Row over Sri Lanka editor’s murder grows as diplomat censured
[AFP]
Sri Lanka’s government censured a senior international diplomat after he spoke at the funeral of a newspaper editor whose murder has been blamed on the island’s rulers, officials said Wednesday. German ambassador Jurgen Weerth was ordered to the Colombo foreign office and told of Sri Lanka’s anger over his graveside eulogy for Lasantha Wickrematunga, officials who declined to be named told AFP. Wickrematunga, who was shot by unknown gunmen as he drove to work, was the editor of the Sunday Leader and was fiercely critical of government policy, especially its bloody and costly war against Tamil rebels. “Weerth was summoned to the foreign ministry on Tuesday and the Foreign Secretary (Palitha Kohona) expressed Sri Lanka’s displeasure and concern over his remarks,” a source at the ministry said.