By Colombo Telegraph –
Colombo Telegraph exclusively learns that the silence of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) on key media freedom issues including the Defence Secretary’s recent tirade against the Sunday Leader Editor and the sacking of Ceylon Today Editor in Chief Lalith Allahakkoon is a direct result of petty personal clashes and internecine politics within the media activist fraternity and individual journalists.
Frederica Jansz, editor-in-chief of the Sunday Leader (center)IFJ full member FMETU Secretary Dhramasiri Lankapeli (Far right) Sri Lankan journalists, activists and opposition lawmakers have staged a protest against media suppression and intimidation after she received a death threat from the president’s brother.
As the Sri Lankan media faces a new wave of media clampdowns and renewed intimidation from powerful elements within the Sri Lankan government, IFJ and its affiliate media activist groups are too deeply embroiled in internal politics and agenda pushing to effectively represent endangered scribes and media organizations in the country.
The Colombo Telegraph learnt that in a conversation with Uvindu Kurukulasuriya, a former Convenor of the Free Media Movement, South Asia Project Manager for IFJ, Sukumar Muralidharan said his organization would not be issuing a statement condemning the Defence Secretary’s recent tirade against Sunday Leader Editor Fredrica Jansz until the journalist patched up her relationship with the FMM and certain media activist groups in Colombo. “They (Sunday Leader) need to patch up their relationship and we cannot get involved in something that could alienate us from the affiliates,” he said.
Muralidharan was referring to the Free Media Movement of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association which are affiliates of the IFJ.
“This is the same reason why we did not say anything on the Ceylon Today matter,” Muralidharan added. “Beyond a point, when there are serious disagreements between local groups, we cannot take a stand one way or the other,” he said, adding, “it only makes things worse.”
The Sunday Leader has recently published articles criticizing the alleged corruption of the FMM and the IFJ, while Hana Ibrahim, who profited directly from Allahakoon’s sacking by being appointed Editor in Chief of Ceylon Today, was a trustee of the FMM, contributor to the IFJ and Sri Lanka Representative for the New York based Committee to Protect Journalists. Following a statement released by the FMM on Allahakkoon’s sacking, Ibrahim tendered her resignation to the FMM. Reports say she made consistent efforts to prevent the FMM from issuing a statement in reaction to her predecessor’s sacking and resigned when massive pressure from civil society and other sections of the media forced the group to make a statement, one week after the incident.
When it was pointed out that both the FMM and the SLWJA had issued statements relating to the summary dismissal of Ceylon Today Editor in Chief Lalith Allahakkoon on an editorial independence issue and the Frederica Jansz – Gotabhaya issues, Muralidharan said he was not aware of the “stand” taken by his affiliates on the issue. “The problem appears to be that there is very little communication now,” he said. Meanwhile IFJ has issued a statement regarding Sri Lanka’s press freedom on another issue some time in between the Ceylon Today and Jansz issue.
However Colombo Telegraph reliably learns that IFJ and Muralidharan are to meet both FMM Convenor Sharmini Boyle and FMM Secretary Sunil Jayasekera next month in Nepal.
After Kurukulasuriya pointed out IFJ affiliates in Sri Lanka did issue statements, Muralidharan changed his defensive arguments saying; Sunday Leader Editor Fredrica Jansz and the FMM were not “on the best of terms in recent times.” He said that Hana Ibrahim, Sharmini Boyle and Sunil Jayasekera and others of the FMM had registered strong resentment over Jansz’s recent articles, attacking the organization.
Asked if that meant IFJ and FMM did not support critics even when they were being threatened and intimidated for their work as journalists, the IFJ South Asia Project Manager responded that “there is a lot of baggage… in terms of the legal cases going on between the Sunday Leader and the defence secretary.” He added that he felt that the Sunday Leader story regarding SriLankan Airlines could have been run without the phone calls being made to the Defence Secretary.
“I have no problem with journalists being provocative when they’re interviewing people in power … but in this case, the consequences could have been predicted,” the IFJ Representative said.
With regard to the Ceylon Today issue that was largely ignored by the IFJ despite reaction from RSF and other groups, Muralidharan said Ibrahim has been a “valuable contributor” to IFJ activities in Sri Lanka. “No just IFJ but I believe she has worked with CPJ also and has a lot of respect in press freedom circles,” he said.
“We are a membership organisation. We go by members’ perceptions on all issues. If there are issues on which member organisations are undecided or divided, we do not rush into making a statement,” Muralidharan added, responding to questions as to whether the media watchdogs were playing politics on key issues.
The internecine wars and agendas within the media activist fraternity in Sri Lanka was further highlighted earlier this week when UNP MP Mangala Samaraweera wrote to CPJ Asia Pacific Coordinator Bob Dietz expressing disappointment over the editorial conduct of its Sri Lanka Representative – also Ibrahim. “It is appalling that the supposed watcher of attempts to endanger the lives of scribes has descended to the level of not only branding the work of these journalists as “scurrilous and defamatory” but in justifying the government action against these websites, lends credence and legitimacy to the regime’s campaign of media oppression and stifling dissent. If journalists and media outfits must now fear reprisal and attack from its own fraternity and more specifically media activists tasked with ensuring journalists’ safety, what recourse will they have? If this pro-oppression position is Ms. Ibrahim’s own, why does she continue to wear the misleading garb of media activist and campaigner for free expression?” Samaraweera said in an impassioned appeal to Dietz.
In his letter Samaraweera charges that Ceylon Today is making a strong case for the state crackdown on the Sri Lanka Mirror and Sri Lanka X News websites.
Colombo Telegraph learns that CPJ has responded to the opposition MP to assure him that they take the matter seriously and would be investigating further.
Referring IFJ Asia pacific director Jacqueline Park, in her article last June Frederica Jansz wrote ; Not only did Deshapriya admit to misappropriating project fund allocated to the Centre for Policy Alternatives which he says he used to purchase an air ticket for Jacqueline Park, Director of IFJ Asia-Pacific, but he is also under investigation for spending over half a million rupees for a six-night stay at Heritance Hotel Kandalama during a workshop, when the duration of the event in question was only 3 days.
Deshapriya’s extended stay at Kandalama from July 7 – 13 last year which cost over half a million bucks, included costs incurred by Jacqueline Park, her husband, Christopher Warren and their children whose hotel bills were all paid out of funds allocated for a conference on an ‘Advanced Module in Writing Training.’ (It was subsequently learnt that Christopher Warren did not accompany his family on this occasion.) Park and her family reside in Australia and are long standing personal friends of Deshapriya……….. The fact of the matter is however that Park is not only implicated in abusing project funds by extending her stay together with her family at a boutique style hotel in Kandalama, but also, according to Deshapriya’s own admission, Park is party to having accepted that her air ticket for her trip to Sri Lanka in November 2007 to attend the Public Service Media prize giving was paid out of funds allocated to the Centre for Policy Alternatives for a separate project.
