Peace for the World World ! Your War Our Lives
The Dalai Lama
A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
(Full Story)
Back to 500BC.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Alles running scared
to send letter of termination to Ceylon Today Editor in Chief
Friday 15 of
June 2012
(Lanka-e-News-15.June.2012,
3.30PM) Sources close to DNA MP Tiran Alles who is yet to make his maiden speech
in the Sri Lankan parliament says that he is reconsidering the termination of
Editor Lalith Alahakoon back to Ceylon Today, fearing that more staff from the
paper would leave the newspaper.
Mr. Allahakkoon was fired on Wednesday night, but his letter of termination has not yet been delivered to him, sources said. Sources say that the delay is due to Mr. Alles’ fearing that more staff would leave the paper.
Four journalists resigned in protest from the newspaper after Mr. Alahakoon and Deputy Editor and senior Graphic Artist Vasantha Siriwardhana was fired from their positions.
Deputy Editors Darisha Bastianz and Wilson Gnanadas and news editors Rasika Jayakody and Dinindu de Alwis handed in their resignations on Thursday. Two other reporters have handed in resignations today, sources said, adding that five mour reporters from the newspaper will hand in their resignations next week.
The management has launched a fully fledged recruitment drive to poach senior journalists from the Nation, Lakbima News and the Wijeya Group, in anticipation of a further exodus.
Editor of Mawbima, Thushara Gunarathna has told confidantes that he has already reached out to Sunday Times Deputy Editor Anthony David. He has said that a positive response is expected shortly.
However, sources close to Mr. David said that Mr. David had said that he has no plan of joining a paper that treats senior editors so shabbily.
Mr. Alahakoon is reportedly inundated with phone calls from diplomatic missions, government ministers, opposition politicians, respected members of the media fraternity and media activist groups.
Several diplomats have registered their profound shock and horror over the fact that the newspaper which started championing the cause of democracy, freedom and justice particularly given Alles’ role trying to get former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka released, ended up firing a veteran editor.
Meanwhile Editor of the Sunday Mawbima Upul Joseph Fernando last night frantically called several UNP politicians and conveyed that he had nothing to do with the decision to terminate Lalith Alahakoon and he is in fact not in agreement with the manner in which the senior journalist was treated. Executive Director of Alles’ company Dushyantha Basnayake upon whom it fell to inform Mr. Alahakoon of the management’s decision has privately expressed his personal regret over the Alles’ move with several journalists.
The decision of four senior journalists at Ceylon Today to resign in protest of Mr. Alahakoon’s sacking yesterday has been hailed by the media fraternity and activists for the freedom of the press as an act of valour and conscience. These same activists question why self-proclaimed media activist Hana Ibrahim who has been appointed to take over Mr. Alahakoon’s position has refrained from mobilizing the Free Media Movement of which she is an office-bearer given the injustice meted out to the senior journalists and in light of the principled action taken by some members of her staff.
Courtesy: SLXNews
Friday 15 of
June 2012 (Lanka-e-News-15.June.2012,
3.30PM) Sources close to DNA MP Tiran Alles who is yet to make his maiden speech
in the Sri Lankan parliament says that he is reconsidering the termination of
Editor Lalith Alahakoon back to Ceylon Today, fearing that more staff from the
paper would leave the newspaper.Mr. Allahakkoon was fired on Wednesday night, but his letter of termination has not yet been delivered to him, sources said. Sources say that the delay is due to Mr. Alles’ fearing that more staff would leave the paper.
Four journalists resigned in protest from the newspaper after Mr. Alahakoon and Deputy Editor and senior Graphic Artist Vasantha Siriwardhana was fired from their positions.
Deputy Editors Darisha Bastianz and Wilson Gnanadas and news editors Rasika Jayakody and Dinindu de Alwis handed in their resignations on Thursday. Two other reporters have handed in resignations today, sources said, adding that five mour reporters from the newspaper will hand in their resignations next week.
The management has launched a fully fledged recruitment drive to poach senior journalists from the Nation, Lakbima News and the Wijeya Group, in anticipation of a further exodus.
Editor of Mawbima, Thushara Gunarathna has told confidantes that he has already reached out to Sunday Times Deputy Editor Anthony David. He has said that a positive response is expected shortly.
However, sources close to Mr. David said that Mr. David had said that he has no plan of joining a paper that treats senior editors so shabbily.
Mr. Alahakoon is reportedly inundated with phone calls from diplomatic missions, government ministers, opposition politicians, respected members of the media fraternity and media activist groups.
Several diplomats have registered their profound shock and horror over the fact that the newspaper which started championing the cause of democracy, freedom and justice particularly given Alles’ role trying to get former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka released, ended up firing a veteran editor.
Meanwhile Editor of the Sunday Mawbima Upul Joseph Fernando last night frantically called several UNP politicians and conveyed that he had nothing to do with the decision to terminate Lalith Alahakoon and he is in fact not in agreement with the manner in which the senior journalist was treated. Executive Director of Alles’ company Dushyantha Basnayake upon whom it fell to inform Mr. Alahakoon of the management’s decision has privately expressed his personal regret over the Alles’ move with several journalists.
The decision of four senior journalists at Ceylon Today to resign in protest of Mr. Alahakoon’s sacking yesterday has been hailed by the media fraternity and activists for the freedom of the press as an act of valour and conscience. These same activists question why self-proclaimed media activist Hana Ibrahim who has been appointed to take over Mr. Alahakoon’s position has refrained from mobilizing the Free Media Movement of which she is an office-bearer given the injustice meted out to the senior journalists and in light of the principled action taken by some members of her staff.
Courtesy: SLXNews
