Freedom of speech - Journalist assasination

I’m currently spending a year working in Sri Lanka and let me say that there is more than the LTTE bombing to be worried about. This January, 2 assaults have been made on the country’s freedom of speech. First was an attack on MTV studios and than the murder of a contoversial journalist. A few days before his assasination, the journalist wrote an editorial to be publish in the event of his assasination. It’s a good read and you have the link below. While reading those articles, keep in mind that there are military and police personnel at every corner in Colombo and that at night it is impossible not to get stop at some check point. I recently have been controlled 4 times on my way from the airport to my house and a collegue was himself stopped 8 times!!! One has to wonder how those people manage to do it and, even more, escape!

background and editorial in the Newyorker: http://www.newyorker.com/...letter-from-the.html

Original editorial: http://www.thesundayleader.lk/20090111/editorial-.htm

The attack on MTV: http://news.bbc.co.uk/...uth_asia/7813043.stm

This is sad

Beautiful and sad. As poor as my opinion is of the current state of journalism in this country, I believe that their role is imperative in keeping the government in check. The levels of drunken power and corruption in the US continue to shock me, but would be far worse without the occasional expose’ or at least fear of same.

sri lanka must be pretty beautiful otherwise, right?

Sri Lanka is a beautiful country but unfortunately I don’t see the problems ending soon. From a tourist point of you it’s still a nice country to visit and is also safe. Actually the most dangerous thing is Sri Lanka is the driving. 1500 dead on the road last year… Travelling around is pretty scary!