Sri Lanka News Updates with Discussions

Crab's crystal ball is filled with bleach ..

The Late Mr. Lasantha Wickrematunge letter to the President

11 January 2006
President Mahinda Rajapakse,
Temple Trees
Colombo 03.

My dear President,

I was shocked and surprised by the tone and content of your
telephone call to me at 11:13 this morning. I cannot imagine that the
occupant of the highest office in our land could utter such foul, lewd
and disgusting words: indeed the language of the gutter. It is
unbecoming and disgraceful of you to have uttered threats against me,
and I want to repeat the assertion made by me during your hysterical
ranting that I will not be bowed by them. You more than any other
politician have paid lip service to human rights and the building of a
decent society in Sri Lanka. It is all the more shocking then, that you
should conduct yourself in such a low manner.

Given the office you hold, I have no doubt it is well within your power to
do me harm, whether or not through the abuse of the state machinery
that lies at your disposal. I have therefore no choice but to give your
threats the widest possible publicity in the hope that this will persuade
you to desist from the course of action you are clearly contemplating,
to eliminate me or do me harm.

No doubt you will deny the content of the conversation that took place
this morning as you would a request made to me prior to the
presidential election inviting me to run your election campaign with
your brother, Basil Rajapakse which I politely declined. You have no
choice but to deny the threat made, given the lip service your public
persona pays to the upholding of decent values.

You know better than anyone that The Sunday Leader was infinitely
more critical of your predecessor, Chandrika Kumaratunga, than it has
been of you. Yet, she never stooped to the level you have, even
though she was reported to have given ear to a plot to 'kill an editor or
two.'

Leader of the Opposition, Ranil Wickremesinghe informed me that you
had spoken with him at around 1 p.m. on the same subject which was within a matter of two hours of threatening me, and asked him to
request me to desist from publishing in future any story you consider
provocative.You have specifically mentioned the publication of a story
relating to your wife, Shiranthi. I have no idea what story you are
referring to: you failed to tell me, and you evidently failed also to tell
him. Yet, I wish to remind you that should you have anything to convey
to me, your purposes would be best served by informing me directly
rather than threatening me in vile language.

Given our long acquaintance, you should know better than anyone
that I am not one to be swayed by third parties. I take this opportunity
to also remind you in that context your request to me as Prime Minister
to refrain from publishing details of the 'Helping Hambantota' account
in July 2005 and my refusal to oblige you. Indeed, when there is news
that it is in the national interest to publish, be assured that nothing will
prevent The Sunday Leader from publishing it.

I urge you even now to respect the great office to which you have been
elected, and to conduct yourself with the dignity and decorum the
people and Sri Lanka have a right to expect of you. It does not become
the presidency that you should threaten journalists or indeed, plot
violence against them.

With best wishes for the new year,

Yours sincerely,
Lasantha Wickrematunge
Attorney-at-Law,
Editor, The Sunday Leader

The President's telephone call to Lasantha Wickrematunge.

Telephone call made by the President of the Democratic Socialist
Republic of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapakse to the Editor-in-Chief, The
Sunday Leader, Lasantha Wickrematunge on January 11, 2006 at
11.13 a.m.

(English translation)

Mahinda: What have you written about Shiranthi in the Leader?

Lasantha: What has been written?

Mahinda: You should know what has been written

Lasantha: Did you read it? What are you talking about?

Mahinda: About what? F. your mother (am.. Hu..a), son of a bloody
wh. (k.ri ve.e putha) I WILL FINISH YOU. You have hit me, now you are
hitting my woman as well.

Lasantha: What has the article said?

Mahinda: I treated you well all this while. Now I will destroy you. You
don't know who Mahinda Rajapakse is. You watch what I will do to you.
You hit me even during the election. Pariah.You are hitting even now...
I will destroy you.

Lasantha: Just because you are President, do not talk in that
threatening way. We don't get intimidated by threats. Tell us what it is
we are supposed to have written.

Mahinda: PARIAH,You are not scared!.... I will show you what it is to
be scared. I will rest only when I DESTROY you. You wait and see.You
don't know who Mahinda Rajapakse is.