REPORTER: Were you concerned at all by the assassination of editor Lasantha Wickrematunga?
GOTABAYA RAJAPAKSA: I don't want to comment on this, but if you want to ask me - he has antagonised so many people. Why then put down this government? For the last so many years he had criticised all of them. Take the present opposition leader, take the previous president, take anybody in this country - he had not criticised, he had reported wrong things on them.
Despite the Defence Secretary's protests, many journalists believe military forces close to the current government were behind the assassination. Tamil newspaper editor Vithyatharan rides his motorbike to work because he thinks it's safer than a car. He says some Western diplomats, fearing he too might be attacked, have recently offered him asylum.
VITHYATHARAN: But me and my management have decided to stay here, to fight for the rights of the Tamils, the community, and this is the crucial time that journalists have to act prudently on behalf of their people. I am doing that.
REPORTER: Even though you know the risks that you are running?
VITHYATHARAN: It is true that when you are leaving from your home, you are not sure that you will return back to your home alive. Some time you may not come back. That is the position of the journalists.
The day after I filmed him, Vithyatharan was grabbed by police who arrived in a white van. I was on my way to interview the Secretary of Defence when I got the news. Mentioning the editor's name to Gotabaya Rajapaksa provoked a surprising response.
REPORTER: Is Mr Vithyatharan, the editor of 'Suderoli' and 'Uthayan'...
GOTABAYA RAJAPAKSA: He's involved in the recent air attacks. I'm telling you, if you try to give a cover-up for that person you have the blood on your hands. We have definite information on that and if somebody tells he is arrested because media, that person also has blood for innocent civilians who died in Colombo.
REPORTER: I just heard on my way to this interview that he had been arrested this morning.
GOTABAYA RAJAPAKSA: That is good thing that you asked for that, good thing that you asked for that. I'm telling you with responsibility, he is a terrorist - he was in charge of... he's responsible for things, coordinating air attacks in Colombo. I will arrest him - we have arrested him - and it is the right thing to do and we will take legal action against him.
Vithyatharan's wife, sister and brother-in-law were all there when the editor was taken away in a white van. After a flurry of phone calls to foreign diplomats and the UN, his brother-in-law was relieved when he heard Vithyatharan was in custody and alive. Everyone had feared the worst.
BROTHER--IN--LAW: In Sri Lanka everyone aware when a white van comes it is an abduction. As far as the journalists are concerned nobody whoever abducted in the white van they never survived.
REPORTER: Did they ever say why they were taking him or what they were going to charge him with?
BROTHER--IN--LAW: Nothing. They never produced any receipts, arrest warrant - nothing. It was purely abduction.
REPORTER: What do you think this government sees, though, as the proper role for journalists?
LAL WICKREMATUNGA: Right now I think they would just want journalists to quote government communiqués.
REPORTER: Let me ask you, sir, what do you consider the proper role for a journalist in a time of war?
GOTABAYA RAJAPAKSA: Do the correct thing - act responsibly as a citizen of this country. Look, if you take two words - "media", "freedom" - that's very beautiful, very nice, who can object that? I love it, the President loves it, we will support it. "Free media", take two words - nice two words - but remember when you act you have to think of the situation that we are facing. In that situation when you take the media, they have a different role to play. They should act responsibly - they must take the country first, not these two words, "free media".
LAL WICKREMATUNGA: "In the name of patriotism you have trampled on human rights..."
For slain newspaper editor Lasantha Wickrematunga media freedom was at the heart of democracy. And he made it clear in his final editorial, addressed to the President, that it's non-negotiable - even in death.
LAL WICKREMATUNGA: "As for me, it is with a clear conscience that I go to meet my maker. I wish that when your time finally comes you could do the same. I wish."
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Sri Lanka - a hollow victory? /= Frontlineclub=\ Part 01by federalidea1,408 views
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