Rivira Editor Stabbed, Who Next?
Photo from Daily Mirror
January isn’t even over and two editors have been assaulted (one killed) and a TV station burned. In the same time the Defense Secretary has gone on TV and called a few journalists terrorists by name, forcing them to go into hiding. These actions and words are, of course, unrelated. Last year the Rivira Group’s Keith Noyahr (who wrote for the nation) was also assaulted in the streets. I think he’s gone into hiding. Whatever words the national leadership is saying about journalists are being heard, and acted upon. When Gotabaya says they’re threats to national security and traitors people listen, and journalists get assaulted and killed in the streets.
To quote Gotabaya from his scolding of Lake House employees for criticizing the government.
Journalists: Just because a war is being waged, if some wrongs are being committed by the military under that guise, it has to be exposed. There is no need to hide behind the guise of war.
Defence Secretary: Don’t you understand what I am trying to say? If you don’t agree and continue with what you are doing, what has to happen to you will happen. There is no necessity to have defense columns to discuss military matters. Laws will be introduced to restrict reporting on the conduct of military or on Commanders of the Armed Forces. The military will campaign for such laws. We can see whether the voice of the military is stronger than the campaign of the journalists.
Journalists: You are making a serious threat on our lives.
Defence Secretary: No, No. I am not doing it. I am definitely not threatening your lives. I am not. It will happen from where it happens. Our services are appreciated by 99 per cent of the people. They love the Army Commander (Lt. Gen. Fonseka) and the Army. Those who love us do what is required. We cannot help that.
Note that I’m not saying that Gotabaya directly ordered this or any of the assaults. What I take real objection to his him saying ‘we cannot help that’. Well, you can. In fact, it’s your job as Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Public Security and Law and Order. Public Security and Law and Order are breaking down. People are being assaulted and killed in the streets and they’re getting away with it. And Gotabaya says ‘we cannot help this’.
Instead he encourages this lawlessness and barbarity, saying those who ‘love’ the Rajapakses are doing ‘what is required’. Except that it’s not required. It doesn’t help us win any war, it just helps us lose our nation to criminality, violence and ignorance.
As stated in Parliament, nine journalists have been killed and 27 assaulted since 2006. We cannot help this?
I know you can’t read Sinhala, so you can ask from a friend who can read Sinhala ( if you have any).
Rivira has been supporting MR and his war efforts from the beginning. Every Sunday, Rivira dedicates lot of space to cover the news from battle field and rarely publish anything negative about security forces, Gotabaya or service commanders . Some of the reporters of the paper have released books on the recent battles and non of them write anything negative about armed forces.
Upali Tennakoon used to be the daily Divaina editor before he joined Rivira. He is known for his nationalist opinions. He even took party in TV debates supporting anti-LTTE groups during CBK era.
I don’t understand why anyone from ruling party should attack him at this stage.
Completely agree with vimansa. Precisely why he is alive. This is not an attack meant to kill. It is one that may well result in the perpetrators, who are fall guys and smokescreens – just as Upali is – for a more sinister and concerted campaign to eliminate voices critical of the government. The govt’s argument henceforth is simple – it will point to Upali and ask why anyone would want to attack him, knowing full well that Rivira is pro-Govt. It will then suggest that the attacks against MTV and Lasantha were also by the same forces.
Nice move by the Govt. Wonder who is doing their strategic thinking. Smacks of a military mind to me – chillingly efficient, brutally calculating.
As discussed in the post, my issue is not that the government ordered the hits, that can’t be confirmed.
The issue is that the government has explicitly said that any third party that wants to attack journalists will get away with it. ‘We cannot help this’.
They’ve effectively declared that it’s journalist hunting season.
It’s like the police telling you, if you say anything bad about us, people may break into your house and we cant do anything about it….!! HA HA HA….!!
That’s a good analogy. Shit
It is true that Upali was an editor at the jingoistic Island group. He left/was forced to leave, because he was not jingostic enough. After some time in the Economic Reforms ministry he was with Sirasa, and left only when Rivira was started, by Yaddehige. At that point, it was not a Rajapaksa mouthpiece. For a reason as to why he was assaulted, read what he said in the aftermath of Lasantha’s killing. Lankadeepa.
Blogged about it, linked to it, and for good measure threw in a Digg as well. Thanks for the effort.