Comments on: Lasantha Wickrematunge’s Funeral

By: indi.ca » Does Lasantha Still Matter?

indi.ca » Does Lasantha Still Matter? — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 01:47:23 +0000

[...] my circles, Colombo took to the streets. For me, Lasantha’s funeral was the first time I ever marched in the streets. I’ve always been like fuck it, it’s too hot, it doesn’t change anything. But [...]

By: Naz

Naz — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 09:34:37 +0000

I love the photos, indi. Especially the vertical one of the on lookers with the mobitel signs on the balcony-the woman looking straight into the camera clinches the shot. well done.

By: jadedshades

jadedshades — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 09:24:42 +0000

Under Dog, I don’t agree with you there. Most Christians believe that the lord watches over them, it is in fact what the bible teaches them. They believe that they are always protected no matter what. It isn’t a foolhardy belief, it is what they are taught and what they trust. I think Lasantha said it best in his final Editorial

“We have espoused unpopular causes, stood up for those too feeble to stand up for themselves, locked horns with the high and mighty so swollen with power that they have forgotten their roots, exposed corruption and the waste of your hard-earned tax rupees, and made sure that whatever the propaganda of the day, you were allowed to hear a contrary view. For this I – and my family – have now paid the price that I have long known I will one day have to pay. I am – and have always been – ready for that. I have done nothing to prevent this outcome: no security, no precautions. I want my murderer to know that I am not a coward like he is, hiding behind human shields while condemning thousands of innocents to death. What am I among so many? It has long been written that my life would be taken, and by whom. All that remains to be written is when.”

He did not want the threat of death to scare him into living a life of fear. It is the choice between being dragged into a fight kicking and screaming and walking in to it with your head held high. To some there may be very little difference, but to those who matter, the difference is a significant one. Him acting the way he did i think had little to do with his beliefs that no one would ACTUALLY get him. He knew VERY well that they would one day, we all did. But i think it had everything to do with being the person he was… till the very end! And that person was not a coward!

By: Monkey Boy

Monkey Boy — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 06:36:51 +0000

Amen to that!

By: sss

sss — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 01:33:23 +0000

Ranil will be opposition leader for life. The broz will do everything they can to keep him safe. The only answer: don’t vote for him in the general election. Get him to loose his seat in parliment. Then he cann’t be opposition leader!

By: foliage

foliage — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 01:11:39 +0000

Thanks for these pictures. This whole series of events, from his death to his posthumous article to his funeral, has been both utterly depressing and incredibly inspiring. That sort of bravery is too rare.

By: Theena

Theena — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 17:31:55 +0000

Not sure about you, Indi, but I am resigned to another Rajapakse term once this one runs out. And then who knows? Basil? Gotha?

Fuck me. The doesn’t bear thinking about.

By: indi

indi — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:25:01 +0000

I’m not sure, but I heard that Lasantha actually planned some of his funeral and requested that the UNP be involved, as the opposition. Indeed, this could be a pivot for the opposition, if they had opposable thumbs.

It’s really sad. There’s so much political capital lying on the ground, but Ranil can’t pick it up. Him and the UNP guys were pretty useless at the rally and most of the numbers had to be raised from other people. There really is a deep leadership vacuum that someone has to step up and fill.

By: Theena

Theena — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:19:04 +0000

I was there, but was sickened by Ranil and co’s pathetic attempts to turn the funeral into a political wankfest. I left earlier than I’d have liked to, but at least I got a chance to pay my last respects.

RIP Lasantha.

By: rine

rine — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:07:07 +0000

‘Because we are fighting for a nation, not land, and while Mahinda may be conquering land, Lasantha pointed out all the ways he has abandoned our nation.’

You really hit the mark there. Great writing!

By: Under Dog

Under Dog — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:06:08 +0000

Something interesting pointed out in DBS Jeyaraj’s article was that Lasantha was deeply religious–he was a born again Christian-and had told Jeyaraj “Dont worry machang. Nothing will happen to me because there is a divine power watching over me. Thatâ€™s my protection.” This has kinda been bothering me ever since I read this because it made me think that maybe his faith contributed to his death. He knew there were motorcycles outside his house, his wife tried to make him stay home; someone who saw the motorcycles take off after him called to warn him. And still, he willingly drove out into the waiting jaws of the beast. It doesn’t seem rational to do that. Perhaps he was brave, perhaps he was foolhardy, perhaps he thought no one would go that far…or perhaps he was blinded by faith into thinking he really did have divine protection. I have no issues with religion–I’ve learnt a thing or two from many religions myself–but I can’t shake the feeling that he might still be here if he was more of a secularist, if he was more pragmatic about his religion, if he was more realistic about the world we live in. Then again, maybe it was the fearlessness born of his faith that made him push for that scoop that no one else had the balls to go after.

DBS’s article is here:
http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=37390

By: Under Dog

Under Dog — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 14:51:04 +0000

It turned into a bit of a UNP rally at the end, but hey, they are the official opposition if not the de facto opposition.

Was good to see you there…

By: Rise of the Fallen

Rise of the Fallen — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 14:05:21 +0000

Mahinda on fire eh?
Wish I was there.