Defence Counsel for Hicorp arms dealer’s pathetic threats to media freedom

 " He calls me a self-exiled journalist. Had he done some research he would know that I was issued death threats by Colonel Chagi in 2000 and arrested by the CID for visiting the North to report on a church bombing which killed 165 civilians including children and women in 1995."

by Pearl Thevanayagam

(January 07, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) Asoka Weerasooriya, Senior Defense Counsel for arms deal suspect Trenton Dehoed, a director of HICORP (Pvt) Limited, made some unpleasant comments about my personality and cast aspersions on my journalistic integrity yesterday in Sri Lankan Guardian in response to my article, Miniskirts and myopia; is the government barking mad?

First of all, I would like to point out that I am a practising Catholic and my faith never wavered. As for comments in the satirical piece on mini-skirts and references to Jesus, Lord Buddha and Gandhi, they are purely my opinion and I never once declared them as gospel truth.

Secondly, in my 20 years of journalism, I have never been accused of writing falsehood or prostituing myself before politicians or businessmen for profit. Unlike Mr Weerasooriya who is paid handsomely for appearing for an arms dealer I do not make my living out of dubious deals.

If Mr Weerasooriya sanctimoniously declares my article offends him since he is a ‘Catholic’ and that he would ask God’s forgiveness for my blasphemous writing I pity him. I would like to atone for any sins I committed through confession to a Catholic priest and not a criminal lawyer who defends high profile arms dealers.

As we commemorate the second anniversary of murdered Sunday Leader editor Lasantha Wickrematunga - who gave me carte blanche to write on the war situation in the North and East - and draw inspiration from his journalistic integrity and his forthrightness, I dread to think how journalists can be protected when there are the likes of Mr Weerasooriya who threatens to write to the British government regarding my writings. Although I am sure Mr W should know the British government has far more important issues to deal with such as terrorism, human rights abuses, eradicating poverty in the third world and taking measures to ensure leaders and polticians protect their citizens through good governance and real democracy such as media freedom.

He calls me a self-exiled journalist. Had he done some research he would know that I was issued death threats by Colonel Chagi in 2000 and arrested by the CID for visiting the North to report on a church bombing which killed 165 civilians including children and women in 1995.

I am also the founder member of the Exiled Journalists Network in the UK comprising 200 journalists from 40 countries.

While my serious writings are on human rights violations I relax and enjoy writing satire.

Had I resorted to cheque book journalism I would be press secretary to the President or an editor at Lake House.

I rest my case, dear lawyer.