Telegraph,  Sun Jan 11 20:40:23 EST 2009

    BACK from Beijing (where I spent last week, apologies for lack of posts) to report, with the heaviest heart, the murder of one of Sri Lanka's bravest and most controversial journalists.
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- The Academic

I condemn the murder of Lasantha. Nobody should even dare to silence another like this. But, the question is whether other people who were also vocal in a different style achieved more in terms of influencing change during a conflict. The author of this article should look back at the history of UK during the Word War II. Imagine there was a Lasantha against Winston Churchil. Maybe he wouldn't get killed, but he would be certainly looked at as a nuisance because any conflict raises Patriotic sentiments of any Nation. Therefore, writing during a conflict should take a different art for it to make a real impact, if the journalist concerned is genuine about his desire for justice.

Call wrote:

I condemn the murder of Lasantha. Nobody should even dare to silence another like this. But, the question is whether other people who were also vocal in a different style achieved more in terms of influencing change during a conflict. The author of this article should look back at the history of UK during the Word War II. Imagine there was a Lasantha against Winston Churchil. Maybe he wouldn't get killed, but he would be certainly looked at as a nuisance because any conflict raises Patriotic sentiments of any Nation. Therefore, writing during a conflict should take a different art for it to make a real impact, if the journalist concerned is genuine about his desire for justice.

Sure the "conflict" in Sri Lanka began in 1983. Therefore no one should question/write anything that may invite the ire of the "Patriotic" elements. That would be 26 years of silence. This is an argument that is really in line with an "Academic" forum where supposedly educated people are allowed write!!.

Therefore in line with this thinking we should not speak or write about the deals made by CBK for the sale of Air Lanka, The Thawakkal deal, The Helping Habantota deal etc etc..After all it is all "conflict time".

Please let the good people in Sri Lanka know when the conflict is over and it's safe to write without the "Patriotic" elements
sending Motorcycle goons to make their children father less and wives widows.

No wonder Sri Lanka is in such a mess with educated profound genius like this.


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

Please read at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Foster too.

sathya wrote:

Please read at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Foster too.

That's a different Peter Foster.

You lived a good life Lassie. May the turf lie softly on you.

Watch out Mahinda, I will be more worried of your brother than VP et al.


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We need to resolve the historical grievances of Tamils because it is a right and civilized political act to follow by the political leadership in the country. -Dayapala Thiranagama-

Call wrote:

I condemn the murder of Lasantha. Nobody should even dare to silence another like this. But, the question is whether other people who were also vocal in a different style achieved more in terms of influencing change during a conflict. The author of this article should look back at the history of UK during the Word War II. Imagine there was a Lasantha against Winston Churchil. Maybe he wouldn't get killed, but he would be certainly looked at as a nuisance because any conflict raises Patriotic sentiments of any Nation. Therefore, writing during a conflict should take a different art for it to make a real impact, if the journalist concerned is genuine about his desire for justice.

With due respect i don't think comparing UK and World War II and the conflict in Sri Lanka is correct. Our conflict is between citizens of one country. Many Govts including this one considers this conflict an internal matter. Whether we like or not the people who get killed in our war regardless of who counts the number of bodies are citizens of Sri Lanka. If you look at the media that support this war we get the impression that we are actually fighting another country. Crackers are been lit on streets of Colombo as if we have won another World Cup cricket match when in fact we have only gained our own land from our own people who happen to commit terrorist acts. We are bombing our own citizens regardless of which side of the war we support. People who do not support this war are labled unpatriotic and so are the journalists who write these sentiments.

I believe every citizen or journalist should have the right to write against the war especially since it involves the lives and suffering of our own people. We are a country that has thousands of citizens in living in refugee camps for decades. We have hundreds of our brave listed as MIA so that government does not have to pay death benefits to their kin. Corruption and murder is rampant. And if anybody is bothered by Newspapers or TV channels that expose such things it they can excercise their right and not buy that Newspaper or listen to that Channel.

In a country that boast about its Budhdist heritage should take the lead in tolerating dissent.

If anyone is still confused about the brand of journalism practiced by Lasantha should read the editorial of Sunday Leader

http://www.thesundayleader.lk/20090111/editorial-.htm

There is enough room in our democracy for "Call", Lasantha and Votercooray regardless of war or peace. Today some may attempt  to draw similarities between Churchchil and MR, but the need for people like Lasantha is so that we dont  have to draw comparisons with Hitler in the future.


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VOTER COORAY
"A nation is a collective enterprise - outside of that it is a gambling hall for the opportunism and adventurism of power."-Wole Soyinka

Lasantha is considered to be a good jounalist that exposed the wrongful actions of the GOSL. This is a good goal. But I read in the news that this person was a friend of many presidents and fell out with all of them including Mahinda Rajapakse.

He never assisted the Police with his evidence to prosecute the wrong-doers. If this is the case, he is another con artist who writes because he has a good command of English.

We should judge him by the results he achieved and not because he was an opposition to the GOSL that was ready to expose the politicians.

What are his achievements in addition to writing against the politicians? I like to know the facts from anyone who has facts.

Lasantha was a great journalist. His death is a big loss to democracy and big boon to corrupt politicians

Namdev wrote:

Sure the "conflict" in Sri Lanka began in 1983. Therefore no one should question/write anything that may invite the ire of the "Patriotic" elements. That would be 26 years of silence. This is an argument that is really in line with an "Academic" forum where supposedly educated people are allowed write!!.

Therefore in line with this thinking we should not speak or write about the deals made by CBK for the sale of Air Lanka, The Thawakkal deal, The Helping Habantota deal etc etc..After all it is all "conflict time".

Please let the good people in Sri Lanka know when the conflict is over and it's safe to write without the "Patriotic" elements
sending Motorcycle goons to make their children father less and wives widows.

No wonder Sri Lanka is in such a mess with educated profound genius like this.

I questioned about tangible achievements, not about enjoying the freedom of writing. Writing to achieve and writing as a hobby are two different things. Questioning these fundamentals are an important part of being academic.