By Colombo Telegraph –
In an astounding turn of events The Sunday Leader newspaper has agreed to carry a published apology to Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa in relation to an article carried on July 8, this year titled, ‘Gota Goes Berserk.’
Lal Wickramatunga - Chairman, The Sunday Leader
In a hearing conducted at the Government run Sri Lanka Press Council on Thursday October 18, lawyers representing the newspaper agreed with the complainant namely, Gotabaya Rajapaksa who was also present at the hearing that the newspaper had agreed to settle the matter by way of a published apology.
Attorney-At-Law and MP, M. A. Sumanthiran appearing for and on behalf of former Editor-in-Chief Frederica Jansz insisted the apology must not in any form have an adverse effect on Ms. Jansz. Sumanthiran maintained that the former editor is not a party to this apology. A position accepted by the Press Council.
At the time the article was published Ms. Jansz was not only Editor of the newspaper but also authored the said story carrying it under her byline.
Subsequently, Ms. Jansz has in a letter to the Press Council in August denied charges brought against her as Editor and the newspaper by the Defense Secretary, insisting the newspaper had not committed an offence in publishing a story involving the Defense Secretary, a plane switch at SriLankan Airlines and a puppy dog. The article also published excerpts of a conversation between Ms. Jansz and Gotabaya Rajapaksa that has been described by civil society and international media organizations as shocking and shameful.
In this conversation which Rajapaksa has not denied to date he used foul language on Ms. Jansz calling her a, “A shit, shit journalist. A fucking shit. A pig who eats shit!’
In the same conversation in response to a question posed by Ms. Jansz asking if he was threatening her, Rajapaksa replied, “ Yes I threatened you. Your type of journalists are pigs who eat shit! Pigs who eat shit! Shit, Shit, Shit journalists!!! Ninety percent of the people in this country hate you! They hate you!!! You come for a function where I am and I will tell people this is the Editor of The Sunday Leader and ninety percent there will show that they hate you.’
He added that those ninety percent of the people would also try kill her.
Two months later after having published this story Frederica Jansz was sacked as Editor –in-Chief of The Sunday Leader. Rumour had it that the sale of the newspaper was accelerated with the government using as its front man a shady businessman, Asanga Seneviratne. Whose profession is mainly that of a wheeler dealer.
Seneviratne has now agreed to publish an apology to Gotabaya Rajapaksa in relation to this story and phone conversation where the newspaper’s former Editor was abused and threatened with death by the defense secretary who is widely feared in the country for a man with full access to the State’s machinery and all its powers at his disposal.
Beyond surprised / October 19, 2012
More than the launderer, Asanga Seneviratne, Lal Wickremetunga should be absolutely ashamed of himself for his ACTIVE participation in this travesty of justice.
What is he going to do next? Apologise for the death of his brother? That is certainly a logical next step for this man. These people will do ANYTHING for money!
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Pathola / October 20, 2012
Gota the uneducated white van goon is playing God! The guy suffers from delusions of grandeur and is a the dictator in waiting for Lanka.
He is a dangerous mad man and should be sent to the Hague for a war crimes trial soon..
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gamini / October 20, 2012
After Lasantha was murdered, the Sunday Leader used to carry his Photo front page at the top giving the number of days that have passed without action from the govt. Lasantha’s Photograph reminded the Public of the gruesome murder and who was responsible. Then suddenly Lasantha’s Photo was removed. I felt very sad as I believed having the Photograph of Lasantha always reminded the public and the removal will result in the public accepting and becoming immune to the incident. Well now it has happened and even worse where the paper is to tender an apology. However the fact remains that the public is well aware and an apology is not going to erase it off the minds of the people, how this bugger Gota’s arrogant nature and uncultured upbringing is. Otherwise imagine seeking an apology he believes the people will change their stand? What a GOB?
