"The Sri Lankan media Mafia" – Right of Reply

Dear Victor Ivan

By Brian Turner

(April 03, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) I had a chance to read your tabloid. I have read some of your stuff in the past and used to have the highest respect for you. Used to. Then when reading part 2 of your article titled 'media mafia', I came to a couple of paragraphs about my Uncle Lasantha where you trash him in the most disgusting way.I understand that you have not received the awards and accolades that Lasantha has but to trash a man that was nothing less than an amazing journalist and investigative reporter and then to also take a shot at his wife who was compelled to leave for overseas due to threats by accusing her of having assisted in fabricating "those" stories, is low and vile and defamatory at best. What stories are you talking about? You then bring up the final editorial "Then they came for me " calling it the biggest lie of the century, I just hope you as a journalist, if you ever stop towing the line and grow a backbone like you had in 1994-2004, your article then might read "Now they have come for me".

It is nothing less than ironic that at one time during another era you too were accused of being a part of a media mafia. Where are your scruples Victor? Your moral compass? Or are you being just another rabid attack dog for the present regime. Before you point your finger at others reflect on your own trajectory in life Victor.

You then attempt to bring up court cases filed against Lasantha. First of all Lasantha has never been proven wrong on any article that he has written. Secondly you as the senior journalist you claim to be would no doubt understand that a great deal of evidence was contained in his phone recordings. We all know that those have now been erased despite the fact the courts had ordered them not to be deleted. I personally know he had a lot of recordings on his phone as he has played some for me once or twice. You seem to know a lot about the case, I hope the CID also brings you in for questioning. One thing you don't know about Lasantha is he was confident and strong, he would be laughing right now at your article. But my Uncle would not attempt to write back against you because first you are not important and second he didn't care what people thought. He did his job the best he could for the people of Sri Lanka. He believed that one day everyone, of every culture can live together as one. No more second class, everyone in one class. Victor I hope you can learn from my Uncle, and I know you only used his name to sell your story or to make it interesting, but stop with the hatred, there has been far to much of that in Sri Lanka. I believe you owe the whole family an apology for your tabloid and hope to hear from you soon. Victor I leave this last quote with you since you seem to be a little jealous of my Uncle: "Often imitated ,never duplicated”

The awards that Lasantha has won, you can have them all, we just want Lasantha back.