By Colombo Telegraph –
The Sunday Leader’s new owner Asanga Seneviratne terminated its editor Frederica Jansz’s contract and replaced her early on in the week with Sakuntala Perera a former journalist employed at Wijeya newspapers.
Frederica
Asanga Seneviratne on Thursday September 13, 2012 announced to staff at The Sunday Leader and its sister newspaper the Iruresa that he was the new owner. That the takeover of the two newspapers was official. Colombo Telegraph reliably learns that Seneviratne’s stake in the two newspapers is 72% with former owner Lal Wickrematunge holding 28%. Wickrematunge however remains as Chairman. Asanga Seneviratne has been heard consistently touting the name of the President claiming close connections. How factual this maybe is not clear. However Seneviratne and Sajin Vaas Gunewardena share a close relationship.
Despite having repeatedly assured Frederica Janszof maintaining editorial independence, four days after Asanga Seneviratne visited the offices of The Sunday Leader at Ratmalana where he addressed editorial and other staff insisting that his intention to change editorial content to suit “President Mahinda Rajapaksa was only rumour” he on Monday September 17 wrote Frederica an email asserting, that “Very few people actually read the paper anymore.” He added to Frederica that articles carried in The Sunday Leader are, quote, “malicious and degrading and is mostly targeted at the First family. This is definitely not the way we want to continue,” he said, unquote.
“Some inside page articles are pure rubbish and only degrades the President,” he told Jansz.
Sakuntala
Speaking to Colombo Telegraph Frederica Jansz said, “I repeatedly offered my resignation to Seneviratne before the sale of the newspaper asserting that if he wished to make this paper pro government or pro Rajapaksa he would have my resignation. He however, repeatedly assured me that he had no intention of taking the paper down that road insisting he needed me at the helm to continue maintaining an independent press. Clearly, he never meant what he said.”
Frederica added that she tried to accommodate Seneviratne by even agreeing to have delivered to him a CD of the final paper before it went to publication which she did no sooner he took over. Seneviratne however insisted he never received the CD which was delivered as agreed to his officer once the newspaper was finalized on Saturday September 15.
“I agreed to this arrangement despite my never having had to do this during my entire 3 1/2 year tenure as Editor in Chief. Have the owner peruse the final pages before print. This has been the editorial policy of The Sunday Leader during the entire 14 year tenure of my predecessor Lasantha Wickrematunge and mine after I took office. Nevertheless, since I was determined to make this new arrangement work for the betterment of the newspaper I agreed to allow Seneviratne to see the pages before going to press.”
Seneviratne however not only did not appreciate this gesture but together with Sajin Vaas Gunewardena is believed to have manipulated a complaint to police on Monday September 17, asserting that two nutshells published on the front page of the newspaper could incite violence against President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The “Nutshell” column has been published in The Sunday Leader for the last 18 years and are written tongue in cheek or in lighter vein. Frederica told ColomboTelegraph this column has never been intended to cause harm or incite violence against any individual. Seneviratne however together with Sajin Vass Gunewardena did not agree. Despite the fact that not a single member of President Rajapaksa’s family nor his head of security have complained that the nutshell in question was offensive or in anyway threatening to the security of the President.
On Friday September 21, Seneviratne terminated Frederica’s contract with immediate effect. He replaced her early on in the week with Sakuntala Perera a former journalist employed at Wijeya newspapers. Colombo Telegraph has made repeated attempts to contact Sunday Leader Chairman Lal Wickrematunge for clarification on the issue, but the Lal has remained unreachable so far.
Kapila Kahapola, UAE / September 21, 2012
“Frederica added that she tried to accommodate Seneviratne by even agreeing to have delivered to him a CD of the final paper before it went to publication which she did no sooner he took over”
Who would believe above action is some one who repeatedly offered her resignation ???
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Sudu Akka / September 23, 2012
At last the Loose Cannon Janz had been chased out. She is no unbiased journalist but an attention seeker and a sensationalist. Journalism does not mean freedom of the wild ass” . Sudu Akka
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Pacha Epa / September 23, 2012
Suda ?:
Considering that you are obviously a henchakka of the regime, why don’t you use your name? After all, your Lokka looks after people like you and he might give you some money to play with.
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gamini / September 23, 2012
Pacha Epa, you mean she will be given money to buy a Vibrator by MR? Good, at least then she will keep herself occupied. After all these are hard times for all, you know?
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shankar / September 24, 2012
Chee,Gamini,what is this about vibrator?Just because you grew up in a patriarchal society in srilanka does not mean you should make vulgar comments about the opposite sex in order to put them down.
