom Index, Sri Lanka is ranked 150 out of 180 countries—a grim illustration of ongoing challenges. Tamil journalists in the north are facing a lot of difficulties.
Freedom of the Press in Northern Sri Lanka: Challenges and Strengths
In Jaffna, the largest city in northern Sri Lanka with a population of 170,000, a vibrant Press Club includes many local journalists who support each other. Similar media clubs exist in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu, two other towns in the north.
In October 2020, the president of the Mullaitivu Press Club, journalist Shanmugam Thavaseelan, and photographer Kanapathipillai Kumanan were investigating illegal logging when a group of men approached and attacked them as they were photographing and photographing a mass of about 200 tree trunks.
Both Thavaseelan and Kumanan were brutally beaten, Thavaseelan losing two of his teeth. They stayed in the hospital for three days. Thavaseelan’s missing teeth serve as a permanent reminder of the attack.
During the attack, they were forced to delete the contents of the memory card; one card was lost, and one camera was damaged. The two journalists were also extorted about 50,000 rupees, equivalent to USD 150. Their investigation revealed that illegal logging was widespread and involved local authorities.
The attackers were identified and arrested by the police but were released on bail a month later. Four years later, the case is still in court.
“No journalist has been killed or disappeared since 2009-2010. But they torture us and try to intimidate us in other ways. In the last ten years, I have been involved in five court cases,” Thavaseelan said.
Journalists covering mainstream news, sports, and cultural events have generally not faced problems. However, those who investigate corruption or misconduct often find themselves in trouble. Most journalists rely on motorbikes for transport, which makes them vulnerable on the roads, where there have been many incidents of cars deliberately trying to roll over them.
“There is no specific legal protection for journalists when we do our work, it’s not like government employees,” explained Thavaseelan.
Kumanan, who monitors and reports on the Mullaitivu district, is under constant surveillance by military intelligence personnel. In this area, there is one Sinhalese soldier for every three Tamils, and they constantly spy on Kumanan and follow his movements.
“I know my rights, and I stand up for myself, which often makes them back down,” said Kumanan.
Fighting for Justice
Freddy Gamage, a Sinhalese journalist from Negombo near Colombo, is the president of the Sri Lanka Web Journalists Association and works to strengthen ties between journalists and press freedom advocates in the north and south. Over the years, he has also been under attack.
“Our struggle for justice is incredibly difficult and has been going on for more than a decade. It is difficult to see how justice will be done, even if the government changes, given the way successive Sri Lankan governments have acted at the UN in Geneva, where issues are raised,” said Gamage.
“But we will not give up, we must continue our efforts to bring together journalists from the north, east and south. After the election, we must look at what steps we can take throughout the country and around the world for justice,” explained Gamage.
Every year, there is a commemoration of murdered journalists, where their colleagues come together to renew their calls for justice. With the recent change of government, there is hope, but realizing justice will require strong political will, hard work, and patience.
IPS UN Bureau Report
© Inter Press Service (2024) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service
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