1st Asia Media Award for Press Freedom: In Memory of Lasantha Wickrematunge

The full text of Sonali Samarasinghe Wickrematunge's message to the Asia Media Forum in accepting the 1st Asia Media Award for Press Freedom on behalf of her slain husband Lasantha Wickrematunge:

"Core members of the Asia Media Forum and the Asian Resource Foundation of Thailand. Organisers of the Conference, fellow journalists and media practitioners.
   
"For reminding the world of the circumstances of his death, the cruelty of war and the horror of intolerence, thank you. For reminding the world that freedom of the word is freedom of the soul, thank you. Lasantha would have been proud to have received this award. Journalism was his call to conscience. Journalists everywhere his brothers and sisters in arms.

"My husband, in addition to being outspoken on human rights issues, espoused a peaceful negotiated resolution of the conflict between the Sinhalese and Tamil communities and was strongly critical of corruption within government. Lasantha was physically attacked three times by armed men, and on one occasion his house was sprayed with machine-gun fire.

"'The Sunday Leader' and 'Morning Leader' presses were attacked and burned down twice, in 2005 and 2007. None of these much publicised attacks—widely acknowledged to be the handiwork of the government—was followed by a meaningful police inquiry and no suspects were ever arrested. Nevertheless, Lasantha continued with his work undeterred: his publicly stated motto was, 'Unbowed and unafraid'.

"Sixteen journalists have been murdered in Sri Lanka in the past three years. Lasantha knew he was on the government’s hit list, but felt it cowardly to take precautions against an attack. He felt it was impossible to protect himself against the resources of the government, short of abandoning his career as a journalist and fleeing the country he loved. In addition to the 16 journalists who have been killed in the past three years, dozens of others have disappeared, been imprisoned without charge or been forced to flee the country.

"I thank the Asia Media Forum for honouring Lasantha with this special Award. He would have been proud. I know that the road ahead is steep for us who continue to fight for freedom. But we have to move on. We must. For Lasantha Wickrematunge, for Daniel Pearl, for all journalists killed in the line of duty. We must. For ourselves and the future of our children.

"Lasantha would want this. More conferences. More action. More voices to emerge. He had many dreams. A classless society. Media that existed in the public interest. Politicians that worked for the public interest. Peaceful and negotiated solution to conflict. Lasantha died in pursuit of his dream. So did Martin Luther King."

"For myself I can only but implore you as a fellow traveller with all the emphasis at my command to see through the face of democracy painted by President Mahinda Rajapakse and the government, to the failing democracy of Sri Lanka, and urge through the mightiness of the pen, President Rajapakse to allow an independent inquiry into the deaths of Lasantha and the other 16 media workers who have died tragically on his watch.

"I thank you."

— Sonali Samarasinghe Wickrematunge
     Former Editor-in-Chief, 'The Morning Leader'
     Consultant Editor, 'The Sunday Leader'