Exposing IFJ and FMM corruption Uvindu Kurukulasuriya wrote in Sunday Leader ; At the time I became the Convenor in May 2008, FMM was involved in two major projects, one was the above-mentioned Human Right Programme funded by the EU and the other was Public Service Media (PSM), funded by the Norwegians (run by IFJ and five media organisations) Sunanda was the project head at the FMM. Manjula Wediwardena, Athula Vithanage and Ravi Chandralal were the project staff. At one meeting IFJ’s Jacqueline Park told them that when they organise islandwide training programmes, to conduct the HR workshops and PSM workshops on same day, same place for the same participants and get the two bills from the hotels!! In other words, she asked them to forge one invoice and forge the participants’ signature list. Sunanda and Park were obviously planning to cheat two different donors. Someone informed me of their plan and I told Sunanda to stop it. Sunanda then shouted angrily at Wediwardena and Vithanage, accusing one of them of having told me since he trusted Chandralal. Wediwardena at this point, said that we had trained journalists on corruption and journalism last year. He pointed out this was corruption and asked how we can ask for invoices from hotels?
Related posts;
Former FM Mangala Slams Committee To Protect Journalists Sri Lanka Rep
Ceylon Today Threatened Media Rights Groups And Editor Resigns From FMM
Working Journalists Association Condemns Ceylon Today Editor Sacking
Ceylon Today Saga: After Seven Days FMM Issued A ‘Soft’ Statement
Ceylon Today Saga :RSF Fears Politically Motivated Censorship In Sri Lanka
Ceylon Today Saga: The Management Speaks Out
Senior Editors Of Ceylon Today Resigned In A Battle Over Editorial Independence
Persecution And Harassment The Editor Had To Face Was A Result Of Not Catering To A Partisan Agenda
What Went Wrong At Ceylon Today: The Editor In Chief Speaks Out
Resigned Ceylon Today Journalists Reveal Their Side Of The Story
Why Is The FMM Silent About ‘Ceylon Today’? By The Nation Editor
The sacking Of Ceylon Today Editor: Mainstream Morass By The Groundviews Editor
‘Keep Frederica Jansz Safe’, ‘Embassies In Sri Lanka Should Raise Her Case’ – ARTICLE 19
Gota Has Gone To The Dog: SriLankan Airlines And A Puppy Dog For Gota’s Wife
‘You Dirty F**king Journalist, You Are Pigs Who Eat Shit’
Press Freedom In Sri Lanka: Gota Explodes
‘FMM Fraud Story Rolls On, Despite Denials’ – With A Note From Colombo Telegraph
Selling The FMM For The Good Life
Sunanda Saga, States Of Denial And NGO Accountability
Michelle Mendis / July 14, 2012
would these protests matter to the dictators? I reckon not. what a sad state of affairs.
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James Bond / July 14, 2012
While self critique is important and can be cathartic, at this time, one hopes that the media community will now try to put their infighting behind, focus on the big picture and work together to protect media freedom in Sri Lanka from the onslaught of the Rajapakse regime.
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Hema / July 14, 2012
What bloody hypocrites these guys are! Super work CT!
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Sukumar Muralidharan / July 14, 2012
I wish to state on record that this conversation with Uvindu that has been attributed to me was completely a private affair. At one point, when he said that he would make it public, I told him while insisting that this remained off the record that we are guided by member organisations’ perceptions on most issues. The precise words used were: “We are a membership organisation. We go by members’ perceptions on all issues. If there are issues on which member organisations are undecided or divided, we do not rush into making a statement. And (then) there is also an issue of communication since we often do not get full details when they are required”.
Far from changing my defensive posture when the FMM and SLWJA statements on the two issues under discussion were brought to my attention, I had said that we would “take note” of them.
That is where the conversation ended, except for some needlessly provocative statements and bluster from Uvindu’s side, which I did my best not to react to in similar vein.
This article is ethically challenged. It places a highly questionable interpretation on a private conversation that I had with its author and for the rest, rehashes old material with no clear motive, except sheer malice.
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chanaka de silva / July 14, 2012
The author’s intent and question of ethical reporting aside, this does in fact serve to expose a much greater question of ethics on your part and that of the IFJ – which is at the end of the day receiving funds to defend journalists against exactly this type of attack and slander. So the real question is whether the IFJ is essentially guided on its media freedom issues by the personal prejudices of Hana Ibrahim and Sharimini Boyle – who have both in the last month indicated that their position on media freedom issues are entirely dependent on whether they profit from the oppression or not.
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Sukumar Muralidharan / July 14, 2012
I can only repeat one part of the CT article which does me the courtesy of accurate quotation: “We are a membership organisation. We go by members’ perceptions on all issues. If there are issues on which member organisations are undecided or divided, we do not rush into making a statement”. This is not to say that particular issues are without merit, but only to ensure that the manner in which they are pursued is consistent with the member organisations’ perceptions and does not impair their effectiveness. The effectiveness of all actions finally depends on local factors and the cohesiveness of local campaign groups. That is the basic point.
I am prepared to place the full transcript of the conversation with Uvindu on record to show how this Colombo Telegraph article is seriously challenged in ethical terms. For instance, the point about the Sunday Leader Fredrica Jansz and the FMM not being “on the best of terms in recent times”, was not made in the context of him telling me that the FMM and SLWJA had actually taken up the matter, but in the context of what I thought was their silence.
When the statements issued by the FMM and SLWJA — on the earlier issue of Ceylon Today — were brought to my attention, I specifically told Uvindu that we would “take note”. There never was the suggestion that we would ignore the matter.
Finally in re the point made about communications not being very good, I fail to understand the logic of the Colombo Telegraph’s scoop that two office-bearers of the FMM would be attending an IFJ conference in Kathmandu in August. What I was referring to is the recent past. August is still in the future.
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Underground / July 14, 2012
@Skumar M, That is not the where conversation ended. Read Uvnidu’s reply. I agree with him. Your defence that lack of communication was unacceptable. As this news story clearly pointed out that in between Ceylon Today and Jansz issue, IFJ did a statement re Wijesooriya story. So how come anyone can support your lack of communication defence? Far from that FMM convenor and Sec is going to meet you in Napal, so they are communicating with you. Again you said //that Hana Ibrahim, Sharmini Boyle and Sunil Jayasekera and others of the FMM had registered strong resentment over Jansz’s recent articles, attacking the organization.// So how they communicate this? Don’t try to fool us. Its clear you hate Frederica for exposing your corruption and your doing favours to Hana. We are living in Sri Lanka, we are under threat, But you are not caring about us. Thanks Uvindu and CT for exposing this idiots.
