Journalists in the cross hairs of Sri Lanka war

By pearlaction | March 1, 2009 |

[Los Angeles Times] Echoing a global debate over the balance between human rights and the fight against militants, some suspect that paramilitary forces or others closely associated with the government may have played a role in the attacks.Critics charge that the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, which came to power espousing human rights and benefits…

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Sri Lankan journalist predicted own execution

By pearlaction | January 16, 2009 |

[CNN] A crusading Sri Lankan journalist shot dead last week knew he would be killed — he said so in a dramatic, posthumously published column touching a raw nerve in his war-torn island nation. Lasantha Wickrematunga, editor-in-chief of The Sunday Leader, was gunned down execution-style January 8 but spoke from the grave three days later…

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Row over Sri Lanka editor’s murder grows as diplomat censured

By pearlaction | January 14, 2009 |

[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,…

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Sri Lankan editor row escalates

By pearlaction | January 13, 2009 |

[BBC] The Sri Lankan government has accused the opposition of trying to gain political advantage from last week’s murder of a prominent newspaper editor. Engineering Services Minister Rajitha Senaratne said he did not know who had killed Lasantha Wickramatunga but it was the opposition that had benefited. The Sunday Leader editor was one of the…

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