Cold blooded, premeditated, murder in broad day light, by the GOSL/SLA,. Sunday Leader editor assassinated.

Lasantha Wickramatunge, The editor of the Sunday Leader and anchor for Sisira TV died in hospital.

This was a cold blooded, premeditated, murder in broad day light, by the GOSL/SLA,
operated death squad, which is not surprising.

A clear example of STATE TERRORISM.

Lasantha is a Singhala Buddhist.

Is this the State Terrorist Tamils have to negotiate peace with?
The MURDER of the Best Singhala Buddhist Editor, many sources in Colombo point the finger at the Rajapakse administration and Sarath Fonseka military death squads.

They have now graduated from kidnapping and abductions to day light murder.

Banning LTTE as a Terrorist Organization as a JOKE today, when newspaper editors are murdered in the public street, in broad day light by the military, with such impunity.

The Tamils are justified to demand a separate state, after 5 Tamil MP's have been murdered by the Paramilitary in HSZ by this administration, several journalist, and civilians. The current IDP's are over half a million now, and GOSL continues to block
food, fuel, medicine, and basic material needs requirements into Vanni. The A 9 highway is clear to operate, but the flow is halted for weeks. Unfortunately, the IC is hypocritical, and ignore the human suffering similar to Gaza.

The fear in Colombo is who is going to be murdered or kidnapped next.

Please stand in solidarity with the intimidated, harassed, and threatened journalist in Sri Lanka.

Lankan Media under threat - Blake
The US ambassador Robert Blake said today that the media industry in
Sri Lanka is under threat following yesterday's attack on MTV/MBC network. He also added that journalists hold the key to defeat terrorism by addressing its root cause.
Updated @ 07/01/2009 02:52 PM
Lasantha Wickramatunga has passed away moments ago, hospital sources confirmed.
Updated @ 08/01/2009 02:15 PM

Lasantha taken in for surgery at Kalubowila
Kalubowila Hospital authorities have decided not to bring Lasantha to the Colombo General Hospital, and was taken to the operating theater for immediate surgery.
Updated @ 08/01/2009 11:50 AM
COMMENTS (12)

Lasantha critical
Lasantha Wickramatunga is in critical condition, hospital sources confirmed. He is currently being taken to the Colombo General Hospital for surgery. According to reports available at the moment, two armed men had come in two motorcycles, blocked his vehicle and shot him near the ear.
Updated @ 08/01/2009 11:21 AM
COMMENTS (14)

Lasantha Wickramatunga shot
Sunday Leader chief editor Lasantha Wickramatunga was shot a short while ago at the Bakery Junction, Attidiya. He has been admitted to Kalubowila Hospital.
Updated @ 08/01/2009 10:51 AM

Sunday Leader Editor assassinated
[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 January 2009, 05:59 GMT]
Lasantha Wikramatunga, the chief editor of the English Weekly, who was shot by unknown gunmen Thursday morning, has succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. Mr. Lasantha Wikramatuga was shot while he was on his way to work around 9:30 a.m. The newspaper and its editor as well as the editor of Morning Leader have been harassed and threatened continuously during the last three years. All Leader publications are very critical towards the government and exponents of opposition political views. The killing has shocked the journalists who are critical of Rajapaksa government.

Harassments and attacks on media has been stepped up after Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has brought the Media Ministry under him on the New Year Day.

On Tuesday, a group of 20 unidentified attackers who arrived in a white van armed with T-56 assault rifles, pistols and swords stormed the Maharaja Television Network Limited relay station at Depanama in Pannipitiya in Nugegoda and caused extensive damage to the station. Many of the sensitive equipment were put out of function. According to the spokesperson for the MTV group, the damage estimated millions.

On 21 November, a twelve-member group of masked men, forcibly entered the printing press of Sunday Leader, Morning Leader and Irudina Sinhala weekly and set fire damaging printing machines and copies of newspapers printed ready for distribution.

The paper office was also attacked earlier in 2005.

Chronology:
08.01.09 Sunday Leader Editor assassinated
28.12.06 Sunday Leader editor faces arrest


Related Articles:
21.11.07 Masked men burn Sunday Leader printing press
17.10.05 Armed men enter Colombo weekly press, set fire, warn employe..

WHAT A JOKE BY GOSL?

Government condemns the shooting of Lasantha Wickramatunga Thu, 2009-01-08 16:33 Sunil C. Perera in Colombo
Colombo, 08 January, (Asiantribune.com): Cabinet Spokesman Anurapriyadarshana Yapa says the government vehemently condemned shooting incident on Editor of the Sunday Leader Lasantha Wickramatunga.
He said the government does not wants to kill or assult the mediamen.
"Its a unacceptable activtiy of someone, he said. Addressing media in this morning he said the President Mahindhha Rajapaksha has ordered to investigate this incident.
According to the government sources the Chief Editor of the 'Sunday Leader', Lasantha Wickramatunga, was transferred to the Colombo National Hospital from the Kalubowila Hospital after being shot by unidentified armed men on a motor bike this morning.
Hospital.Sources say that he is in critical condition.
Mr. Wickramatunga was followed by two assailants on a motor bike while on his way to the 'Sunday Leader' publications in Mt. Lavinia. Upon noticing this suspicious motor bike, he has phoned several of his associates to tell them about his suspicion, reports say.
- Asian Tribune -