Lankan weekly editor shot dead

COLOMBO, SEPT 8: The killing of a newspaper editor outside his home late Tuesday night rocked the Sri Lankan parliament on Wednesday and ...

COLOMBO, SEPT 8: The killing of a newspaper editor outside his home late Tuesday night rocked the Sri Lankan parliament on Wednesday and has created panic and concern among journalists here.

Rohana Kumara, editor of Satana, a virulently anti-government Sinhala language newspaper, was shot dead by unidentified men as he was returning home late Tuesday night.

Incidentally, the killing took place on International Journalists Day. 8220;It has caused some panic and a good deal of concern,8221; said Waruna Karunatilleke, head of the Free Media Movement FMM, an independent media rights watchdog.

The police have indicated that a personal grudge may have been the motive behind the killing, but a FMM statement said the killing must be viewed in the context of a 8220;growing campaign against independent media by the government8221;. The body described it as 8220;another step in the campaign to terrorise independent journalists and media organisations8221;.

It called upon the government to identify and prosecute RohanaKumara8217;s killers without delay, and said this was the only way the government could demonstrate that it was not behind the killing.

Satana Battle, is known for its stories alleging corruption in high places in the People8217;s Alliance PA government but is not a highly regarded newspaper. FMM said though it did not approve of Rohana Kumara8217;s style of journalism which used 8220;hate-speak8221; and 8220;disregarded journalistic norms8221;, this was no justification for the killing.

The opposition United National Party UNP created a furore in the parliament over the killing leading to the ejection of one of its backbenchers. The house had to be suspended for 15 minutes.

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In a statement, UNP general secretary Gamini Athukorale alleged 8220;certain powerful people8221; were behind the killing.

8220;Rohana Kumara was a journalist who fearlessly fought social injustice, corruption, and terror perpetrated by people in power. This he did all the time whatever be the party in power,8221; Athukorale said.

He said the killing8220;amply demonstrates the type of media freedom guaranteed to media in Sri Lanka under the PA government8221;. 8220;Whatever the flimsy explanations given, we hold the government of Chandrika Kumaratunga responsible for these happenings,8221; he declared.