WikiLeaks: Gota Will Call And Threaten, Mahinda Will Then Follow Up By Saying Not To Worry – Lasantha Wickrematunge To US
October 24, 2012
JDS
“Lasantha Wickrematunge of the Sunday Leader, an independent English-language paper, explained that the Rajapaksa brothers are personally involved in intimidation attempts. He likened their involvement to a “good cop, bad cop” routine where the Defense Secretary will personally call an editor and threaten arrest or even assassination. The President will then follow up by saying not to worry; he will look into the matter.” the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.
“To underline U.S. support for freedom of the press, Boucher held a press roundtable on May 10 with managing directors from ten leading independent Sinhala, Tamil and English papers in Colombo. Participants described how the government is directly and indirectly threatening journalists to prevent them from reporting on human rights abuses, abductions, paramilitary groups or other topics that do not portray the government in a good light. Citing specific examples of intimidation by government officials as well as the Karuna faction, they described the current climate as one of fear and intimidation. Lasantha Wickrematunge of the Sunday Leader, an independent English-language paper, explained that the Rajapaksa brothers are personally involved in intimidation attempts. He likened their involvement to a “good cop, bad cop” routine where the Defense Secretary will personally call an editor and threaten arrest or even assassination. The President will then follow up by saying not to worry; he will look into the matter. Mr. Vithyatharan of Tamil paper Sudar Oli commented that the government “may be playing this game with you, but with us, they are playing with our lives” — an allusion to the government’s markedly harsher attitude toward Tamil journalists.” the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.