Again Mr Murali, are you sugesting that SL media orgs are not doing their job ? Not communicating with you? FMM, SLWJA and FMETU must answer this Sukumar’s allegation.
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Rowdy Peter / July 17, 2012
Rockwood? So are you Muralitharan now?
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Ibba / July 14, 2012
Indeed idiots. Double billing for same workshops, Double stand for media suppression issues. What a corrupt bunch.
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Insider / July 14, 2012
Oh Hana has a good reputation? yes yes, she as the treasurer of the FMM helped IFJ to cover up its corruption in Sri Lanka, and got several foreign trips and per deims. So IFJ pay back her in this manner. No wonder Jansz exposed those corruptions, but now a victim of IFJ. Geart IFJ way to go. Don’t ever think to come Sri Lanka for any matter. We will expose you.
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Lal Rathnayake / July 14, 2012
Gosh, what’s wrong with these guys…Unbelievable!
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Lakshan / July 14, 2012
Well done ! So much for watchdogs :)
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Dharisha Bastians / July 14, 2012
This exchange is sheds valuable light on why certain media activist groups in Sri Lanka have dragged their feet and been so reluctant to act in recent days. Within the last month, three serious issues – the sacking of Lalith Allahakkoon, the raid on the websites and finally, the Fredrica Jansz issue have all been met with the same reaction from certain groups – either stoic silence or grudging soft-statements.
While there are so many genuine media activists in this country, it is distressing that a small cabal is directing the agenda to the detriment of all journalists and the trade. Defending media rights – especially when you’re being funded to do so, cannot only be about defending the rights of those journalists we personally admire.
As my colleagues and I informed Ms. Hana Ibrahim when we resigned in protest of Lalith Allahakkoon’s sacking from Ceylon Today, if the same treatment was meted out to her, we would stand against that too. That position remains the same, irrespective of our differences and the campaign of slander against us, undertaken by her.
Should this not be the attitude of media activist groups to ALL issues pertaining to journalists and the suppression of their rights?
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Sukumar Muralidharan / July 14, 2012
There is moreover no substance at all in the accusation that we avoid issuing statements in support of individuals we have had disagreements or disputes with. The editor of Sunday Leader is a case in point. Despite a completely unfounded and accusatory article that she published under her name in the newspaper on January 20, 2009, we did not hesitate to strongly support her case for good legal defence in a matter brought against her by the Defence Secretary that year. The statement that we issued then is available here:
http://asiapacific.ifj.org/en/articles/ifj-condemns-vilification-of-lawyers-for-sri-lankan-newspaper
Later that year, we met and extensively interviewed the chairman of the Sunday Leader group as part of a press freedom mission to Sri Lanka (the editor made herself unavailable for that meeting). The threats and harassment that the newspaper continued to face were prominently recorded in the mission report which came out in January 2010 in English, Sinhala and Tamil:
http://asiapacific.ifj.org/assets/docs/236/212/1d464ec-c338ed4.pdf
http://asiapacific.ifj.org/assets/docs/139/234/450178b-c4985ea.pdf
http://asiapacific.ifj.org/assets/docs/079/011/621074f-3b51a0b.pdf
We have also been tracking the investigations into the murder of Lasantha Wickramatunge, founder of the Sunday Leader, in successive editions of the South Asia Press Freedom Report.
Contrary to what you have reported, I made it very clear to Uvindu, very early on in the conversation, that personalities did not matter. These are the precise words of that exchange, which has reference to the editor of the Sunday Leader:
Uvindu: she is critisised IFJ too. so, u don’t want. i know. this bad politics
Me: not really. if the fmm or slwja takes up her case then we’ll have no difficulty at all.
Later, when he sent me links to Colombo Telegraph stories dated June 20 and later, which reported the statements made by the FMM and SLWJA on the Ceylon Today matter, I said that we would “take note” of them. Again, the precise words of the exchange are reproduced below:
Uvindu: okay. now u know there is statement
Me: okay.. i see it. where is the FMM statement?
Uvindu: so release IFJ statesman on FJ and Ceylon Today
Me: i don’t do anything under orders … no journalist does
Uvindu: Ask FMM. they did one. Tha’s why Hana had to resign
Me: the story says that she was under pressure from her management to quit the FMM
Uvindu: https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/ceylon-today-saga-after-seven-days-fmm-issued-a-soft-statement/
Me: okay i see it. thanks.. we’ll take note.
So there is absolutely no substance at all in the allegation that we were avoiding issues of importance to journalists just because of personal considerations. It was just that in a context of indecision and division within local partners, we thought it advisable to wait for a properly considered opinion to emerge. Further, I also did underline that communications have not been very good and that we intended improving these.
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Underground / July 14, 2012
@Skumar M, That is not the where conversation ended. Read Uvnidu’s reply. I agree with him. Your defence that lack of communication was unacceptable. As this news story clearly pointed out that in between Ceylon Today and Jansz issue, IFJ did a statement re Wijesooriya story. So how come anyone can support your lack of communication defence? Far from that FMM convenor and Sec is going to meet you in Napal, so they are communicating with you. Again you said //that Hana Ibrahim, Sharmini Boyle and Sunil Jayasekera and others of the FMM had registered strong resentment over Jansz’s recent articles, attacking the organization.// So how they communicate this? Don’t try to fool us. Its clear you hate Frederica for exposing your corruption and your doing favours to Hana. We are living in Sri Lanka, we are under threat, But you are not caring about us. Thanks Uvindu and CT for exposing this idiots.
Again Mr Murali, are you sugesting that SL media orgs are not doing their job ? Not communicating with you? FMM, SLWJA and FMETU must answer this Sukumar’s allegation.
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Sukumar Muralidharan / July 14, 2012
Forgive me, I don’t respond to anonymous interventions.
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gamini / July 14, 2012
Sukumar Muralidharan, your attempt to evade your responsibility stating that you do not intervene on behalf of anonymous, lacks credence to hold office in an Organisation supposed to look after interest of Journalists. You are nothing but a servile low bred character unable to stand up to what is right and just, when a jouranalist is threatened. If you can not do so, kindly step down. It is because of you bum succours that this country is in this predicament.
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chanaka de silva / July 14, 2012
“It was just that in a context of indecision and division within local partners, we thought it advisable to wait for a properly considered opinion to emerge.”
Once again Mr. Muralitharan the issue here is about your local partners. it has been pointed out repeatedly here that they are a few individuals with hardly any credibility and with personal agendas. It would be assumed therefore that an organization of your calibre, would be in a position to analyse and review the greater issues at stake, ie: the safety of Ms. Jansz in this case rather than solely depending on perceptions of a handful of indiviuals, of the likes mentioned above. If you are a slave to such small group of unprofessional ‘activists’ it does not say much about your professionalism and your commitment to the protection of journalists as expected by your donors.