I believe gota’s outburst against frederica was also because he thought how dare this woman have the balls to call me again and again,when so many men are afraid of me and tremble in my presence.
It is time you and the rest of srilanka go with the wind and treat women as equals.Your comment is offensive to all women and should not have been published.
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gamini / September 24, 2012
Shankar, how is it that you understood, I resorted to vulgarism if you are not vulgar yourself? I believe if you shed your holier than thou attitude the better for your self. Why is Sudu Akka your sister? No Wonder! If it is good for her to judge others as loose cannon and you want all women to be treated equal, why this fuss?
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gamini / September 23, 2012
Sudu Akka, absolutely, Journalism is not the freedom of the wild ass, nor is it the freedom, for you to spread your legs for any Dick to get inside, as that too belong to the State, as once revealed in a Sri Lankan Court, where a woman charged for selling it. She had pleaded because she thought that it belonged to her but had apologised when she was told that it belonged to the State. So becareful Sudu Akka!
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Bellakota / September 25, 2012
Saku has [Edited out]
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shankar / September 21, 2012
After the media personnel were killed and bashed and some chased abroad,the only journalist with balls was Jansz.Now she too is gone.
As Gota used to say on TV interview,freeeeeeeeee meeeeedia.freeeeeeeee meeeeedia.What is this freeeee meeeeedia.
Now free media can RIP.
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gamini / September 22, 2012
Thats it. No more buying of The Sunday Leader from tomorrow onwards. Asanga and MR can use them as bromo paper. Simple all should stop buying the Sunday Leader hereafter.
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shankar / September 23, 2012
Gamini,you don’t get the point.The purchase of the newspaper by mahinda was to close it down or run it at a loss.Do you think Asanga had the money to buy it.With all the development projects commissions mahinda has enough money to lose if necessary and this will be considered as money well spent when the paper closes up one day,or continues to run at a loss.
When gota was interviewed by the BBC and asked whether he was trying to close up the sunday leader by suing them for 1 billion rupees which will bankrupt them,he very candidly answered, yes.
So your not buying the newspaper is factored in by the raja pakshe’s ,the master tacticians that they are.If they can continue mihin lanka with billions of losses so that they can use it for their own purposes,what is the millions of losses that sunday leader is goin to have on their budget.They will somehow transfer those losses to the taxpayer gobs in srilanka and their poor future generations who will have to pay,pay and pay the loans well after the rajapakshe’s are dead and gone.
The best thing that frederica can do to hit back is to migrate abroad and start her own newspaper.Now that she is a media celebrity she should cash in on it and get the necessary funding from abroad and use the pen effectively without worrying about losing her life in srilanka.She was anyway walking a tightrope there and maybe this was for her best interest in the long run.
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gamini / September 23, 2012
Shankar my point is, so be done with it. Let us stop buying the Sunday Leader and let them close the Paper. I believe the Public should stop settling All bills Electricity, Water, Telephone and stop paying all Taxes as well. Let MR close every thing and see how he is going to survive. What the Public will have to endure is only one week of hardship, compared to the present unending travail, the masses are subject to. If all cooperate, believe me MR will be history in a weeks time.
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gamini / September 23, 2012
Nicities will not pay with a crank like MR at the helm ruining the whole country. Before it is too late, I believe a CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE CAMPAIGN should be commenced immediately. The time is rife with the FUTA to commence this move without any further delay. The longer we dilly dally the masses will SUFFER indefinitely. Let us suffer for one week and throw the lot out. I feel sad for people like Navin Weeraratne commenting from Salubrious climes of the Virtues of Mankind, when the reality here is totally different.
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Dr. Maverick / September 21, 2012
by this time Freddie must be having many offers (local and foreign) in the pipeline. Farewell Sunday Leader and welcome Sunday Liar.
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lankason / September 22, 2012
WELL SAID…..AWAITS THE DOWNFALL OF BOOTLICKERS.BAD SIGNS CAN BE SEEN ALL OVER. REMEMBER PRESIDENT PREMADASA WAS ALSO DID THE SAME THING GOING AFTER THE RELIGION BEFORE HE DIED.ALL CORTUPTS WILL HAVE ITS DAY.
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Dr. Maverick / September 21, 2012
by this time Freddie must be having many offers (local and foreign) in the pipeline. Farewell Sunday Leader and welcome Sunday Liar.
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Sarath / September 21, 2012
The only independent newspaper in Sri Lanka that is read online by the expats is now gone. The others, whose journalists are too timid to publish the truth are not cared for by all outside the country.
