Sri Lanka It's Happening

October 19, 2005

Before last years general elections the UPFA carried out a serious of attacks and attempted to intimidate jouranlists. They threatened to impose censorship. Fortunately despite their bluster, thuggery and intimidation the UPFA managed to obtain only 45% of the vote and failed to achieve a majority in parliament.

Now in the run upto, the presidential election they have been directing their poision at the media once again. And they have now chosen to attack the press of the Sunday Leader, the most vocal critic of this government. The cowardly free media movement manned by jouranlists who dare not criticise the government has made it's usuall whimpering but has not chosen the boycott press briefings by government ministers as they should.

In a related development, the 15 year trial of the murder of Richard de Soyza (a popular media personality) has ended with out any conviction. The accused have been made to suffer for 15 years. What then of the real culprits? They are said to be police officers. This is not the first time that the police have got away with murder. They do it with alarming regularity.

The police, Ministers and the underworld make up the axis of evil in Sri Lanka. in fact they are one and the same, they just have different dress codes. So it should come as no suprise that a notorious drug baron has been appointed as a Justice of Peace on the recommendation of a minister, who himself happens to be a notorious thug.

There is no law and order in Sri Lanka at the moment both the UNP and the UPFA are responsible for that. Should the JVP candidate win the next election, there is no doubt that the thugs will be unleashed against the mediamen.

Posted by raditha at October 19, 2005 10:42 AM