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Leon / October 19, 2012
This is disgusting
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KR / October 19, 2012
Within months of Lasantha’s murder the Sunday Leader lost its bearings. On the one hand it said it was supporting General Fonseka, on the other it did everything it could to undermine him. The more I read the newspaper, the more convinced I was that its “anti-government” stance and attempt to expose corruption etc, was just an eye wash. It has been sometime since I have been referring to the paper as “bowed and afraid.”
By the say, this particular story about Gota and his dog, was quite a non-issue. Did not the Editor’s Guild request for the tape of that conversation, which was not apparently not sent to them. Also, the Sunday Leader has always preferred the Press Council over the Press Complaints Commission. Now we know why!
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Oliver / October 19, 2012
Disgusting.
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Bandu / October 19, 2012
It is utterly surprising why all the other so called independent news papers keep silent without expressing their displeasure with regard to the way Gotabaya has spoken to Fredrica Jansz in this instance.
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Panda / October 19, 2012
This is such a slap in the face for fair press in Sri Lanka. This is an embarrassment to our media and how it operates. What made Lal Wickrematunge do this turn around and go against ALL his brother believed.
Was his family threatened? Was he threatened? This is simply disgusting. The criminals on top are now manipulating and controlling what is said in this so called “democratic” country.
One more obstacle removed for the Rajapaksa regime to continue their crimes against the Sri lankan people.
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JULAAMPITYE AMARAYA / October 19, 2012
“”””””The Sunday Leader To Apologize To Gota For Calling Former Editor “A Fucking Pig Who Eats” S XXXXXX T.
OH MY MY MY MY MY MY.
WHO IS GOING TO APOLOGIZE TO THE NATION FOR THE PRESENT DEBT CONDITION ON SRI LANKAN ECONOMY, THE MIRACLE ECONOMY OF THE WORLD.
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GG P / October 20, 2012
Ask Obama and Cameron or the Greeks and the Italians. They might have the answer.
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Rodney / November 4, 2012
One should ask how much money MR gave Asanga to purchase Sunday Leader. This is tax payer money wasted in a loss making newspaper with fewer readers after acquired by MR. COPE or some one should investigate.
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Easton Scott / October 19, 2012
Preposterous, and stark evidence of the slippery slope that we as a nation are accelerating down…..
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shankar / October 20, 2012
When they read this,the Taliban will want an apology from the Pakistani girl they shot in the head and recovering in the UK.
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Brian Senewiratne / October 20, 2012
Well, better apologise and survive than be killed (the newspaper, i mean) by a tyrant. That is what it takes to survive in a tyranny. i am glad that Ms Jansz had the guts to distance herself from this apology. Even she did not, and was party to it, i would have understood her position. We dont want another outstanding journalist murdered and her 6 year old son added to the increasing number of orphans. For her to save herself from assassination whatever thW cost, is worth it since she is jast too valuable an assett to be slaughtered by some thugs. i told this to Lasantha many times – that Lasantha alive in Australia or whereever (his wife and children were here) is more valuaable than Lasanthe the dead hero. we do not want that repeated with Ms Jansz, do we. That’s just madness.
That said, it is imperative for us to get this outstanding journalist and her two children out of Sri Lanka as soon as possible. It is imperative and urgent before ‘an unknown’ assassin causes her ‘accidental’ death which ‘the Government knows nothing about’. Come off it – we are not all stupid though a fair few are.
Personally I am relieved (for now), but fight we must to front up to this terror in Sri Lanka which has an international fall out by way of asylum seekers, refugees, talented people, journalists and many othere. The latter are most certainly welcome. My concern is for the former who are beeing put into prisons like criminals, especially in Australia where I live. I have seen them. it is a shameful reflection on Australia.
What do we do with the Colombo Telgraph? Cheer it all the way and hope there will be many more of its kind. So also the Sri Lanka Guardian.
Brian Senewiratne
Brisbane Australia
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GG P / October 20, 2012
Idiot.
