(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has called on the Sri Lankan government to disavow one of its members, Fisheries Minister Mahinda Wijeskera, after he threatened to kill Lasantha Wickrematunga, editor of the weekly “The Sunday Leader”. The minister’s death threat followed the newspaper’s publication of articles accusing him of corruption. Wijeskera claimed he had the prime minister’s […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has called on the Sri Lankan government to disavow one of its members, Fisheries Minister Mahinda Wijeskera, after he threatened to kill Lasantha Wickrematunga, editor of the weekly “The Sunday Leader”. The minister’s death threat followed the newspaper’s publication of articles accusing him of corruption. Wijeskera claimed he had the prime minister’s support in making the threat.
“We deeply deplore the minister’s behaviour and ask that you take action against him,” RSF said in a letter to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. “The minister has every right to sue the journalist for libel,” the organisation noted, “but such threats, uttered in Parliament, constitute a serious blow to the government’s credibility with regard to its respect for press freedom.”
On 27 July, “The Sunday Leader” reported that the minister had threatened Wickrematunga in front of several witnesses, including Water Management Minister Lakshman Seneviratne, who confirmed the incident to RSF. The paper quoted Wijeskera as saying, “Very soon, I’ll put him in a room and have him shot or he will be stabbed.” The minister also claimed the prime minister supported his attitude.
“The Sunday Leader” also reported that Wijeskera boasted that under the previous government, he had been part of a group that had planned the killing of three journalists, one of whom was murdered. In 1999, during the rule of then prime minister (now President) Chandrika Kumaratunga, Rohana Kumara, editor of “Satana” newspaper, was killed (see IFEX alerts of 5 November 2001, 6 January 2000, 10 and 8 September 1999).
RSF has called on the government to set up a parliamentary commission of inquiry into the supposed group, should the minister confirm his claims.
Wickrematunga and his outspoken newspaper, which investigates corruption, have been the target of frequent harassment and numerous libel suits since 1995 (see alerts of 5 September 2000, 18 June 1998, 15 September and 9 February 1995). In 2000, the government shut down the paper for seven weeks (see alert of 22 May 2000).