One is now left with no choice other than to depend on those websites
sponsored by the opposition.
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mike / September 21, 2012
Maybe Goata will extend Asanga and Sakuntala of “The Sunday Liar” for a pigshit dinner and discuss matters of mutual interest!!!
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Perera / September 22, 2012
FJ has had so many pigshit dinners with western agents and anti SL diaspora. don’t you know that.
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ayanthirkg / September 23, 2012
What an I. ,
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Panda / September 21, 2012
Looks like the little freedom of press we had is diminishing. If our government did the right thing, then they do not have to be afraid of criticism, in fact in real democracies, criticism and investigative journalism is part of the system.
The guilty are always afraid.
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Ben Hurling / September 21, 2012
I declare Sri Lanka a Police State. Media freedom finally finished.
Corrupt and rigged elections are just a cover to call ourselves a democratic nation.
Now we are under complete control of a ruthless, cunning, family clan. Their cronies and henchmen such as Asanga Seneviratne, Sajin Vaas are having feasting.
Plus, we have a spineless opposition in disarray. The UNP.
Politicians who voted for the 18th amendment are nothing but traitors.
Opposition must unite. The hard work to unshackle Sri Lanka must begin.
Once we saved our country from the LTTE monster. Now we must rescue her again. This time from the enemy with in. The Rajapakse clan.
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Piranha / September 21, 2012
A terrible shame that the only paper with guts to expose the excesses,criminal activities and corruption of the government is now going to be another government mouthpiece after Ms Jansz leaves. Rajapaksa is slowly but surely getting rid of all opposition to him. A violent regime change appears to be the only option before it is too late.
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maxcy / September 21, 2012
end of Sunday Leader well Sunday PACHA
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maxcy / September 21, 2012
R I P Sunday Leader well come SUNDAY BEGAL
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American Lanka Lover / September 21, 2012
Maybe Tamilnet is hiring. (:
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Simhi / September 22, 2012
Why not. What is wrong?
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Sincho / September 22, 2012
If you are not blind, you should have known there are increasing masses in the country (within sinhalese, tamils, muslims and other minorities) who would raise the voices against ruling tyranny. So, it should necessarily be Tamil net to hire her next.
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Perera / September 22, 2012
If you are not blind and deaf you know who Tamil net is working for? LTTE Terrorits and eelamits. Yes, Only Tamil net can hire person like FJ because she perfectly fit into Tamil net category.
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ayanthirkg / September 23, 2012
This fellow is a mess
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Sincho / September 23, 2012
Perera,
you seem to have overread the message OR trying to do so as many of the folks are used to today. Just not supporting on going thug related incidents in present-day srilanka means not necessarily that they are pro – Ltters or any thing like that.
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suryagamage nilan / September 23, 2012
What else can you expect from an American brown ass!
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suryagamage nilan / September 21, 2012
That is it. We should sign a petition to reinstate Frederica or call for a global boycott of the Sunday Leader.
Who would like to start a petition? I am sure a lot of level headed people would be willing to sign such a petition. Can we get the media watch dog in this to help?
Otherwise it will have to be GOOD BYE to LEADER and Good luck to Sakuntala or whats her name?
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Jayaweera / September 21, 2012
When I read the last Sunday leader (Friday 21, 2012)caption under “Believe it or not” about the thug Malaka written by Fredrica J. not only me but all the readers knew there were some fishy contents in it. Only now we know this is the reason for it. MR regime playing a dirty game with the whole of Sri Lanka destroying all starting from free speech, FUTA, JVP, and opposition parties,SEC,EPF,Judiciary, acquiring opponents lands and businesses etc…etc. Someone has to bring this to the attention of IC and Fredrica J. should join another independent publication to keep the public update.
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mike / September 22, 2012
…. then chances are that Fredrica J. will suffer the same fate as Lasantha and the question may be asked “OLUWATATHE WADUNAY” ???
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harak watcher / September 22, 2012
More and more we go to the dark ages,any solution in sight for the people to free ourselves of Mara and his rogue family and friends.
Bye,FJ for now.The end for them is near.
And yes,last few months there were no articles about Percy,he had behind a sacred cow.
