Media workers celebrated on World Press Freedom Day, 3 May 2009. Photo: Lotte Dahlmann/IMS

Sri Lankan media failed to fulfill its role in the violent conflict, said Sri lankan journalist Sunanda Deshapriya in a speech commemorating the late editor of Sunday Leader, Lasantha Wickrematunga, who was assasinated on 8 January and awarded posthumosly by UNESCO for his battle for media freedom in Sri Lanka

Speaking at the official UNESCO ceremony of the UNESCO press freedom award 2009 in Kathmandu about the contributions of Lasantha Wickrematunge to journalism in Sri Lanka, Sunanda Deshapriya said that Lasantha's achievement should be seen in light of the war between the government and the Tamil Tigers of Eelam in recent years:

- Suppression of media freedom and threats to journalists increased during the first three months of 2009. Over the last three and a half years, 20 journalists and media workers have been killed in Sri Lanka. Other news and alternative views became rare. The official government line was repeated again, this time sternly: "Criticism and dissent in times of war is treason."

Challenging censorship

In this atmosphere, Lasantha's most significant mark was his contribution to media behaviour in times of war:

- He pushed the limits set by the authorities. He dared to go beyond. He dared to challenge. He was fearless in performing his duty as a journalist. He never gave in to the pressure of self-censorship (..) I think Lasantha's central contribution to media in Sri Lanka was his courage and capacity to challenge the censorship within and outside. Official and unofficial.

Sunanda Deshapriya, who is currently living in exile outside Sri Lanka, went on to say that in this atmosphere, Sri Lankan media  practiced an unprecedented level of selfcensorship, and as a consequence failed to perform its primary duty: (click on the arrow in the window below to see the video clip)

Speaking against the war in Sri Lanka

In the official announcement ceremony of UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize 2009 in Kathmandu, UNESCO Advisor in communication and information for South Asia,Mrs. Panevska described how Lasantha used the Sunday Leader as a platform for his campaign against the war between Sri Lanka's army and the Tamil rebels. therefore it had been particularly frustrating for him that the government prevented him from running pictures or first-hand reporting from the war-zones in Sri Lanka.

In this light it was hardly surprising that an almost unanimous jury chose a man who as clearly conscious of the dangers he faced, but nevertheless chose to speak out, even beyond his grave, said Mrs. Panevska:

- He expected to be assasinated and went so far as to write an editorial for publication after his death. In the editorial, which appeared in the Sunday Leader three days after he had been murdered, Mr. Wickrematunge voiced his committment and readiness to die for press freedom, said Mrs. Panevska and quoted parts of Lasantha's last editorial:

"There is a calling that is yet above high office, fame, lucre and security. It is the call of conscience."