Remembering Sri Lanka’s Fallen Journalists: A Call for Justice and Support
On this solemn day, the 24th of January, we pause to honor the memories of two journalists whose lives were tragically cut short for their commitment to truth and freedom of expression.
Subramaniam Sugirdharajan (1970 – 2006) Popularly known as SSR, Sugirdharajan was a journalist for the Tamil-language daily newspaper Sudar Oli. At just 35 years old, he was brutally gunned down in the eastern port city of Trincomalee during the Sri Lankan Civil War. On the morning of 24 January 2006, assailants on a motorbike shot him at close range. A devoted father of two young children, aged three and two, SSR’s death left an indelible mark on the Sri Lankan media landscape. Today, his family, friends, and professional colleagues gather in Trincomalee to remember his courage and sacrifice.
Prageeth Ekneligoda (1960 – Disappeared 2010) Prageeth Ekneligoda, a cartoonist, political analyst, and journalist, disappeared on 24 January 2010, two days before a critical presidential election. Widely believed to have been abducted and killed under the presidency of Mahinda Rajapaksa, Prageeth’s disappearance remains unresolved. His ashes are thought to have been scattered, a grim symbol of the dangers faced by journalists in Sri Lanka. Today, his loved ones commemorate him at the Nawagamuwa Devalaya in Kaduwela, keeping his memory alive despite the shadows of impunity.
A War on Media Freedom The early 2000s marked a dark period for press freedom in Sri Lanka. Under the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government, which took power in April 2004, attacks on journalists escalated with alarming frequency. On 31 May 2004, veteran Tamil journalist Aiyathurai Nadesan was shot dead by government-backed paramilitaries in Batticaloa. His assassination ignited a campaign of violence against the media, silencing dissent with unprecedented brutality.
In the six years that followed, at least 43 journalists and media workers were killed or disappeared. Despite repeated promises from successive governments to investigate these crimes, no perpetrators have been brought to justice. The legacy of this violence persists, with families of murdered journalists left to bear the burden of loss, often without any financial or emotional support.
Remembering the Fallen
Thewis Guruge – Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, 23 July 1989
Premakeerthi de Alwis – Broadcaster, 31 July 1989
Sagarika Gomes – Rupavahini Corporation, 13 September 1989
Richard de Zoysa – Journalist and activist, 18 February 1990
K.S. Raja – Radio Ceylon presenter, poisoned, 1994
Rohana Kumara – Editor, Batana, 7 September 1999
Athputharaja Nadarajah – Editor, Tamil weekly, 2 November 1999
Maylvaganam Nimalrajan – Journalist from Jaffna, 19 October 2000
Aiyathurai Nadesan – Journalist, 31 May 2004
Balandaraja Iyer – Activist, writer, and poet, 16 August 2004
Tarakki Sivaram – Tamil journalist, 28 April 2005
Railangi Selvarajah – Broadcaster and actress, 12 August 2005
Subramaniam Sugirdharajan – Sudar Oli, 24 January 2006
Sampath Lakmal de Silva – Independent journalist, 2 July 2006
Suresh Kumar and Ranjith Kumara – Udayan newspaper, 2 May 2006
Selvaraja Rajivarnam – Journalist, 29 April 2007
Chandrabose Suthaharan – Editor, Nilam, 16 April 2007
P. Devakumaran – Tamil TV journalist, 28 May 2008
Lasantha Wickramatunga – Journalist and activist, 8 January 2009
Prageeth Ekneligoda – Cartoonist and journalist, 24 January 2010
A Plea for Justice and Support
The murders of prominent journalists like Lasantha Wickramatunga and Richard de Zoysa have drawn significant attention, yet many others on this list remain forgotten. Their families, often plunged into economic hardship, have received little to no support. It is time for Sri Lanka’s leaders to act decisively to address this injustice.
We urge the President, the Minister of Mass Media, and all political leaders to establish a system of financial compensation for the families of murdered journalists. Beyond bringing the perpetrators to justice, the state has a moral duty to ensure the economic security of these families.
Let this commemoration not only honor the lives and legacies of our fallen colleagues but also serve as a rallying cry for accountability, justice, and meaningful support. A society that silences its truth-tellers cannot claim to be free or just. The time for change is now.
- Anuruddha Lokuhapuarachchi