{"id":128361,"date":"2024-01-10T17:08:22","date_gmt":"2024-01-10T17:08:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/?p=128361"},"modified":"2024-01-10T17:08:51","modified_gmt":"2024-01-10T17:08:51","slug":"remembering-lasantha-wickrematunges-assassination-by-michael-roberts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/remembering-lasantha-wickrematunges-assassination-by-michael-roberts\/","title":{"rendered":"Remembering Lasantha Wickrematunge\u2019s Assassination-by Michael Roberts"},"content":{"rendered":"

Remembering Lasantha Wickrematunge\u2019s Assassination-by Michael Roberts<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

\"Michael<\/p>\n

Source:<\/span><\/strong>Thuppahis<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

\"elanka\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Image Source:<\/span><\/strong>Thuppahis<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Posters being pasted in Colombo and suburbs yesterday to mark the 15 years since the murder of Lasantha Wickrematunge which falls today.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Today marks 15 years since the brutal murder of iconic journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge with none brought to justice. To mark the occasion Lasantha\u2019s kids Avinash, Ahimsa and Aadesh issued the following statement which will be read out today at Lasantha\u2019s graveside memorial at the General Cemetery Kanatte.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"elanka\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

\"elanka\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Image Source:<\/span><\/strong>Thuppahis<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFifteen years ago today, our father Lasantha Wickrematunge was assassinated in cold blood in a defining moment of loss that shook the spirit of Sri Lanka and broke the hearts of all those who love and value peace and democracy.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Graveside memorial service to mark 15th anniversary of Lasantha\u2019s murder \u2026.\u00a0<\/strong>Colombo Gazette<\/em><\/strong>\u00a06 January 2024<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The 15th anniversary of the assassination of\u00a0The Sunday Leader<\/em>\u00a0founder Editor-in-Chief\u00a0Lasantha Wickrematunge, which falls on Monday, 8 January, will be marked with a service at his graveside. Family, friends, former colleagues, and others will gather at Borella Kanatte at 9 a.m. to mark the anniversary and remember\u00a0Lasantha. Assassinated on 8 January 2009,\u00a0Lasantha\u00a0was one of Sri Lanka\u2019s leading journalists and an outspoken critic of the then Rajapaksa Government<\/strong>.\u00a0He was attacked as he drove to work and later died of his injuries.\u00a0<\/strong>The brazen attack was carried out by two gunmen on motorcycles in the middle of morning-rush-hour traffic. The investigation into\u00a0Lasantha\u2019s murder has yielded no tangible results thus far and his killers still roam free, 15 years later.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur father was a peacemaker and a valiant crusader for change. Today, his name has become synonymous with the fight for human rights and press freedom and the pursuit of social justice and equality.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

To us, we knew him only as our kind and dedicated father, our loving support system who was devoted to our family, selfless to a fault and lived his life for others. We grieve for him every time our family gathers and there is an empty seat at our table. We miss him every day.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sri Lanka has faced dark times since his demise. Our father would have been proud of the Aragalaya and those who marched on in the tradition of his message and in his spirit, resisted tyranny at the risk of their own safety.<\/span><\/p>\n

Our family thanks all those who continue to love our father and have supported us in the pursuit of justice over the years. Though our father is no longer here with us today it is important that we direct our grief and our anger into meaningful action and continue his work that remains incomplete.<\/span><\/p>\n

Let us honour our father and carry his torch and fulfil his vision of transparency, impartiality, tolerance and liberty in our motherland.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Preview YouTube video Bill Nighy reads Sri Lankan Journalist Lasantha Wikrematunge\u2019s posthumous editorial\u2026\u2026.\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n