Staying course on the harder road

We are belated in recording our shock and grief at the brutal murder of Lasantha Wickremetunge, the celebrated Editor of Leader Publications and fellow scribe who in our opinion wrote a new chapter on print journalism in Sri Lanka. Lasantha has been killed and buried, the hosannas sung, condemnations issued and the obituaries written. What is there left to say then, but goodbye? What else is there to do, but find a way to honour his memory and a means to end this chapter of suppression?

Lasantha Wickremetunge was many things to many people. He was the doyen of the free media to some, a political animal to others. In his writing some saw courage, others, agendas. Never was there a more controversial character, never was opinion quite so divided and undecided on what kind of journalist Lasantha really was.

But in his death, we have borne witness to a sense of unity beyond our wildest imaginings.

We the media community are united in our whole-hearted, unreserved condemnation of the brutal killing of a respected and well known editor. We are steadfast in our resolve to ensure a reversing of this trend, whether or not many more of us will have to face the wrath of the killers. And we are certain that together, there are too many of us to ignore, too many to silence. If anything, the unprecedented crowds gathered at Lasantha’s funeral on Monday attest to that fact.

The great question of the day however is how much we are willing to endure in order to restore these freedoms and reconstitute the media culture in Sri Lanka and civil society standing up to ensure that such brutality will never find space in our land again. We are too easily swayed, too easily scared. It is our prayer that the media community will find the courage to fight this battle, because not only all our lives but also of the civil society depend upon it.

In characteristic style, Lasantha decided to go down fighting. In the editorial after his death entitled, “And then they came for me” in The Sunday Leader last week, the slain editor throws both the media community and the public a formidable challenge.

Harassment and intimidation notwithstanding, Lasantha chose to speak out. In fact, his statement against the attack on the Sirasa network would turn out to be his last words spoken publicly in defence of media freedom in Sri Lanka. It may even have got him killed.

It is the collective responsibility of the Government and all stakeholders who espouse democratic values to ensure media freedom in Sri Lanka than merely paying lip service. Attack on media has become a yet another crisis of confidence in the country. Bringing the culprits to justice will help but the country is crying for sincere, concerted and credible action.

With Lasantha gone, many have vowed to speak up, to fight on. This might be the higher road, but it is also the harder. How many will stay the course, how many will falter? As for us, we will speak. The question is, will you?