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Kapila Kahapola, UAE / July 14, 2012
Unbelievable !!!
When Jurnos has Got this Much of Un-Solved Issues Among Them I Wonder How They Behave & Write Like Gods Pointing Fingers at Everyone ???
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Kapila Kahapola, UAE / July 14, 2012
Seems Like They are Fast Catching Up SL Police Department & Education Departments as Most Corrupted in the Country !!!
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gamini / July 14, 2012
Judging from the above posts of this Kapila Kahapola taking umbrage, for the exposure of Gota for misuse of power and the display of arrogance, clearly shows his servility to the Rajapaksas. Kapila Kahapola, it is not only the Police Dept and the Education Dept. that are corrupt in the country, but the whole bloody lot, including the Maha Ekka to the infant born to them. So what are you talking?
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Uvindu Kurukulasuriya / July 14, 2012
IFJ paid agent now talking about ethics. He himself corrupt. He is not allowed take any money personally from IFJ project, but He , his masters IFJ Asia Director Park and her husband or partner former IFJ President Christoper Warran was paid in Sri Lanka by cash.I have been investigating all those, but sadly present FMM leaders are in a cover up game. Now Skumar published part of conversation i have had with him. This is the entire unedited conversation we had. Readers can decide whether the public interest applied or not. This is about Journalists lives, Skumara is paid by its members, I’m a IFJ member too. I had this conversation with him in his duty hours. He is not a friend of mine. He is a paid worker accountable for IFJ membership we have only a work relationship. By the way I did not write the above news story.
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o ar u there?
Sukumar Muralidharan
o yeah
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o where is IFJ PR re Frederica?
o can u send me the link
Sukumar Muralidharan
o we have not issued one..
o our affiliates have not taken a stand on it or sent us any communication
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o bad no
o where is ur reputation and impartiality ?
Sukumar Muralidharan
o they need to patch up their relationship and we cannot get involved in something that could alienate us from the affiliates
o same reason why we did not say anything on the ceylon today matter
Sukumar Muralidharan
o we have issued a statement on the case of shantha wijesooriya because he is part of SLWJA and we have a clear direction there
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o That is rubish
o and never happend
Sukumar Muralidharan
o beyond a point, when there are serious disagreements between local groups, we cannot take a stand one way or the other
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o he is my friend to
Sukumar Muralidharan
o it only makes things worse
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o how do u know about disagreements?
Sukumar Muralidharan
o frederica and FMM are not on the best of terms in recent times, are they?
o hana ibrahim and sharmini boyle and sunil and others have registered strong resentment over her recent articles attacking the organisation
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o http://www.dailymirror.lk/news/20235-no-to-website-regulation.html
o so, u are not supporting critics
o noted
Sukumar Muralidharan
o meaning?
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o she critisised IFJ too
o so, u don’t want
o i know
o this bad politics
Sukumar Muralidharan
o not really
o if the fmm or slwja takes up her case then we’ll have no difficulty at all
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o we/ I know even without we did take any stand IFJ did issue PRs in my time and Sunanda’s time
o watch the video full
o i sent
Sukumar Muralidharan
o you know, there is a lot of baggage here … in terms of the legal cases going on between the sunday leader and the defence secretary, etc etc
o and her testimony in the white flags case against general fonseka
o even this story about srilankan airlines and the puppy from geneva could have been run without those phone calls to the defence secretary… i think the sourcing was adequate for the story to run
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o what’s wrong with Sfonseka case?
o if that is the case, What Shantha Wijesooriya said in courts, when he was arrested?
Sukumar Muralidharan
o i don’t know about that
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o see, u dont know all ur affiliates did take stand on Ceylone Today issue
• Sukumar Muralidharan
o i have no problem with journalists being provocative when they’re interviewing people in power … but in this case, the consequences could have been predicted
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o u are giving excuses
o sad
Sukumar Muralidharan
o well we were not informed about the affiliates’ stand on the ceylon today issue
o there was no communication with us
o and i don’t need to make any excuses to you, do I?
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/ceylon-today-threatened-media-rights-groups-and-editor-resigns-from-fmm/
o read the links given
o at the end of the artcile
o for FMM and SLWJA statements
o u are angry with her same as me
o i know
o IFJ is doing politics
o not the job
o i’m tellling u
o sad sad
o coz u are friend with Hana and against Jansz
o that is the reason
Sukumar Muralidharan
o yes.. hana has been a very valuable contributor to our activities in sri lanka .. not just ifj but i believe she’s worked with the cpj also and has a lot of respect iin press freedom circles
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o OMG
o this is IFJ full member SLWJA on Ceylon today
o https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/working-journalists-association-condemns-ceylon-today-editor-sacking/
o read it
o No answer?
o LOL IFJ is bias
•
o no answer? went offline why answer me !
o This is sad situation, i will quote u and write something, u are the South Asian IFJ paid agent
o this is ur answer
o you are paid to work for journalists in the region
o please answer
Sukumar Muralidharan
o what do you want me to say?
o okay.. i see the SLWJA statement now
o it was never brought to our attention
o the SLWJA did not send it to us
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o FMM also did one
Sukumar Muralidharan
o well, the problem here seems to be that there is very little communication now
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o rubbish
o u all are in a meeting even
o i know all
Sukumar Muralidharan
o what do you mean by “meeting even”?
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o no communication? Sunil and Shamini are to meet u
Sukumar Muralidharan
o yes … that is in august
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o okay
o now u know there is statement
• Sukumar Muralidharan
o okay.. i see it
o where is the FMM statement?
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o so release IFJ statesman on FJ and Ceylon Today
o Ask FMM
Sukumar Muralidharan
o i don’t do anything under orders … no journalist does
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o they did one
o That’s why Hana had to resign
Sukumar Muralidharan
o the story says that she was under pressure from her management to quit the FMM
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/ceylon-today-saga-after-seven-days-fmm-issued-a-soft-statement/
Sukumar Muralidharan
o okay i see it
o thanks.. we’ll take note
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o I think its okay I quote u re this issue, as the paid IFJ worker for the region
Sukumar Muralidharan
o quote me?
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o yes
Sukumar Muralidharan
o this is a private conversation
•
o at no point have i said that it can be quoted
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o so, then give me an official statement re Cyelon Today issue and Janzs issue
o why IFJ i silent about those issues?
Sukumar Muralidharan
o as i have said, i don’t work under ultimatums
o or orders
o no journalist does
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o so, what is your job?
o you can not give an official statement about the silent ?
