“When a new editor took over at the Sunday Leader after Frederica Jansz was fired and I was invited in November 2012 to write a weekly column, I imposed the condition that I be allowed to “have a free hand to be critical (I am concerned about issues raised by Frederica).” The editor responded “Yes, you will have the freedom. I am aware of the readership of the Leader what we need to cater to.”
The New Editor - Sakuntala Perera
I went along when anything I wrote about Gotabaya was cut because I was told that there was a court order. But this week my reference to Frederica Jansz’s Al Jazeera interview and her Sunday Leader story in 2011 about China giving Rajapaksa US $9 mn without restrictions was cut. There surely is no court order about it.
I do not wish to stir things up because I see the editorial team at the The Sunday Leader trying to cater to their readership while trying to find the boundaries of what they are allowed to say. It would seem that they have little room to manoeuvre. At this point I still remain sympathetic to what they are trying to achieve as they try to figure out what the limits of their freedom are. The fact however is that while there is room to comment on the policies of the government, there is really no freedom to comment on the first family’s numerous personal shenanigans and the terrible things they are doing to the country and to us.
The value of writing under these constraints, projecting an image of press freedom where it is highly restricted, is something that both the editors of the Sunday Leader and I need to assess.
Read the uncensored article here
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Sri Lankan Editor Frederica Jansz Flees Sri Lanka; ‘Finally I feel safe’ Says Jansz
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Tisaranee’s Censored And Uncensored Columns
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‘Editor Threatened With Death Is Sacked As ARTICLE 19’s Warning To UN Comes True’ Says ARTICLE 19
David / January 19, 2013
“I imposed the condition that I be allowed to “have a free hand to be critical………………”
This cannot be true Hoole.
The New Editor – Sakuntala Perera never ever even acknowldge some of the veteran writers and their article left a side.
Ratnajeevan Hoole be franked to yourself.
What you write in the Sunday Leader is not critical of neither Rajapaksa nor his government.
The day you start this, you will see the real colours Sakuntala Perera and Rajapaksa’s government.
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Chellamuthu Kuppusamy / January 20, 2013
This is how democracy functions in South Asia, not just that tiny island :-(
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Babansincho / January 20, 2013
Not south asia, but on SRILANKA.
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Puzzled / January 20, 2013
When the budget for the entire country is controlled and distributed by the three brothers and supervised by the fourth what can a news paper publish anything of value being curtailed from mentioning any of of the sibs?
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K.A Sumanasekera / January 20, 2013
Why didn’t you go to LankaeNews in your Tigerland?
Don’t know how much they have forked out,but there won’t be any one trying to sue them for damages.
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K A Sumanasekera / January 20, 2013
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Davina / January 20, 2013
Is it simply because the write is a Tamil that you have so casually assumed his alliance with the LTTE? The man certainly is a respected Sri Lankan Tamil who has been a voice for the Tamil people. That voice is not the same as the voice of the tigers. The sad problem in the country is that too many fools are unaware of the difference. Politicians have done nothing to help educate them either.
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Randy Mathew / January 21, 2013
Can’t agree with you more, Davina. We should simply ignore these racist idiots who are simply scumbags & have brought SL to a new low along with the village godaya thugs.
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Aney Apochchi! / January 28, 2013
K.A.Sumanasekera
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Jay / January 20, 2013
Politicians have been able to deepen the divide only because both moderate Sinhalese and moderate Tamils have failed to speak their minds – to condemn Sinhala chauvinistic attacks and LTTE atrocities respectively. It is not too late to speak up and eliminate the widespread blindness.
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Babansincho / January 20, 2013
I ve been waiting to read more from FJ – the former editor of Leader, she has lot more to explained about the white flag story. Even if the rythless networks of Gota could harm her being, FJ would not keep them all to her, I believe.
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dicky Bird / January 20, 2013
Democracy functions here the same way it functions in the West.
DO WHAT WE SAY BUT DO NOT DO WHAT WE DO.
Hoole will get hauled up.
Davina…”quote” The man is certainly a respected Sri Lankan Tamil and a voice for the Tamil people.
THEN THIS HOOLE MUST BE EQUAL OR EVEN BETTER THAN VELUPILLAI WHO ALSO CLAIMED TO BE THE VOICE OF THE TAMIL PEOPLE.
DAVINA MAKES HOOLE SOUND DANGEROUS………
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B Ganendra / January 20, 2013
All Johnians know your true colours.
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Jayantha / January 21, 2013
Please Read today’s Daily News newsletter telling both Public and the International Community saying……CASE CLOSED…
CASE CLOSED, SL TELLS MISINFORMED OUTSIDERS
Our constitution, our Rule of Law:
Chamikara WEERASINGHE
Sri Lanka has sent a strong signal to the international community that the case is closed on what were pending administration of justice issues in Sri Lanka, with the appointment of a new Chief Justice.
Professor G. L. Peiris Minister of External Affairs, has called the Canadian Premier’s call for the reinstatement of the former Chief Justice almost impertinent’ and others such as minister W .D. J Senevitratne, Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs told this newspaper that the new CJ has been appointed by constitutional process which is the legal and constitutional prerogative of the President.
The removal of the Chief Justice was concluded in keeping with the Constitution of Sri Lanka, not any other rule of law, and a new Chief Justice has been appointed to put the system of administration of justice in order, which was absolutely an internal matter, Mr Senevirathe explained.
UN Human Rights Commissioner Ms Navinathan Pillai has also made statements with regard to the appointment of the new Chief Justice, and this has been taken exception to as both the impeachment and the appointment of the new Chief Justice were carried out as per the Constitution. (Please read editorial inside.)
External Affairs Ministry Secretary Karunathilaka Amunugama said, as far as Sri Lanka is concerned the problems that affected administration of Justice are now over as with the appointment of a new Chief Justice.
External Affairs Minister Prof G. L. Peiris has made diplomatic Corps in Colombo aware about the issue and how some political elements, NGOs, anti government elements and pro LTTE elements have tried to use the situation to launch a calculated onslaught on the country making use of the impeachment issue.
http://www.dailynews.lk/2013/01/21/news01.asp
GOSL is trying to bury a living being saying she’s dead.
ITHINK BETWEEN SRI LANKA AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE DEALS,TRADE CONTRACTS, GOVT TO GOVT BUSINESS AND TRADE PROMOTIONS AND BETWEEN CENTRAL BANK AND FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY STOPPED, DUE TO UNAVAILABILITY OF RECOGNISED JUDICIARY TO WITNESS, TO WRITE AND SIGN AND TO VALIDATE THEM.
With an illegal and unrecognised Judiciary in place, the International Community should stay away from dealing with Sri Lanka Government due to absence of recognised Judiciary.
It’s time to educate International community.
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Don Quixote / January 22, 2013
Stop fooling yourself, you are more interested in seeing yourself in print than ANYTHING else !
Stop propping up this illegal regime by contributing to it’s propaganda newspapers.
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NAK / January 23, 2013
I don’t see any reason why SL editor should leave out the information about the US$9 Mn as it is old and stale news.
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