Outrage over Sri Lankan journalist’s death

The Commonwealth Journalists’ Association (CJA) has said it is outraged at the killing Lasantha Wickramatunga, editor of the Sri Lankan newspaper Sunday Leader.

The Commonwealth Journalists’ Association (CJA) has said it is outraged at the killing Lasantha Wickramatunga, editor of the Sri Lankan newspaper Sunday Leader.

According to the CJA, Mr. Wickramatunga has been a fearless journalist, working under difficult circumstances in a country wracked by conflict. He, and many other journalists in Sri Lanka, have been resolutely professional in their work.

CJA added: “His newspaper has investigated government dealings and has been described as ‘anti-establishment’ and ‘pro-Opposition.’ He has fought several defamation suits brought against him by senior politicians.”

The London-based journalist organization also said: “We note that the government of Sri Lanka has ordered an investigation into his death and urge that it also include the wider context of violence against the media in Sri Lanka which has included the Sunday Leader’s printing presses being burnt in 2007 and the privately owned Maharaja TV station attacked and its equipment extensively damaged on January 6.

Amnesty International reports that at least 10 media employees have been killed in Sri Lanka since 2006. We deplore the atmosphere of intimidation that has been whipped up against the media and which has led to this violence and to Mr. Wickramatunga’s and others’ deaths.

The Commonwealth Journalists’ Association has called on the Sri Lankan government “to catch and punish those responsible for Mr. Wickramatunga’s death.” It also urges the government to ensure that the media be allowed to operate freely and without fear of retribution as it should in a flourishing democracy and that journalists and others who work in the media be given the protection they require in order to do their jobs.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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