Sukumar Muralidharan
o i keep the ifj managing committee and membership informed about that
o what my job is, that is
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o I think I should expose IFJ hypocrisy, and u as a journalist and a IFJ paid agent
o so, people will decide
Sukumar Muralidharan
o okay uvindu, i have had enough of this conversation… i repeat that this is a private conversation and you don’t have my consent to quote any part of it
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o its depend on whether this has any public interest or not
o I gave u an opportunity to make a public statement
o but u are not willing to do it as a paid person
Sukumar Muralidharan
o well, let me just say this is between you and your own sense of ethics
o i engaged in a conversation with you in good faith
o only because there were things about the ceylon today matter that i was not aware of
o and you should know that the IFJ statements are not about me or you, but about the membership
• Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o Me too in a good faith, but u as a IJF official, and I gave u the opportunity to explain on the record , but u are not willing to do so, so, what are the alternatives?
Sukumar Muralidharan
o explain what?
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o why did not IFJ issued statements on Jansz and Ceylon Today issue?
Sukumar Muralidharan
o i think i have answered that.
o we are a membership organisation. we go by members’ perceptions on all issues. if there are issues on which member organisations are undecided or divided, we do not rush into making a statement
o and there is also an issue of communication
o since we often do not get full details when they are required
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o okay
o good
Sukumar Muralidharan
o all this is private
o once again, i underline that point
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o no private , i told u
Sukumar Muralidharan
o it is basic journalistic ethics to mention when conversations are on record and not
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o this is recorded, i ask u to talk on record
o read it
o please
Sukumar Muralidharan
o what do you mean recorder?
o you have never said at any point that this conversation is on record
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o You all are paid for do the job by IFJ, but not doing the job and playing organisational politics all the time
o this should be exposed and should stop
Sukumar Muralidharan
o listen uvindu.. you are testing my patience.
o i am ending this conversation right here
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o you have no idea about the lives of journalist
o only money and trips
Sukumar Muralidharan
o as i said before, you don’t have my consent to use any part of this conversation in any public forum
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o will see, whether this is for public interest or not
o I knew you/IFJ is playing around personal issues
o I even sent u an email
o couple of days ago
o If you wish you can still talk to me on record
o I’m waiting for that
Sukumar Muralidharan
Ethically challenged b***s***
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
Public interest; IFJ is doing politics and IFJ is hipocrits and corrupt
Sukumar Muralidharan
you have betrayed my trust
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
Jurnalists lives are more impotent
I didnnot write all what u said all the years
but this is impotent
You are paid to do that
I am a IFJ member too
so you are accountable for me too
THIS WAS THE END. SO YOU DECIDE
/
gamini / July 14, 2012
Uvindu, thanks for exposing these Sanctimonious Humbugs as their concern seems to praise and safeguard the Corrupt Establishment and not look after the interest of fellow journalists.
/
Ceylon Today Insider / July 14, 2012
Whole world stand up for Jansz, whether people like her or not.
*All Sri Lankan Media groups have issued a statement
*Article 19, RSF, International Pen issued statements
* all International HR bodies wrote to Rajapaksa re the matter.
* They all send personal letters to her supporting her courage and pledged further support.
BUT this IFJ did not do any thing
Re Ceylon Today issue all media orgs issued statements. Thank you for SLWJA for take tough stand in the first place,RSF issued a statement BUT CPJ and IFJ did not issued one because of Hana, CPJ’s paid SL Agent and IFJ’s pet dog puppy.
Reading this conversation it is clear Uvindu this is public interest and you repeatedly say it and when he later said don’t quote him you asked again repeatedly talk on record. You have done your job. Thank you. You even done your job while living in exile. we thought you are not doing anything for us. but reading this conversation I’m really happy that you are the same person we knew. A principle man. We got to know that Ceylon Today MD Dushaynth Basnayaka is you cousin, he is the one who sacked the editor ,but you stand up regardless your relationship with and took stand for Sacked Ceylon Today Editor and resigned Journalists. You are a man with principles. Thank you so much for working on behalf of us.
/
Sukumar Muralidharan / July 14, 2012
I will not respond to any more of the scurrilous nonsense from Uvindu. But if anybody thinks that the IFJ has been indifferent to press freedom issues in Sri Lanka, here is a link that takes you to all the recent statements we’ve issued on the matter: http://asiapacific.ifj.org/en/tags/130/contents.
And here is a link to our most recent report on press freedom in South Asia, which devotes more space to Sri Lanka than to most countries:
http://asiapacific.ifj.org/assets/docs/047/025/311862f-80f5b19.pdf.
/
SI / July 14, 2012
Oh ! are you corrupt too. Did you accept cash in hand ? bad bad, Hey man this is about not what IFJ has done, this about what you have not done. You not doing volunteer, IFJ is full funded org. They even not work after 5 pm in Australian time. So this is your job to protect journalist, and not taking cash in hand and asking double billing for workshops and make activists corrupt. We will take this issue further. Great Uvindu. Will send you an email. Our Indian unions will take up this issue too. here also same internal politics by Park and the bunch of no good.
/
Sukumar Muralidharan / July 14, 2012
It may be good if you could shed the cloak of anonymity. If you are speaking on behalf of Indian unions, I may know you. So there is no need to be shy.
/
Senaka Silva - Japan / July 14, 2012
Interesting;
// Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/ceylon-today-threatened-media-rights-groups-and-editor-resigns-from-fmm/
o read the links given
o at the end of the artcile
o for FMM and SLWJA
o u are angry with her same as me
o i know
o IFJ is doing politics
o not the job
o i’m tellling u
o sad sad
o coz u are friend with Hana and against Jansz
o that is the reason
Sukumar Muralidharan
o yes.. hana has been a very valuable contributor to our activities in sri lanka .. not just ifj but i believe she’s worked with the cpj also and has a lot of respect iin press freedom circles
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
o OMG
//
This man says “YES” so love Hana and Hate FJ LOL :) :) :)
/
Sukumar Muralidharan / July 14, 2012
I think I need to explain the reasons why I said some things in my conversation with the ethically challenged guy, which may suggest a certain indifference to the threats that the Sunday Leader editor faces.
These are where I say as follows:
“you know, there is a lot of baggage here … in terms of the legal cases going on between the sunday leader and the defence secretary, etc etc.. and her testimony in the white flags case against general fonseka.. even this story about srilankan airlines and the puppy from geneva could have been run without those phone calls to the defence secretary… i think the sourcing was adequate for the story to run”
The facts on which I made these remarks are as follows:
(1) Frederica Jansz and the Sunday Leader have a history of bruising legal encounters with the Defence Secretary. Newspaper managements when facing ongoing legal cases, are known to exercise some caution in reporting on the parties involved in the litigation. They are known in particular, not to deploy editorial staff who are directly involved in the litigation in stories that concern the petitioner;
(2) Jansz took the stand as a witness for the prosecution in a case brought against General Fonseka for a story carried in her own newspaper under her byline, quoting him as primary source. As far as I know, there are some constitutional protections afforded to journalists in situations when they are called on to testify against their own news-sources in criminal prosecutions. If such constitutional protections do not exist, then there is an ethical obligation to decline such testimony. Jansz obviously did not invoke these and willingly took the stand.
