AKD accused of yielding to the bidding of ex-servicemen who backed him in the election

Sri Lanka’s government has come under fire from journalists and lawyers over the attorney general deciding to release three suspects in the daylight murder of a widely respected journalist sixteen years ago.

Journalists have accused the government of yielding to the pressure of ex military men and ex policemen attempting to save military and police personnel accused of grave crimes

The AG has decided to stop further legal action against ex-military spy Prem Ananda Udalagama, ex-DIG Vitharana Arachchige Sirimevan Prasanna Nanayakkara, and ex Officer in Charge of the Mount Lavinia police crime branch Hettiarachchige Don Tissasiri Sugathapala. All three are accused in the murder of Lasantha Wickrematunge the founding editor of the Sunday Leader, murdered on the 8th of January 2009, just months before the brutal civil war came to a bloody end.

The government says it is studying the AG’s directive.

The Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association (SLWJA) expresses its ‘disgust and opposition’ to the whole government including the president, minister of justice, and media minister for recommending the release of three murder suspects in a journalist murder.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in particular, has come in for sharp criticism from the SLWJA for allegedly recommending to the Attorney General (AG) the release of three murder suspects.

“Is the attorney general’s department implementing a directive from the president following a demand by retired security force members who backed the president to be elected to office?” SLWJA has questioned in a media release issued today the 5th of February.

SLWJA says the AG’s directive has given rise to a suspicion among the public about whether the AG department is implementing the president’s recommendation following request by the ex-servicemen and ex policemen that supported AKD in his Presidential election.

The leader of the Ex Servicemen’s Collective Major General Aruna Jayasekara is the deputy minister of defence.

Today’s secretary to the ministry of public security is Senior Deputy Inspector General Ravi Seneviratne who spearheaded the ex policemen’s organisation. Both these outfits played a decisive role in the unprecedented electoral victory of AKD and his National Peoples Power (NPP) government.

SLWJA have strongly criticized the the acquittal and release of the former security services personnel accused of various crimes committed in the country.

“If unlawfulness continues to exist even under a government that received the majority of the public mandate to ensure the rule of the law in a society where unlawfulness once prevailed, it would be an unfortunate situation,” SLWJA media release signed by Duminda Sampath the President and Ranga Bandaranayake the General Secretary says.

The Free Media Movement (FMM) has condemned the attorney general's decision to release three police and military members accused in the 2009 murder of Editor Lasantha Wickrematunge as a 'disgraceful attempt to legalise impunity'.

In a statement signed by Convenor Hana Ibrahim and Secretary Lasantha Silva, FMMs urges Sri Lanka President @anuradisanayake to intervene immediately.

Lawyers have also joined journalists to slam the AG’s decision.

"This is a soothing message to those who try through violence and intimidation to silence courageous voices" said Attorney at Law Achala Seneviratne, Convenor for Lawyers Forum For the People.

Acknowledging that people expect the government to deliver democracy and law are eager to know the government response, government spokesman Nalinda Jayatissa said that they are ‘studying the AG’s decision’ and promised to provide a response at a later day.

“Our government is providing the maximum support for the investigations on abductions and murders of journalists in the past. As a government have to provide infrastructure for the investigations and filing cases.

Courts will deliver the final decision. But we don’t believe that cases that will be thrown away should be filed in court,” said Dr Jayatissa in response to a question raised by a journalist at the weekly cabinet press briefing.

Meanwhile, the Young Journalists Association has called a protest in front of the AG office on Thursday the 6th of February at 12 noon.

The call has been via social media to all journalists asking them to participate in the protest.

Slogans such as “Go Home, Attorney General who protects the criminals!” and “Expose the orders to release suspects in the Lasantha murder case!” are circulating on social media.

The Young Journalists Association has called upon all who demand justice to stand with them.