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Raju / September 22, 2012
Federica showed her dumbness on ‘White Flag’ case when she could not prove the court how she came to those conclusions to write that article inciting violence against the state and the army. SF may have uttered those comments but she was not sharp enough to neither record them nor make legible notes to the effect. What kind of journalist is that who can write such stories off the cuff? Then again towing the line of the management is accepted procedure in any organization. We cannot count how many people have gone packing that did follow the management directions in CNN, MSBN, BBC and Fox News. The so called free world has no single editor who can callously express their own opinion. Even he can express his opinion it is not viable, as finally it is the management who has to carry the burden of running a newspaper. Publishing facts is one thing. But giving an unreasonable twist is another. I know a lot of diaspora members will be unhappy with these changes in the newspaper as they may find it difficult to sling mud against the government unreasonably any more.
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suryagamage nilan / September 22, 2012
Raju
Must be a Sinhala Kaju pretending to be Tamil. I am sure he will like us all to celebrate the butchering of 40,000 people.
I dont know how Budhism could produce such fascists as our Kaju here…
Then again a quick glance at modern sri lankan history says kaju’s are as common as the street dogs…
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Vernon Vidanaarachchi / September 22, 2012
@ Suriyagamage Nilan,Why are you trying to bring racism in-to this scenario? You are hurt isn’t it? your comment is a clear evidence of whom FJ had been catering to.If you go through the lines of Raju’s comments, [not in an idiotic manner]any one will find that he was trying to come out with something logical.
Regarding your comment on’street dogs’,I’m sorry to say that you are more qualified to be a ‘stray dog’ on the wetern streets.
Here-after stick on to the argument,rather than trying to bull-shit.
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Perera / September 22, 2012
well said vernon.
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AYMAN / September 22, 2012
THERE IS NO NEED TO SLING MUD. THEY ARE ALREADY, WALLOWING IN A CESSPIT
OF THEIR OWN SHIT!!!!!!!!!!
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RT / September 22, 2012
There goes the final nail on the “unbowed, unafraid” journalism in SL. Only newspaper I read regularly.
My deepest condolance to free media and journalism in SL. They say pen is mighther than the sword. These fearless souls like FJ, Lasantha, Richard, Taraki are proof of that.
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S.H.Moulana / September 22, 2012
A very sad situation, the birth of fhe Lake House No, 2!
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Vijith / September 22, 2012
Media freedom does not mean being against the government and its leaders as well as being part of it.
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PresiDunce Bean / September 22, 2012
Chairman and Rajapaksa sycophant,Asanga Seneviratne, will obviously see a drop in sales in the near future if the paper puts out articles that suck up to the Rajapaksas’ and the government. More people might buy the Sunday edition tomorrow, out of curiosity, but in time readers will probably switch to online sites like Colombo Telegraph and blocked sites using proxy sites.
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james / September 22, 2012
Is this fredica the one who betrate the whole country for couple of $ from dispora. She is very foutunate premadasa not in power that time. This fredrica doing evry thing to betrate the country. she need to be the editor of tamil tiger news paper
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aruna ranasinghe / September 22, 2012
Rather than cricisinge this move honestly we should look at the content of the sunday leader. Even Sarath Fonseka will agree that the criticism of Rajapaksa’s is too much and sometimes without facts.
Our hope is this will become a neutral paper.
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Bernard / September 22, 2012
The solitary paper that had the true guts, a backbone & courage, now has gone. Gone forever! May the truthful Sunday Leader “REST IN ETERNAL PEACE”
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Perera / September 22, 2012
Good decision by new owner to sack FJ who prostitute Sunday Leader for West and LTTE disapora.
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Native Vedda / September 24, 2012
Perera
is convinced:
“Good decision by new owner to sack FJ who prostitute Sunday Leader for West and LTTE disapora”.
By the same token those who support the state and its rulers are too prostituting their own media. Do you agree?
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P.A.Samaraweera / September 22, 2012
Goodbye Fredecrica. You were so arrogant that you were the Editor , you disregarded things like Sri Lankan culture, patriotims etc and was never ever national minded. As the New Ownership declared the whole paper was one-sided attacking the govt. And your news about the ‘White Flag ‘ case was a disaster and you expected an Award for that.
P.A.Samaraweera
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AYMAN / September 22, 2012
PLAIN POPPYCOCK
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Pacha Epa / September 23, 2012
P.A. Samaraweera:
I will not describe you as the south end of a pig going north because that would be flattering.
Why don’t you confine your sycophancy to The Island which is owned by the brother of one of “your” Ministers?
You have the journalistic skills of one of the marsupials in your country of current residence – the duck-billed platypus and the morality of a Tasmanian Devil.