(3) A study of all the material available on the “White Flags” case, indicates that General Fonseka was speaking on the basis of information that he had gathered from a journalist whose identity he has, for obvious reasons, insisted on protecting. This is the clear import of all the stories that have appeared on this matter, including in the Sunday Leader, as also the Wikileaks account of his meeting with the U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka, shortly after the “White Flags” story appeared;
(4) To attribute the entire responsibility for the “White Flags” story to him, without mentioning that he was himself sourcing his account from a journalist whose identity he was protecting, may not have been best ethical practice.
(5) There was obviously enough evidence available with the Sunday Leader to run the “puppy” story, without reference to the Defence Secretary. Sources in the top management of SriLankan Airlines and some of its most senior pilots had briefed the newspaper on the goings on there. There was in other words, no compelling need for the telephone call to the Defence Secretary, to query him on the matter. An e-mail would have sufficed. Or a word with his aides, and a concluding observation that the Defence Secretary’s office “declined comment”.
(6) It is not accepted procedure under any journalistic canon for a newspaper management to call up the subject of an investigative story to explain why that story failed to make it into print. Newspapers often explain the why of particular stories to their readers. But there is no reason for them to explain the “why not”.
(7) To have called up the Defence Secretary to tell him that he was being granted clemency from another embarrassing media expose, was a needlessly provocative act, more an exercise of power than a statement in support of the public right to know.
(8) Given the Sunday Leader’s history with the Defence Secretary and the background of the first fiery conversation on the “puppy” matter, the outcome of the second conversation, given the Defence Secretary’s tendency to lapse into unguarded and abusive speech, could have been predicted.
(9) We all remember the Defence Secretary’s violent and intemperate reaction when he was queried back in March 2009 about the arrest of Sudar Oli editor N. Vithyatharan, when he told his interviewer on camera that he was guilty of supporting a terrorist. Vithyatharan was released a few weeks later because there was no evidence against him.
(10) It really needs to be asked if the Sunday Leader editor was laying a trap, or carrying out a sting operation, to provoke the kind of verbal abuse that the Defence Secretary has a reputation for.
(11) In other words, the sting operation that the ethically challenged guy has carried out on me, may be part of this sequence of planned operations, to undermine the press freedom bodies in Sri Lanka.
(12) Since the ethically challenged guy could not get enough meat into his story from the conversation he had with me, he has rehashed stuff from four years back, seeking to give a new life to old and discredited allegations against organisations that have been working for the defence of press freedom in Sri Lanka.
/
Saranga Lokumanna / July 14, 2012
Oh dear dear! Look at what this paid IFJ worker says!! :)
//even this story about srilankan airlines and the puppy from geneva could have been run without those phone calls to the defence secretary… i think the sourcing was adequate for the story to run”//
Trying to mislead the readers! ;) This is how the conversation happened ; read it man, don’t comment like an idiot. Read read
FJ: Mr. Rajapaksa I do not know if you are aware but we have been told that a SriLankan Airlines flight is to fly to Zurich next Friday to bring down a puppy dog for you?
GR: So what is wrong with that? It is a regular flight – Yes they are bringing a puppy – it is for my wife. There is nothing wrong with that. I have every right to bring not just a dog but an elephant if I so wish – I am paying for the cargo. I have every right to bring anything I want. This is not the first time – before this also they brought a dog for me…what is wrong – I am paying for the cargo I have every right.
FJ: Absolutely. But that is not the issue. We were told that Capt. Praveen Wijesinghe has personally offered to fly to Zurich to bring this dog for you?
GR: Yes. So what? He is my friend – I have friends at SriLankan former Air Force officers who will do me favours – What is wrong with that?
FJ: But this pilot is not qualified to fly the A340 – and so initially SriLankan was pressured to change the aircraft to an A330 in order to accommodate him…
GR: No aircraft was changed…
FJ: That decision was reverted only after the President of the Pilots Guild objected …
GR: Nobody objected! If you write any bloody thing about this I will sue you! I am not afraid of the bloody courts! I have already sued you I will sue you again! That is my right!
FJ: Yes. But it is also my right as a journalist to ask you for your side of the story or clarify this story with you since it involves you.
GR: You go ask SriLankan Airlines!!
FJ: We already have. However the issue is this. Any pilot can bring down a dog – it is all about controlling and ensuring the correct air pressure in the cabin. Why should Capt. Praveen Wijesinghe be chosen despite him not being able to fly the aircraft on one sector and having to passenger as a result…
GR: So what? Yes he is passengering so what is wrong with that? I am telling you again if you write any bloody word about this I will sue your f…..g newspaper – this is the way you all wrote about the MIG deal – without checking you bloody… wrote your f……g version all because somebody told you something…
FJ: Which is why I have called you. I am not going by what ‘somebody’ told me. I called you to get your side of the story and to clarify this issue.
GR: You write one bloody word and I will sue you!!! I will sue the writer and your f…..g paper again!!
FJ: Mr. Rajapaksa are you threatening me?
GR: Yes! I am threatening you! Write every single word I have told you if you want – you write a bloody f…..g word and we will see…
FJ: Mr. Rajapaksa I called you as a journalist to inform you of what was happening and get your version but all you have done is abuse me in raw filth…
He hung up.
On Thursday July 5, I again telephoned Mr. Rajapaksa after being informed that a VIP had informed him about the matter and Rajapaksa had said he did not know an aircraft was to be changed in order to accommodate Capt. Praveen Wijesinghe to facilitate the bringing down of the dog in question. Rajapaksa had told the VIP that if this was the case he would fly the dog down on another airline.
I then decided that given the fact that he would take action on the matter and ensure there was no loss in revenue to SriLankan Airlines, I would not carry the story. I however telephoned Mr. Rajapaksa again to tell him that my decision was based purely on him promising to take action and not because he blatantly threatened me the previous day and used foul language.
Excerpts of the telephone conversation on July 6, 2012
FJ: Mr. Rajapaksa I am calling you again because I have now been told that Mr. …….. spoke with you this morning and you had said you were not aware that the management at SriLankan were changing a plane resulting in a loss of 56 passengers in order to accommodate Capt. Praveen Wijesinghe to bring down a puppy dog for you…
GR: I warned you yesterday not to speak with me. If these pilots are idiots to change a plane for this… that is not my fault. I was doing this the right way – but these pilots are fighting among themselves. And you shit journalists listen to them. They are f……g idiots… This is not my fault.
