‘Lanka News Web’ is ready for a change!
Jan 09, 2016
Today (09) marked the first anniversary of the ‘Yaha Paalanaya.’
January 09 is a special day for us at Lanka News Web too. Seven years ago, that is on 09 January 2009, a day after the murder of Lasantha Wickramatunga, our website did our brand registration and had a test run, under the theme ‘let’s get rid of fear.’
For the above-mentioned reason, January 09 is special for both the ‘Yaha Paalana’ government and we at LNW.
Self criticism about the past
For the past seven years, we acted as a guerrilla attack force in the cyberspace. During that period, we raised a voice, without fear, against corruption, repression and terror. As a result, our website remained banned in Sri Lanka for six years. Without stopping there, the Rajapaksa regime did not hesitate to issue an international red alert for our editorial chief. But, we were not shaken by any of those, withstood insults, faced everything for seven years, and did not desert our readers.
For the past seven years, we acted as a guerrilla attack force in the cyberspace. During that period, we raised a voice, without fear, against corruption, repression and terror. As a result, our website remained banned in Sri Lanka for six years. Without stopping there, the Rajapaksa regime did not hesitate to issue an international red alert for our editorial chief. But, we were not shaken by any of those, withstood insults, faced everything for seven years, and did not desert our readers.
During those seven years, we wrote news targeting individuals who had aided and abetted a despotic regime. Our principle was that in order for the felling of the corrupt tree called the Rajapaksa regime, its branches should first be cut off and the truck isolated. We continued to follow that principle. We admit that some of our attacks were very crude and crossed the moral limit. On certain occasions, even our personal friends had come under criticism, and, had they suffered any pain of mind as a result in our journey towards a collective political objective, we take this opportunity to extend our apology to them and their families.
Counter revolution
The result of our task that began thus was let known to the Lankans and the entire world on 09 January 2015. We contributed our maximum for the January 08 victory of the people.
The result of our task that began thus was let known to the Lankans and the entire world on 09 January 2015. We contributed our maximum for the January 08 victory of the people.
By now, one year has passed since that people’s victory.
During the year that has gone by, we continued to carry out our customary attacks targeting individuals with the hope of a counter-revolution. We believe that it is time to put a full-stop to that and go for a change.
Out of woods
Therefore, from now on, we decided that we will break away from our path of seven years and take to a new one. However, that is not at all a traditional, conventional path. It is entirely an experimentation of new dimensions of journalism. By making use of the comparatively better, but still limited freedom of speech and freedom of expression, we decided that we would remain under our names within the LNW brand to create a powerful dialogue in society.
Therefore, from now on, we decided that we will break away from our path of seven years and take to a new one. However, that is not at all a traditional, conventional path. It is entirely an experimentation of new dimensions of journalism. By making use of the comparatively better, but still limited freedom of speech and freedom of expression, we decided that we would remain under our names within the LNW brand to create a powerful dialogue in society.
Since most of our editorial members, who had been overseas, have now returned to Sri Lanka, our task will be made much easier. Accordingly, there will be a reorganization within the editorial too.
LNW will be registered in Sri Lanka as a limited liability company and an office opened. Also, LNW will be registered as a news website with the Information and Media Ministry.
Wrtiting better on fresh pages
Kumuduni Wijeyawardena, who has been LNW’s deputy editor for nearly five years and now in Sri Lanka, will be the chief editor. The deputy editor will be Upul Nishantha, while English editors will be Joe Silva and Ali Azghar, and Bharath Raghuvaran will serve as the Tamil editor and Fazley Mohamed as the Tamil deputy editor.
Kumuduni Wijeyawardena, who has been LNW’s deputy editor for nearly five years and now in Sri Lanka, will be the chief editor. The deputy editor will be Upul Nishantha, while English editors will be Joe Silva and Ali Azghar, and Bharath Raghuvaran will serve as the Tamil editor and Fazley Mohamed as the Tamil deputy editor.
Also, Basuru Jayawardena will be the LNW’s features editor, Ajith Dharmakeerthi the ‘Nelumyaya’ editor and Ruwan Nelu the ‘Cyber Pavura’ editor and Krishan Rajapakse the ‘Sivmansala’ editor.
The editorial consultant will be Ranjith Henayakarachchi.
Chandima Withanaarachchi will continue as the chief executive of the website.
A message to resource persons
As most of the editorial members now live in Sri Lanka, any reader can reach them via telephone or email with regard to news.
Hereafter, all news will be published only after getting verification, and we would like to stress to our brothers and sisters who are our resource persons, that news that cannot be verified and that highlight privacy will be rejected.
Our gratitude
We extend our heartiest thanks to our friends in politics, media and international human rights organizations who had assisted us fully for us to tread on this difficult path during the past seven years, and expect them to continue that support. In conclusion, the editorial extends our immense gratitude to you, our readers, for remaining with us by placing your trust in us.
We extend our heartiest thanks to our friends in politics, media and international human rights organizations who had assisted us fully for us to tread on this difficult path during the past seven years, and expect them to continue that support. In conclusion, the editorial extends our immense gratitude to you, our readers, for remaining with us by placing your trust in us.
