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Without media freedom there cannot be democracy, says Karu Jayasuriya

Published

4 years ago

2023/01/21

Without media freedom there can be no democracy, former Speaker and National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) Chairman Karu Jayasuriya said recently at a programme to commemorate abducted, missing and murdered journalists.

“Certain rights in a democratic society may have limitations in some instances, but if there is no media freedom, there cannot be democracy in a country. Sri Lanka has had a progressive media culture, with a history of almost two centuries,” he said.

Jayasuriya added that Sri Lanka also has a dark history, full of very unpleasant tragedies, when it comes to media freedom. The last few decades have been a particularly dark period and, during that era, journalists were killed, abducted, and retaliated, through various atrocities,” he said.

These are some excerpts of his speech: “Its impact was experienced in every area, be it the North and South, or East. We are well aware that the number of journalists, who were killed and disappeared, is many. Among them are Lasantha Wickramatunga, Prageeth Eknaligoda, Taraki Dharmeratnam Sivaram and Mylvaganam Nimalarajan. Many other journalists, such as Keith Noir, Poddala Jayantha and Gnanasundaram Kuganathan, were subjected to brutal attacks, during this period.

“At that time, the media institutions also faced a serious dangerous situation. There were instances where bomb attacks were carried out on media institutions, while some were set on fire. Among them were media institutions like Sirasa, Udayan and Siyatha.

“We have been talking about these tragedies for many years, but justice has not been served to any of them, until today. Why is that happening? We see the reason for this is that we have failed to reach a consensus on many nationally important issues. As the NMSJ, we always try to bring people together to create that consensus.

“Not only on democracy, people’s freedom, and security, we still pay less attention in carrying out many political and economic reforms that are necessary to get out of the serious economic crisis which has emerged in the country, at present, which we see as a national weakness.

“In order to create a better future, with no such dark eras, we, as a country, have to act with a common goal. We have also fulfilled many responsibilities for this. The Right to Information Act was brought, in amid various obstacles. It was of great help for many investigative journalists. During my tenure as Speaker of the Parliament, meetings of the Committee on Public Enterprise and Committee on Public Finance were opened to the media. I would like to emphasise, once again, that we should build a joint exercise among the people of all areas of the South, North, and upcountry, for a common purpose.

“It is my belief that journalists, and media organisations, too, have a great responsibility. As journalists, you can turn a thief into a hero, and a humble person into a thief, or a murderer. It is very important to engage in responsible media use. That is because there is no democracy in an environment where there is no media freedom, and in a society, where there is no responsible media, the country will have to face its consequences. I say this as someone who has an understanding of the depth of the economic and political crisis that our country is facing, at present, and its possible consequences.

Therefore, today we would like to remember the journalists who sacrificed their lives for their profession and were subjected to various harassments. We would also make an appeal that we will rally together to serve justice for all of them.”

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Ranawaka accuses govt. of using JVP cadres and police to suppress political opponents

Published

3 hours ago

2026/10/20

Sahan Weerasooriya

… reminds AKD led over 560 protests during Yahapalanaya

Former Yahapalana Minister and United Republican Front (URF) leader Patali Champika Ranawaka yesterday (19) alleged that the JVP, which carried out over 560 protests during the 2015-2019 period, was now bent on preventing the Opposition from exercising its democratic right to protest.

Recalling the declaration made by the JVP at the height of the violent protest campaign in July 2022 that it would set the Parliament ablaze, the former parliamentarian lashed out at the JVP-led administration for using the police excessively to curb political opposition. Ranawaka said this while addressing the media at the former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Flower Road Office .

Commenting on the protest campaign launched by the Maha Sangha, demanding presidential pardon for General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) Ven. Galagotaatte Gnanasara, the ex-Colombo District lawmaker alleged that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake used a combination of police, investigative units and JVP cadres to break up the monks’ protest. The government went to the extent of compelling the JVP/NPP-run Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) to deprive the peaceful protesters of basic toilet facilities, he alleged.

The government’s actions proved that only those with prior approval from JVP Pelawatte headquarters could launch protests in Colombo, its suburbs or in the provinces. The police have become a political tool in the hands of the JVP, the ex-Minister said. (SF)

News

Six killed as speeding bulker crashes into vehicles, shop in Akurana

Published

3 hours ago

2026/10/20

Sahan Weerasooriya

By SK Samaranayake

Six people were killed and seven others injured when a speeding bulker lorry carrying cement and concrete ploughed into several vehicles and a shop on the Kandy-Jaffna A9 road at Kurugoda, Akurana, yesterday (19).

Four of the victims, two women and two men, died on the spot in the accident which occurred around 10.30 am, according to Alawathugoda Police.

Police said the bulker, travelling at high speed from the Matale direction, collided with three three-wheelers, two motorcycles and two lorries before veering off the road and crashing into a commercial establishment.

Five of the injured were rushed to the National Hospital of Kandy, where hospital sources said two remained in critical condition.

The bodies of the four victims were placed at the Akurana Hospital, where two others, who suffered minor injuries, were also receiving treatment.

The driver of the bulker was arrested by the Alawathugoda Police Traffic Division and is to be produced before court.

Investigations are being conducted under the supervision of Central Province Senior DIG Lalith Pathinayake.

News

Prof. Peiris, summoned by CIABOC, appeals for Ven. Gnanasara’s release

Published

3 hours ago

2026/10/20

Sahan Weerasooriya

G.L. Peiris

By Shamindra Ferdinando

owledging that there had been an administrative lapse on the part of the President’s Office in 2019 when Maithripala Sirisena granted presidential pardon to Ven. Gnanasara Thera, Convener of Janathawadi Joint Opposition Prof. G.L. Peiris yesterday (19) urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to rectify whatever those shortcomings and release the General Secretary of Bodu Bala Sena.

Addressing the media at the former President Ranil Wickrekmesinghe’s Flower Road Office, Prof. Peiris emphasized that it was not fair to hold Ven. Gnanasara accountable for lapse or technical fault of others at the Presidential Secretariat during President Sirisena’s tenure.

Prof. Peiris was flanked by UNP Chairman Wajira Abeywardena and United Republican Front (URF) leader Patali Champika Ranawaka.

The fresh appeal was made on behalf of Ven. Gnanasara in the wake of President Dissanayake and JVP heavyweight Anura Kumara Dissanayake ruling out fresh presidential pardon for the monk. Minister Lal Kantha declared that the government couldn’t under any circumstances meet the continuing monks’ protest demanding Ven. Gnanasara’s release. President Dissanayake dismissed repeated appeals for Ven. Gnanasara’s release when he addressed the NPP really in Badulla.

Sirisena granted presidential pardon in May 2019 even before he completed a year of his six-year term of rigorous imprisonment for contempt of court during proceedings of the media personality Prageeth Ekneligoda’s 2010 January disappearance in the Homagama Magistrate’s court.

At the onset of the regular weekly briefing, Prof. Peiris said that he would report to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) today (20) morning as requested by the commission. “The CIABOC wanted to record my statement regarding a meeting I chaired at the ministry after the conclusion of the war in 2009 pertaining to an ongoing investigation.”

Commenting further on the imprisonment of Ven. Gnanasara, the former parliamentarian said that President Sirisena intervened following a spate of requests made on behalf of BBS General Secretary by the Mahanayakes, Anunayakes and other Maha Sangha.

The Supreme Court on 10 September, 2026 rescinded the presidential pardon granted in late May 2019.