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Naga / October 20, 2012
I have very rarely seen independent journalists in Sri Lanka. They do not reflect independent views. Most of them are stooges of politicians and are in the pay of these politicians. Therefore there was nothing wrong in Gothabaya Rajapakse calling them “pigs”. He was very outspoken in his comments about the Sri Lankan journalists. I still remember the days in the seventies when I worked in the SLBC News Room. SLBC reporters at that time used to write stupid stories quoting various Ministers and get favours from them. They also carried tales to these Ministers and the News Editor and Director News were afraid of these stooge reporters and always passed their stupid stories to go in the air. We nick-named one such reporter as “ooru meya” (sewer rat) who was Minister Athulathmudali’s catcher. I believe it is worse now with most of the newspapers and media organisations controlled by the Sri Lankan state.
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hansan / October 20, 2012
Amudayata Api Baayoo.
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B Ganendra / October 20, 2012
Lasantha will roll in his tomb
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ayanthirkg / October 21, 2012
Actually he must be spinning don’t you think? Is this a case of prostituting your mother for money?
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Fedup_HORROR REGIME / October 20, 2012
See where are we the nation of this island standing ?
This behaviour appalls me.
Quoting from the article:
“Seneviratne has now agreed to publish an apology to Gotabaya Rajapaksa in relation to this story and phone conversation where the newspaper’s former Editor was abused and threatened with death by the defense secretary who is widely feared in the country for a man with full access to the State’s machinery and all its powers at his disposal”
Actually, every right thinking would feel GR to publish an apology to Friderica Janz.
This is today´s Srilanka UNDER THOSE RASCALS. Good luck to us the nation :(
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GG P / October 20, 2012
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy
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randy mathew / October 21, 2012
The last truly independent English newspaper has become the lapdog of the Medamulane thugs & tsunami rogues. Lasantha would have been a very dissapointed man including many readers of this great newspaper. This is very sad indeed.
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Sonlight / October 21, 2012
Unfortunately we don,t have a strong free media movement to deal with this issue.almost all of the media establishments are really private owned and based on big money making business, so they do not bother about the justice for people.The media persons are being hired to work for these establishments and have no independent say.All work for money.
We have huge numbers of media reporters attached to these firms.They claim that they are journalists but we don’t have real journalists who take social responsibilities.
I fear that there can be possible threat to the life of Fredrica
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surendra / October 22, 2012
Wickrematunga and Senevirathne have together betrayed the tradition of fealess journalism established by the intrepid and heroic Lasantha. Frederica remained loyal to this tradition established by her mentor.Frederica, wherever your are, you will be honored and loved by all who cherish freedom and human decency. The sewer pit shall overflow with its foul rot and all the rats will climb out. That will be a day of reckoning.
Take care,
Surendra
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ferdi / October 22, 2012
Unbelievable , and true so this is the sad end of a very brave woman , at least she is standing her ground, and hats off to her. Take good care Frederica, trust no one. Gotabaya should applogise to the people of Sri Lanka for using such foul language,not much of an example to follow.
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Holmung / October 24, 2012
well, nothing surprising this- on our quest to being a Banana Republic!? ;)
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Rodger Williams / November 5, 2012
What we are witnessing today in Sri Lanka is the narcisstic power of this family who’s end is drawing very close. This is a brave lady journalist in the face of the death of her boss and still continuing to write. Being a lover of my mother land and a Christian at that, I know fully well that what will ocure soon will be swift.
In the sixtyfour years of our nation’s independence, I have never witnessed the epic of political rot, where the present Sinhalese politicians are continuing to systematically rob their own people. This has been going on from the tail end of Dudley Senanayeka time to tis present day.Careful and objective anaylasis of this period of history, without being critical will lead upto the demise of intellectuals, professionals and clear thinkers since the fifties. Example as today, many skilled doctors and others in the medical field are leaving the country, providing those who are financially able to pay for serious medical treatments to fly to Thailand or Singapore.
Mr. GR’s behaviour therefore must be expected as the result of his own state of education and intelligence. Such people gather around them men and women of similar caliber and this brings us to witness the first most important matter – the sytematic destruction of our precious natural resources. Are we wittnessing the swift degeneration of our blessed motherland? I believe so and only swift divine intervention will be able to halt this well metastasized Cancer.
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