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Vernon Vidanaarachchi / September 22, 2012
Most of the comments forewarded, justifies the cause of action taken by Asanga.What kind of a journalist this lady is? As the person responsible of a paper which had a very low circulation,had nothing to do but talking about other people’s puppies,isn’t it? and trying to make an issue on ‘Free media’in SL.She had to taste her own medicine.Goons of west and anti Srilankan dollar lending NGO’s are the only sympathisers on this issue.
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AYMAN / September 22, 2012
THANK OUR STARS, WE HAVE THIS SITE. YOU ARE “OUR VOICE”
NOT “HIS MASTERS VOICE”.
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Pacha Epa / September 23, 2012
Vernon Vidane….
Unfortunately, you appear to be an English scholar of the quality of the Big Laundryman, Asanga Seneviratne. Unfortunately, it is very hard to understand your brilliant English. Maybe, you should ask AS to hire you as a writer for his paper.
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ranbanda / September 22, 2012
I hope Fredrica will have a web page on the internet to expose the corrupt and murderous Rajapakses.
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SW / September 22, 2012
Yes the Pen is mightier than the sword. It can make leaders it can kill leaders. The people believe what is written as the gospel truth the whole truth. If the pen is in the wrong hands it is going to be a dangerous situation. Is Fedrica’s hand and brains clean or is is smeared with dirt?
Analyzing the articles carefully by the readers is vital and only then will we understand and come into conclusions who is telling the truth.
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Malik / September 22, 2012
Lasantha Would Turn In His Grave
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AYMAN / September 22, 2012
LASANTHA WAS KILLED, DESPITE HIS HAVING BEEN A FRIEND OF MAHINDA,AND THAT TOO IN A HIGH SECURITY ZONE, AND REMAINS UNSOLVED TILL TODAY.
THIS IS NOT THE ONLY MURDER. WE ARE RULED BY A SET OF “RUHUNU THUGS”
THE “SUNDAY LEADER” WAS THE ONLY PAPER WORTH READING.
NOW THE END HAS COME AND ITS ABOUT TIME WE ORGANIZED A BOYCOTT OF
“SUNDAY LEADER” IT IS SAID THAT “THE TRUTH IS THE FIRST CASUALTY IN WAR”
THIS GOES TO PROVE THAT THERE IS NO PEACE.
THIS GUY WHO HAS BOUGHT OVER,”SUNDAY LEADER IS A TOP CLASS MANIPULATOR AND CROOK.HE WAS SOMETIME BACK INVOLVED IN A BIG FINANCIAL SCAM.
HE IS A MILLIONARE IF NOT BILLIONARE.HOW HE CAME WITH ALL THIS MONEY, IS THE WAY MOST OF OUR TOP GUYS HAVE DONE.HIS NAME STINKS!!!!!!!
EVEN IN THE SPORTS ARENA, HE IS A MANIPULATOR.
THE RUGBY UNION, IS TODAY RUN BY THIS GUY AND ANOTHER MONEY LAUNDERER.
WELL, IF THIS GUY IS TRYING TO PROTECT, THE RULING FAMILY, HE IS ONLY BRINGING ABOUT THEIR RUIN.MANY ARE THE DICTATORS, AND PRESS MOGHULS
WHO HAVE FALLEN. LET US WAIT AND SEE.TIME WILL TELL
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sinbad / September 22, 2012
Well said. Not only him but Sajin Vaas, Cabral, PB and all the family members are big scammers. No one have a doubt about that. We must boycott all elections in future as a protest!
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leel / September 22, 2012
So that means that was the my last Sunday leader paper.
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Ananda Rathnayake / September 22, 2012
This ts a good decision & it will save the news paper. Many people stop reading this news paper due the bad way of reporting,
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PresiDunce Bean / September 22, 2012
@Ananda Rathnayake
…when you had news papers like the Daily News and the Sunday Observer…why in God’s name did you want to read the Leader? :) Well now, people like you can start reading the Leader, and people like us will have to find alternative websites that fearlessly report the truth…the whole truth, and nothing but the truth… ;)
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AYMAN / September 22, 2012
FREDERICA,
YOU HAVE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB.
YOU HAVE PROVED “THE PEN IS MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD” EVEN IN THE HANDS
OF A WOMAN.
YOU ARE A”HEROINE” STANDING UP FOR THE TRUTH, IN THE MIDST OF THESE
“CARDBOARD DICTATORS” .
THE WORLD IS WATCHING. WHILE NAILING THE COFFIN OF PRESS FREEDOM,
THEY ARE BRINGING ABOUT THEIR END.
COME ON !! LET US SRI LANKANS PUT A STOP TO THIS ROT.THE SOONER THE BETTER.
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