Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations: Editor Threatened

Sunday, October 30, 2011
The way with cowards

Sarath Fonseka outside the Colombo High Court

By Indika Sri Aravinda

The Editor of The Sunday Leader, Frederica Jansz last Thursday (27) received a death threat via the post to her residence. Frederica lodged a complaint with the Mirihana Police after receiving the threat.
This is not the first time and it certainly will not be the last that Editors at this newspaper receive death threats. Sometimes handwritten, sometimes typed, these vicious little notes (this time it was four pages long) always come anonymously posted by persons too cowardly to be identified.

Last Thursday, a letter such as this arrived at the home of Frederica Jansz. Handwritten, the letter spewed venom and gutter language. The letter threatens Frederica warning her that irrespective of the verdict due on November 18, in relation to what is known as the ‘White Flag Case’ she will be dealt with.
Interestingly the letter carried some facts related to the White Flag case in which Frederica was the key witness. For instance the letter mentions the name of two staffers at The Sunday Leader Raknish Wijewardena (no longer at the paper) and Photographer Thusitha Kumara both of whom accompanied Frederica to the interview she conducted with former army commander Sarath Fonseka after which she subsequently published a Page One Lead story and interview on December 13, 2009. Both Wijewardena and Kumara were not named as witnesses in the White Flag case. Yet, if indeed this letter has emanated from an army person in the Sinha regiment (formerly under Fonseka’s command) as the writer attempts to have us believe, it is indeed more than strange that a soldier or officer could have recalled the intricacies of Frederica’s evidence in court to name both Raknish Wijewardena and Thusitha Kumara, despite the fact that neither of these two men were named as witnesses nor did they ever appear in court.
Furthermore, if indeed a soldier or officer of the Sinha regiment wrote this letter it is strange that he would have a political insight to predict a future regime naming persons such as the former Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva, Sarath Fonseka, Wijeydasa Rajapaksa, Tiran Alles, Mangala Samaraweera and Anura Kumara Dissanayake who “will have to take over this country.”
All the previous written death threats Frederica had received had been sent by post to the office. This is the first time such a letter was sent to her home. Even an army officer who sat daily in the Colombo High Court where the White Flag case was being heard could not have known the address of the Editor’s residence. Only on one instance has Frederica been served summons and a letter of demand to her home address.
This is not the first time that Frederica has been threatened in relation to the White Flag case. Previously, a photograph of her arriving in court which was published in the daily Island newspaper was cut out and posted to her with a written warning that it was only a matter of time before she would be killed.

A translation of the threatening letter …
Frederica Sandra Carmela Jansz, that damn prostitute, you are now safeguarding the President. By you giving evidence to put Mr. Fonseka in trouble he had to go to courts 57 times. You have even printed the Presidents manifesto. Can you remember that there was a comparison of countries run by Generals in Head to Head? Where was Rakmish Wijeywardene, photographer Thusither Kumar, they have disappeared at the beginning of the case. Lal Wickremesinghe too was dropped half way. Finally you (tho- in Sinhala) appeared on behalf of five people. You gave false evidence to get promotions. Your genitals were touched nicely by Lasantha Wickrematuge. Now Secretary Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa is coming to see you? That bugger also is having sex with that whore. Bloody whore on the 18th of November whichever way the judgment is given you will not be spared. Do you know that? 1 SR means what? We are the Sinha regiment who took the brunt of the war on our shoulders. Because of our Leader’s instructions we didn’t get killed during the war. We suffered for what? For this country. The Leader who fought so well was brought to the Military Court by a bloody bitch like you. He slept in the jungles amidst mosquitoes and snakes, with us. In addition to having suffered during the war he is now jailed and tortured.
We will not spare you. (underlined) If you want to escape you go to Temple trees and sleep where the President sleeps. There is nothing else to do. Even if Mr. Fonseka comes out or not we will continue our fight. We have enough weapons which we got from the war. It won’t be long before the people of this country would join us. Will the people give power to the President and his family to rule forever? Let’s see. The win in Colombo is like a victory over the entire country. If the main town was won, what more is there to speak? This time also the full might of the Rajapaksas, of the State, and all the Ministers came to Colombo. In how many staggered times did they hold elections? Why was that done? Because its easy to use State power then. If elections were held in one go State power cannot be used. Anyway the government is falling little by little now. There is turmoil within. When more positions are given to the family the balance will also be destroyed. Someday Chief Justice Sarath N Silva, Fonseka, Wijeydasa Rajapaksa,, Tiran Alles, Mangala Samaraweera and Anura Kumara Dissanayake will have to take over this country. Then those SLFP people will join them. The UNP will be destitute. Those who are from the underworld, dealing in drugs, into taking bribes, making money by suppressing the people must be vanquished first. That is the day the country will turn right. We heard that you too have a brothel. You cannot do this everyday. A change will come soon. You bcareful. Our Sinha regiment boys are very angry now. Your genitals must be smashed. Bloody whore ..because you gave false evidence.