Lasantha bids farewell to the nation | ||
| By Yohan Perera, Susitha R. Fernando and Dinidu de Alwis
Members of the media, various opposition political parties, civic groups, and a large number of people joined in the long walk to his final resting place at the Borella Cemetery. Following a religious service at the Wickrematunge residence conducted by Colombo’s Bishop Rt. Rev. Duleep de Chickera, the cortege left for the administration of last rites. The cortege left the Assembly of God church at Kirimandala Mawatha, following final rites. Slogan chanting members belonging to various groups also joined the funeral procession demanding an impartial probe to the gruesome killing. Leaders of several political parties who were blaming extremist forces for the killing stressed the need for unity to arrest the alarming trend of declining democracy, increasing spate of killings and the violation of human rights. Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe who made a fiery speech at the funeral called on all forces to join hands to arrest the alarming trend of killings and reclaim democracy. He predicted that there would be great strides to safeguard human rights and democracy and to prevent a possible military regime. “This was seen in countries such as Pakistan and Maldives where people rose against dictatorships and military regimes and it will be seen in Sri Lanka soon,” he said. Mr. Wickremesighe also warned of more killings in the future as the killers would become active when the present sense of alarm and shock among the society died down in a few weeks. “Let us forget differences and make Lasantha’s dream of creating a democratic and corruption free nation a reality,” he pointed out. SLFP (M) Leader Mangala Samaraweera said Mr. Wickrematunge had predicted his fate in his last editorial. He said another fear psychosis has been created in the South once again and revealed that at least two leading journalists have left the country during the past week because of threats. SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem who paid tribute to the slain Sunday Leader Editor said there was no other journalist who went to the extent of exposing corruption and racism when those were hidden by the euphoria of victories. “He had his own media standards in engaging in this process,” he said. Mr. Hakeem declared the time such as this when journalists are killed will be known as the most doomed and darkest time of this nation. He paid tribute to the late editor saying that he was a journalist who fearlessly used his pen to expose injustice, corruption of the state and others when many of his fellow journalists were fleeing the country. Quoting Late Martin Luther King he said “in the end what will remain will not be the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends,” The late Editor’s brother and Leader Publications Chairman Lal Wickrematunge in an emotion-filled address called on all journalists to shed their differences and come together to fulfill Lasantha’s dream of changing the nation. Lasantha Wickrematunge was shot in broad daylight last Thursday by four unidentified gunmen travelling on unmarked motorbikes. He later succumbed to his injuries t the Kalubowila hospital. Meanwhile, hundreds of lawyers gathered at the Supreme Court complex at Hulftsdorp yesterday to protest against the brutal killing of their colleague. A large number of senior attorneys were among the protesters who demanded the government to bring the killers of Lasantha to justice. Organized by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), the protest march was joined by Colombo Law Society, Colombo High Court Lawyers Association and Colombo Magistrate Court Lawyers Association. The attorneys who gathered at the Superior Court premises marched up to the BASL head office with the placards which read ‘Protect Democracy’, ‘Hands off Lawyers’ and ‘Who is next?’. |
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Lasantha bids farewell to the nation
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