Soothing Words Not Enough: Find The Killers

An independent and impartial inquiry will be held into the killing of Editor-in-Chief Lasantha Wickrematunge on the highway 10 days ago, we were assured by President Mahinda Rajapakse and his ministers. Despite the widespread anger that engulfed the nation and caused concern internationally, even for world powers to express their concern, it does seem that this foul murder will go the same way as murders of other Sri Lankan journalists and their abductions and torture unless the journalists and people take a determined stand.

Barely 48 hours before Lasantha's killing the transmission centre of the country's premier private television channel, MTV was attacked. President Rajapakse assured immediate inquiries would be made into the incident and some of his ministers fell over each other to assure that impartial investigations would be conducted. A UNP municipal councillor had been arrested in this connection but no charges have been made before courts.

Can the journalists of Sri Lanka who campaign vigorously for the causes of all and sundry stand by and only shed tears when their dear brave colleagues are being slaughtered by criminals and nothing is done about it? Immediately after Lasantha Wickrematunge's killing police spokesmen assured that four investigation teams have been assigned to probe the killing. The four teams appear to be still probing - we don't know what - without success for we have yet to hear of a positive outcome.

How far has progress been made into the Wickrematunge killing? The family certainly does not seem to be satisfied. The widow Sonali Samarasinghe, an editor, was refused permission to be present when the autopsy was conducted. There appears to be doubts on the manner in which Lasantha met with his death. Was he shot dead or did he die of wounds sustained from an attack with blunt weapons other than a gun? No bullet casings were found inside the car. The bullet itself had not been found.

Sources said that there was evidence of damage to the base of the skull by an attack with a heavy weapon.  There is opinion voiced that even if the murderers are found contradictory medical evidence could bar justice being done.

Readers are aware of the gruesome murders of journalists and opposition politicians in recent times. Three months ago one of Sri Lanka's most successful anti-terrorist commanders Major General Janaka Perera who had taken to politics was brutally slain with his wife by 'unknown' assailants who still have to be apprehended. D. Sivaram, a well known Tamil journalist was abducted and killed last year and only some minor fry have been arrested - not the political conspirators who wanted him killed. Deputy Editor of The Nation newspaper Keith Noyahr was abducted and brutally assaulted but escaped death. Many Jaffna journalists, the number which we have lost count of, have been killed or abducted. The Uthayan paper in Jaffna had been bombed. In all such instances the government denies any involvement and alleges a 'conspiracy' to 'topple the government' just as it was claimed after the attack on MTV and the murder of Lasantha Wickrematunge.

At times as in the case of the attack on MTV and murder of Lasantha it is upgraded to the status of an 'international conspiracy.' Clearly the Mahinda Rajapakse government is becoming a joke in the eyes of the world. When the government can't even apprehend a gunman who pulls the trigger, the top notch leaders are certain of 'international conspiracies' being hatched against it. Of what political or geopolitical importance is this government in this little isle at this point of time? Government leaders who have even an iota of knowledge in international affairs should ask themselves that question. A main prop of the Rajapakse government, Udaya Gammanpila, the general secretary of the JHU last week said that incidents to bring the Mahinda Rajapakse government into disrepute should be seen in the context of CIA involvement! He compared this with the assassinations of oil rich Iran's Prime Minister Mossadeq in the '50s, who threw out the Shah from power for the first time, and other assassinations such as that of Patrice Lumumba, Salvador Allende, and Sheik Mujibur Rahman. With those with the sweeping vision of the universe and see Sri Lanka being the centre of it, nothing can be done. 

Another reason attributed by President Rajapakse is that these high profile attacks are being staged to detract from the glorious military victories of the government. Since the LTTE is now claimed to be wiped out only the opposition Sinhalese are left to stage such attacks. Since the vast majority of the Sinhalese opposition are UNP does it imply that the UNP is committing hara-kiri on itself to detract from the 'glory' of the government or is it that the JVP is doing it? The thinking of the people, however, is that this is the work of the government because only the government would have the capability of staging commando type of operations such as the one that killed Lasantha using powerful motorcycles.

Even though the Rajapakse government is doing its damnedest to deny involvement, its own body reactions contradict the denials. None of the government leaders called on to pay their respects to Lasantha save some of the UNPers that had crossed-over. There were no government speakers at his funeral, even though some did issue messages of sympathy.

The Rajapakse government's umbrage at the German Ambassador Juergen Weerth for speaking at Lasantha's funeral is ridiculous, to say the least.  Weerth was speaking on behalf of the diplomatic community as the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in the presence of many other diplomats. Most Colombo based missions issued statements of condolence; India, United States, United Kingdom, Australia and even the United Nations. This outburst against the German Ambassador does not stand to reason when India, the country which the Rajapakse government has been going on bended knees issued a condemnation on the Wickrematunge killing but the government remains tongue tied on India.

In the '80s and before diplomats of Western powers in Colombo strictly refrained from commenting on events in this country according to strict protocol observed but in the '80s under UNP rule, those leaders in the opposition like Mahinda Rajapakse commenced running into foreign embassies to seek their assistance against what they described as 'violation of human rights' by the UNP government. They pulled in Western powers and even India to interfere in our internal matters and now are hysterical when Western powers make comments on vital issues here. Clearly they cannot have it both ways. When Wimal Weerawansa was an unheard of quantity in the JVP, his leader fled through India and sought political asylum in Britain and lived there for a number of years. Now Weerawansa, another of those visionaries who consider Sri Lanka to be the centre of the universe, has blasted the American Ambassador for commenting on the killing of Lasantha but ignores India's role.

Attempting to distract attention of the public from attempts to suppress freedom of expression by murdering journalists has failed before. During the Premadasa era when prominent journalists such as Richard de Zoysa fell victim to government forces as well as those of political vigilantes, the media went underground and there emerged the 'Alternate Media.'  New publications that mushroomed exposed the Premadasa government in all its nudity and they could not be suppressed despite all the power and might of the government. It was hydra headed because when one journal was singled out for punishment another emerged. That showed the resilience of the media in a society where democracy has struck roots.  It gave rise to the Free Media Movement which was one of the main prongs that brought down the UNP government. History has a tendency of repeating itself, though not necessarily in the same way.

Ranil Wickremesinghe is making moves to galvanise the UNP to increase its membership to resist fascist forces suppressing media freedom. It is the bounden duty of other political parties to follow suit. An immediate strategy to guarantee the freedom of expression and other fundamental freedoms to compel President Mahinda Rajapakse to implement the 17th   Amendment which he has been stalling from doing since he came to power has to be put in place. This would prevent arbitrary appointments to key government posts and help the police force to develop its backbone again and carry on the basic duties they are paid for such as the arrest of criminals who murder key citizens of this country.

Mahinda Rajapakse is basking in the glory of military victories achieved by poor servicemen and their valiant officers with their blood, toil, tears and sweat. They made the sacrifices for the country, for the sake of the freedom of the people and not for any particular gang or family. He cannot ignore the cold blood killing of the people of the country and keep saying that he has no need to do so because his government is popular after the military victories. The Head of State is responsible for the life of every citizen of this country. Mere hollow words are not enough. Action is called for.

He has at a meeting of heads of media organisations last week assured journalists that they had nothing to fear from the government. What the media fears is that whether it be the government or the goons of government, leading journalists such as Lasantha have been brutally terminated. The only assurance that journalists can accept is when the real killers are apprehended and brought before courts.

The massive demonstration at Lasantha's funeral should be clear enough to Mahinda Rajapakse on which way to act.