FJ: True. But the fact is a decision like this was taken and later changed when pressure was brought on the management by senior pilots…
GR: That is not correct! I have since checked and there was no such decision.
FJ: There definitely was. However since you have promised to take action I have decided to hold the story but I want you to know that I am not doing so because you threatened me yesterday…
GR: 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.
FJ: I don’t think so.
GR: You don’t? That is your ego!! You are a shit, shit journalist. A f…..g shit. A pig who eats shit! I will go to courts!!! I will not withdraw the case on the MIG deal – this is how you wrote…
FJ: I had nothing to do with that story so I cannot comment.
GR: But I will put you in jail! You shit journalist trying to split this country – trying to show otherwise from true Sinhala Buddhists!! You are helped by the US Ambassador, NGOs and Paikiasothy – they pay you!!!
FJ: I wish.
GR: You pig that eats shit!!! You shit shit dirty f…..g journalist!!!
FJ: I hope you can hear yourself Mr. Rajapaksa.
GR: People will kill you!!! People hate you!!! They will kill you!!!
FJ: On your directive?
GR: What?? No. Not mine. But they will kill you – you dirty f…..g shit journalist.
/
Sukumar Muralidharan / July 14, 2012
Exactly. The story had enough sourcing to run without a reference to the Defence Secretary.
/
Sunday Leader Worker / July 14, 2012
Muralidaran talk what you know please. you say //(4) To attribute the entire responsibility for the “White Flags” story to him, without mentioning that he was himself sourcing his account from a journalist whose identity he was protecting, may not have been best ethical practice.//
Read the Sunday Leader White Flag case, Frederica did say this;
//Fonseka said he later learnt about what exactly had taken place as a result of journalists who had been entrenched at the time with General Shavendra Silva’s brigade command. These reporter’s according to Fonseka were privy to the telephone call received by the Army’s 58th Brigade Commander from the Defence Secretary –“telling him to not accommodate any LTTE surrenders but to simply go ahead and kill them.” – “These journalists later told me what exactly took place,” Fonseka said.//
hear is the Story Sunday Leader published;
http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2009/12/13/%E2%80%9Cgota-ordered-them-to-be-shot%E2%80%9D-%E2%80%93-general-sarath-fonseka/
/
Sukumar Muralidharan / July 14, 2012
Precisely. The story at the link you give, does not indicate at any point that General Fonseka was sourcing his information from other journalists. It suggests that he was betraying privileged access to army chain of command information, thus attracting prosecution under the armed forces act. And in any case, you have chosen not to address the issue of journalists testifying in criminal prosecution against their own news sources.
/
gamini / July 16, 2012
Let it be Privileged Army Information. If the Army has violated Internatinally Accepted Norms, there is nothing bad about it being disclosed because what is wrong is the violation. How pathetic some trying to cover Army attrocities Committed in the name of Patriotism. What standards are we upholding for the society to follow? Shame! Shame!
/
Rowdy Peter / July 17, 2012
Utter rubbish. Senior officers do not discuss matters of this importance in presence of any media people. If there was truly a source they would have been discovered by now. There are very few Defence Correspondents in Sri Lanka who are trusted by the armed forces so that smimmers down the number that can be counted with two fingers,
/
Chandra Goonewardene / July 17, 2012
Rowdy Peter
The Senior Sri Lanka Army officers are afraid to speak journalists?
What are they afraid of? What are they hiding ?
Are the Senior Sri Lanka Army officers hiding too many skeletons in the closet??
/
Ranjan / July 14, 2012
Muralidharan..do your self a favour..stop defending yourself and your buddies..you and the impotent gang at fmm are looking sooo sad at this point..tell us how much are you paid to do your job?
/
Namal Khemadasa / July 14, 2012
Sukumar Muralidharan
Why is it OK for government minister to issue death threats to journalist or use filthy language?
/
Ramona U / July 14, 2012
I can’t believe what this guy is saying..this is like saying it’s woman’s fault for being raped because she dressed provocatively.
So Fedrica deserves the abuse because she dared to call the defence secretary ? and we expect these buffoons to be protecting journalist? These NGO vultures should be exposed to their donors. pathetic, pathetic pathetic! great work CT..for a moment I thought it might have been unethical to have quoted a guy who didn’t wish to have been quoted. But after this “explanation” from Muralidharan it is very clear that he and his sri lankan associates should be exposed
/
Lalith Gunasekara / July 14, 2012
Sukumar Muralidharan
Journalist did not do anything to provoke the Defence Secretary !!
Such a ridiculous statement !!
You seem to me are desperately grasping for the straws and inventing “ trap” or whatever tickle your fancy from the fantasy world you live in.
Please read the transcript again …
And do your duty…
/
Rowdy Peter / July 17, 2012
You need to take some viagra man. provocation is easy when you are accused without any basis.
/
prasad abeysinghe - Sydney / July 15, 2012
Mr. Muralidharan – please clarify – whether you are a journalist or have ever been a journalist. It would shed light on the position you have articulated above.
/
Rowdy Peter / July 17, 2012
I can tell you he .was, not the best but he was
/
Ramani / July 14, 2012
@ Murali- so if your affiliates – “Shamali Hana and sunil” don’t think some issue is not worthy of your intervention you don’t react..wow really professional.. so here we have one of the most powerful people in Sri Lanka saying that “people will kill you” to a top editor and you nor your “affiliates” think its worthy of an intervention..what does it say about you..all the other media organizations..the US the EU and everyone else must just be crazy to be getting involved..This is no longer about Defence Secretary..Fredrica Janz or anyone else..its about you..what the IFJ stands for and most importantly its about your “affiliates” in Sri lanka..if you want to save an iota of dignity its time you did something about the pathetic Sri Lankan affiliates..
/
Sukumar Muralidharan / July 14, 2012
The kind of intervention has to be thought through. That is all. This is not just about the individuals you name, but about the institutions they represent.
/
chanaka de silva / July 15, 2012
Mr. Murali – let us get this straight. As far as you’re concerned, CPJ, RSF, Article 19 and all the other organizations and foreign governments that have reacted to this matter have “not thought this through?” From your point-form analysis of Fredrica Jansz’s reporting it is obvious that you have most thoroughly made up your mind, and perhaps you yourself are using your personal prejudice to determined when and how IFJ reacts to these situations. Whether he was provoked or not is really beside the point.
There is only one question here. Who are you paid to defend? the Defence Secretary or the Journalist he threatened?
/
Sukumar Muralidharan / July 15, 2012
We have a different procedure as a membership organisation than RSF, CPJ or any of the other organisations you mention. That is the simple point here. And it is sheer slander to say that we ignore press freedom issues out of personal motivations. I have already given you the record of our interventions and public statements on matters involving the Sunday Leader, as also the wider media community in Sri Lanka. And I am ignoring your final question since I don’t want to take this debate to those depths.
