Associated Press,  Thu Jan  8 05:42:48 EST 2009

    BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI  -   Associated Press Writer  -              COLOMBO, Sri Lanka -  (AP)  Gunmen on a motorcycle Thursday shot and killed the editor of a Sri Lankan newspaper critical of the government, the second violent attack on media this week.
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- The Academic

The Academic wrote:

Associated Press,  Thu Jan  8 05:42:48 EST 2009

    BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI  -   Associated Press Writer  -              COLOMBO, Sri Lanka -  (AP)  Gunmen on a motorcycle Thursday shot and killed the editor of a Sri Lankan newspaper critical of the government, the second violent attack on media this week.
Full Story

What chance or defence or justice do the oridinary tamil civillians have in the north (East was liberated already) when the State Terrorism could kill the "Anti-government" news editor in peaceful areas.
Perls and Mawarata's of the Sinhala Budist state should be celebrating on the streets now as they did when the Sinhala forces occupied and captured the ghost town of Kilinochchi after liberated the town after bombing, killing and kicking the population out of the Area.
I am sure MR will have a Pirith ceremony in Budhist temples with the Maha Sanga to celebrate the killing of an "Anti-Government/Terrorist" element in the country.

My deepest sympathies to the family of late Mr. Lasantha Wickramatunga.

We all know who he was & the role he actively played as a journalist. This is not the time to analyze that.

The question is why was he killed? The attention of the whole country has been focused on LTTE and its final cry as an armed group about to fall. India requesting handing over VP to be tried in for the killing of Rajive G, distancing themselves and ignoring the cry from the pro LTTE politicos from TN shows that the show is coming to an end. The pro LTTE elements and the LTTE it self would have to change its tactics to divert attention and open a new battle ground for its sympathizers shout agitate and draw its attention elsewhere. For this reason “Labled as anti government journalist” did Lasantha paid the ultimate prize.


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MAC1

MAC1 wrote:

The pro LTTE elements and the LTTE it self would have to change its tactics to divert attention and open a new battle ground for its sympathizers shout agitate and draw its attention elsewhere. For this reason “Labled as anti government journalist” did Lasantha paid the ultimate prize.

Are  you saying LTTE killed the journalist? way to go Mac1.... wherer are all your more sensed posts you have presented earlier? Did the patriotism swallow all of them. These days you never know what patriotism eats/swallows. I will not be surprised even it swallow an anakonda snake.

I condemn this attack on the journalist as well as all the other journalists in the past.

I can say so since I have never supported a world banned Terrorist organization or donated money for them.


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"What is left when honor is lost?"

ray wrote:

MAC1 wrote:

The pro LTTE elements and the LTTE it self would have to change its tactics to divert attention and open a new battle ground for its sympathizers shout agitate and draw its attention elsewhere. For this reason “Labled as anti government journalist” did Lasantha paid the ultimate prize.

Are  you saying LTTE killed the journalist? way to go Mac1.... wherer are all your more sensed posts you have presented earlier? Did the patriotism swallow all of them. These days you never know what patriotism eats/swallows. I will not be surprised even it swallow an anakonda snake.

I have only put forward one possibility. By the way who killed Ammithalingam the way you think?


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MAC1

MAC1 wrote:

I have only put forward one possibility. By the way who killed Ammithalingam the way you think?

You don't have to ask me this question. Everyone knows who that was.

perl wrote:

I condemn this attack on the journalist as well as all the other journalists in the past.

I can say so since I have never supported a world banned Terrorist organization or donated money for them.

Who do you think killed him? anyway what does this have to do with terrorist organisations ? anyway who needs terrorist organisations when we have a "democratically elected" govt like ours...

More info of the killing.

http://transcurrents.com/tc/2009/01/post_75.html

MAC1 wrote:

My deepest sympathies to the family of late Mr. Lasantha Wickramatunga.

We all know who he was & the role he actively played as a journalist. This is not the time to analyze that.

The question is why was he killed? The attention of the whole country has been focused on LTTE and its final cry as an armed group about to fall. India requesting handing over VP to be tried in for the killing of Rajive G, distancing themselves and ignoring the cry from the pro LTTE politicos from TN shows that the show is coming to an end. The pro LTTE elements and the LTTE it self would have to change its tactics to divert attention and open a new battle ground for its sympathizers shout agitate and draw its attention elsewhere. For this reason “Labled as anti government journalist” did Lasantha paid the ultimate prize.

I fully agree with the above post.  Yes it is no secret who Lasantha was, who he stood by for, but yet I do not think he should have been killed nor do I think government would be so foolish enough to touch an editor like Lasantha, specially not at this critical juncture in Sri Lankan politics.  This is the perfect murder, sadly Lasantha was the perfect victim by his own design.  Important question is who did it and why? LTTE has everything to gain by creating havoc in the south, discrediting the govt and getting HR groups up in arms.  Or can this be by a short sighted crazy "patriot" who is tired of Lasantha's constant ramblings decided to finish him off? Is that what happened to Sirasa too? If it is the latter, then we have something seriously to worry.  If the war victories going to give energy to few lunatics in our society, then MR has lot more on his plate to worry.  Our soldiers are not dying on battle fields for lunatics to take their sarcrifices away, therefore MR must absolutely guarantee the safety of all civilians in Sri Lanka.

Considering the fact that LTTE is fast loosing grounds in north this can well be their change of tactics.

I am not sure if people like Lasantha Wickramathunge can be defined as journalists (doing so is an insult to many other journalists). But of course that does not justify killing him.


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Some are wise, others are otherwise!

Boothaya wrote:

I am not sure if people like Lasantha Wickramathunge can be defined as journalists (doing so is an insult to many other journalists). But of course that does not justify killing him.

On the other hand, if we can justify killing bad journalists, let's expand that for other careers like politicians, police, government workers, etc until about 5% of the population is left.


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"What is left when honor is lost?"

The opposition leader and the Tamil civilians in Wellawathatha should be given tighter security now. LTTE is on their way to do anything to attract the world's attension in the midst of other attractions in Israel and in the US. Now this is on the top of the priority list of Pottu Amman and he knows his job.

Barbarians.


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There are no minorities in Sri Lanka. --- Dr.Percy Mahinda Rajapakse Ph.D