The legacy of Lasantha Wickrematunge and Sri Lanka’s freedom of the Press
Lasantha
Lasantha
“We have a natural right to make use of our pens as of our tongue, at our peril, risk and hazard”Voltaire
In the days of television, internet and cellular phones, a period spanning three years seems like an eon as far as the number of events that occur during a twenty-four hour period is concerned. Life cycles of events get shorter, so do their memories; the advent of television has brought about a revolution in dissemination of information so much so that folks have got used to morning shows on television before they leave for their jobs. The news websites have added a further impetus to this trend.
The three years that have passed since Lasantha’s demise, have witnessed many changes not only in his profession; there seems to have set in an apathy bordering on fear on the minds of the average journalist. This is made evident in the self-censorship that the journalists have imposed on themselves. When fearless, bold and honest reporting is the call, our journalists seem to have settled in a comfort-zone from which they dare not emerge. They seem to have found contentment in indulging in various nuanced arguments and theories instead of attacking unmercifully the targets that deserve attack.
Has bold and innovative investigative journalism died with Lasantha?
The astonishing under-coverage or zero-coverage of the shameful behavior on the part of some notorious politicos and the scant respect that they display towards civil intercourse is ample testimony to such propensities. Then we come to the obvious question: has bold and innovative investigative journalism died with Lasantha?
In assessing the contribution made by Lasantha towards Sri Lanka’s journalism one cannot escape from the current environment and its evolution since Lasantha’s death. For such an evaluation should be essentially related to and be viewed in the context of the sociopolitical development of Sri Lanka’s polity. The factual record of these three years was well narrated in Sonali’s article a couple of days ago. Although the effort of this writer is not confined to offering a traditional appreciation or a tribute to a slain professional, a critical appraisal of the general atmosphere that is prevalent in the country might well be the need of the hour.
Extraordinary journalist
Lasantha was an extraordinary journalist. The contacts, both within and outside the governing circles that he established and nurtured were wide and were always a subject of envy of his contemporaries. Those contacts were his treasured sources of information; they were his treasures which he visited time and time again, to dig out more and more. The sources kept growing while a side that was concealed inside the various closets started bearing open either some miserable conduct of a budding politician or a perverse demeanor of a private sector CEO.
Building up sources and nurturing them is a special skill, yet it is only a skill that can be taught or imparted by a senior journalist to a junior partner. Such skilled journalists are still among us today.
Riveting
Then writing in the most exiting manner, riveting the attention of the reader to what is written and thereby building one’s own niche readership is also a skill that Lasantha possessed and showed it in his writings. The skills he displayed in the “Suranimala” column is ample evidence of his prose style; simplicity and devoid of being verbose made him understandable even by a novice reader of English letters. His style lacked that unhealthy quality of the snob-journalist whose condescending writing manner angered many a reader. However, writing too is a skill that can be coached if the learner is willing and able. There are a few such great writers who are present in the market place today. In that sense too Lasantha was not unique.
Commitment is another virtue Lasantha showed in no small measure. Once he started an investigation, until he collected all the data, facts, figures and statistics he did not rest. The essential corroborative documents and affidavits that one needed to build a fool-proof case became easy apparatus in the able hands of Lasantha. His education and his profession as a lawyer helped him in his journalist’s trade. They are all acquired skills and aptitudes.
But what struck me most as unique in him was his daring, the daring to go where no man has gone before, so to speak. That boldness put him on a totally different pedestal in that, he had no equal in Sri Lanka. In the most arduous circumstances, against all odds, he showed courage and fearlessness that no educator or teacher could teach you.
Purest form of investigative journalism
That is why I dare say that with Lasantha died the purest form of investigative journalism in Sri Lanka. Pundit Nehru remarked: “the policy of being too cautious is the greatest risk of all”. Lasantha was never too cautious and he paid the price with his life for that. Whoever killed Lasantha achieved their purpose, at least for the time being. The dearth of daring reportage about corruption among politicians is telling; the rashness that one displays at the most inopportune time and then succeeds simply because of that rashness is absent today. The bold approach to investigative journalism has flown out the door. In Sri Lanka, journalism is poorer today because such a one like Lasantha is not there.
January 13, 2012 at 6:51 pm
SONALI, PLEASE CARRY THIS SOMEWHAT LENGTHY PIECE AS MY TRIBUTE TO LASSA
The role of journalism in a rotten political culture….
OF LASANTHA ….AND THE CREED OF SLAVES!
BY BONAPARTE
(TRUNCATED) “……….Lasantha could not be straight-jacketed, could not be chained. In paying my personal tribute to you, let me say that at the Holy Grail of Journalism, none will fail to weep over your blood, to pay unreserved homage. And should your medal of glory cast some soft hued shadow, it will be the shadow caused by the torch your hand holds out before that medal’s face while your spirit challenges one of us to dare to reach out, take that torch and with it burn the dross and sludge of this vile culture of crude tyranny that’s drowning the nation in shame.
……..The intellectual and emotional dynamics of social change which you imbued in the national psyche are already affecting public opinion and political ardour….. and now it all begins Lassa.
Now it all begins. But what a terrible price you had to pay for it.
How does one say Au Revoir to a legend that walks so tall even in death?
The Bible says that when the enemy comes in like a flood, God shall raise a STANDARD against him, even if it does have the prefix of “LANKA”. What a strange coincidence that your wife must chose such a name for her blog. Perhaps the Joan of Arc spirit will prevail with more success than that which the French teenager tasted.
Guess it has begun, eh Lassa? Guess no one ever does hear the first subterranean rumblings which precede a Tsunami that devours everything in its path, including paid sycophants who make verbose attempts to cosmetically cover-up the ugliness of truth.
BUT HECK, THE VINTAGE AIN’T OVER…
NOT BY A LONG SHOT.
When Sri Lanka has reasserted her priorities she will thank you for sacrificing your life for her dignity, pride, her freedom. I’m betting that that change is just around the corner……
Editors Note: Due to the length of this comment it has been truncated but it is reproduced in full as a main article on the front page of this website see
http://www.lankastandard.com/2012/01/lasantha-wickrematunge-and-the-role-of-journalism-in-a-rotten-political-culture/