/
Sukumar Muralidharan / July 15, 2012
BTW, somebody who bears the same name as you was at a workshop that I did at the SLPI back in December 2007, on the media and child rights. Namesake? Identity? Or neither?
/
gamini / July 16, 2012
Sukumar Muralidharan, whose interest are you protecting? Heading the International Federation of Journalists? Had you been working for Bell Pottinger it is different. It appears you are working for this Bum Gota’s Establishment. What matters is not the Institution a Journalist works for, but the fact of being a Journalist. If you can not understand this simple issue, you are not really suitable to hold office in this Hallowed Institution. You are nothing but a ‘Sereppu Supa’ in common parlance.
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gamini / July 14, 2012
When Gota referred to Pig Shit eating journalists, he must have definitely referred to this Sukumar Muralidharan type. Even if they get killed by the Defence Secretary Goons, I do not think the average reader is going to bother about it. GROBR.
/
Ceylon Today Insider / July 14, 2012
Well done Gamini. you are 200% correct. ;) :) :)
/
Ranjan / July 14, 2012
Colombo Telegraph – Please clarify..who were the activist that were present at the protest held recently in support of Ms. Janz. Was there anyone from the FMM? was either of the people mentioned by Muralidharan there?
Their personal opinions of Fedrica are irrelevant what matters is whether they are doing their job..
A lot of people didn’t agree with Lasantha Wickramatunga’s style of journalist but only a few psychos’ agreed with his killing. One doesn’t need to like Fedrica to stand up against injustice.
/
Mangala Kodituwakku / July 14, 2012
Regarding the Swiss puppy which Gota must have it. His favourite lapdog Duminda has been spirited away (to Singapore?) to avoid euthanasia for unwarranted and unbridled attacks on civilians. Having said that, the latest Gotabaya saga was covered in several independent international newspapers (except Indian papers) but not in Sri Lanka except for “The Sunday Leader”. Lankan Editors’ Guild has not commented. This shows how fearful Lankans are. Sri Lanka is an open prison. Gota usually will have a squadron of bodyguards when he goes for meetings and the like. His threat “People will kill you (Janz)” is correct. His bodyguards are after all could be those “people” Defence Secretary mentioned in his threats…
/
Miriswththa Appuhamy. / July 14, 2012
To cover Few Lies, How many lies are the loaded and going to load ,
Are those bunch really journalists, or bunch of thieves with pens and lap tops, supporting the MAHA EKAA And 400 Odd thieves in the government.
/
Donald J Gnanakone / July 17, 2012
@Uvindu.. Do you know why former minister of Media, Information, and Foreign Affairs Mangala Samaraweera made such a scathing attack on Bob Dietz of CPJ? Why?
Do you know that Hana Ibrahim was not a representative of the CPJ or was paid by the CPJ, although like many other journalist would have done some journalistic work for them.
Mangala S. as a UNP official and MP should not go out of his way to earn enemies in the media world especially headquartered in NY, just because one or two friends of his have been unjustly treated by their employees or attacked by the GOSL and Police/MOD.
Bob Dietz is a friend and somewhat a protector of journalist who need not be attacked.
As for the FMM I know you and a few others have some serious issues for many years. So the attacks was not surprising. But CPJ? Not called for and that is truly international and professional so people living in their cocoons and glass houses in Colombo should desist from attacking gentleman like Bob Dietz.
Ballo Happai Api Guttikai would say Bob, sitting in NY, and wondering WT hell is going on.
We also know that Mangala S was the election campaign manager for Mahinda S in November 2005 elections, and all Tiran Alles, Ruwan F, Lalith A, Sarath Fonseka, Basil, Gota and Mangala were all in the same camp, involved in the dirty tricks and bribing Emilkanathan of the LTTE as well! Suriyaratchchi and Anura too but both are dead. RIP.
So was your good friend Podi Athula!!!!! lol. aka Victor Ivan.
As a Tamil I know what all these people did in the last 10-11 years especially after the ceasefire. I was there in Colombo, Jaffna and Vanni.
Now what happened? Colombo Telegraph has to be cautious not to be the judge, jury, prosecutor and executioner.
Also all need to strictly stick to the issues. Journalist are also employees and they should be protected from abuse from people in political/military authority and their friends like Tiran Alles. He too had a big scare when his home was attacked and bombed by the very same “State Terrorist”. They are all peas of the same pod. I guess at Ceylon Today the owners practiced the Rajapakse policy they all worked for at some time or the other” The Condom Theory”. That is certainly unfortunate and unfair.
Some of the perpetrators of all these crimes and ” state terrorist acts” including kidnapping and murdering journalist with impunity, are US citizens, and residents including one of the former Minister of Justice. None of the Sinhala or even Tamil or Muslim journalist care or dare point that out!!!!
In conclusion, Mangala and the UNP owes an apology to CPJ and Bob Dietz for wrongful accusation…
/
Thambi / July 17, 2012
Mr. Doanlad, you miss the point here, this is not about what CPJ has done, this is about what it has not done. I’m quit clear about the issue CT is raising. Where is CPJ statement about Ceylon Today issue? These orgs have paid to do their job, they are not volunteers. I don’t agree with Mangala Samaraweera all the time, but what he write here is correct.
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Donald J Gnanakone / July 19, 2012
I wanted a response from Uvindu and not Thambi….
Mangala cannot afford to attack CPJ and Bob Dietz as UNP!!!!
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sujith suraweera / July 17, 2012
we all have forgot the past so sooon .now everybody is trying to blame gotabaya for everything and anything ..this man have done a looot to our country and am not saying everything he says and does is right,,But he is million times worth than this sunday leader liar who frame the nation hero general fonseka.gota got every right to bring what ever he wants so fredricia just stop making storm in tea cups and find something worth to write pls..
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Donald J Gnanakone / July 19, 2012
So Suraweera, Frederica framed Fonseka on the White Flag issue?
And White Flag murders did not take place?
Who are the liars and who gave the orders????
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Donald J Gnanakone / July 19, 2012
Here is Mangala writing to CPJ’s Bob Dietz”
We reproduce in full MP Samaraweera’s letter to CPJ:
Where is the confusion and who is confused????
July 10, 2012
Mr. Bob Dietz
Asia Programme Coordinator
Committee to Protect Journalists
New York
Dear Mr. Dietz,
CPJ’s Sri Lanka Representative
On June 29, Sri Lankan law enforcement raided web media offices in Colombo, arresting eight journalists based on a warrant obtained citing offences committed under Section 118 of the Penal Code of Sri Lanka.
/