By Wajid Ali Syed – Washington Correspondent for Asian Tribune
Washington, 05 May, (Asiantribune.com): Sri Lankan journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge has been awarded the World Press Freedom Prize at a UNESCO World Press Freedom conference in Qatar.
Natali Samarasinghe accepted the World Press Freedom award on behalf of her uncle, Lasantha Wickrematunge. The Sri Lankan journalist was an open critic of government military action. He was assassinated in January.
He knew his work put him at risk and went so far as to write an editorial to be published if he was murdered. In it, he said it was his conscience would not let him stop working. In accepting the award, his niece read a note from his widow, who was unable to attend.
"By recognizing his life and his work as you have done today, you send an important message to tyrants everywhere that killing the messenger is not the solution. The human spirit cannot be subdued by violence, not even by murder and so it is even in death Lasantha's name draws more hits on Google than the prime minister of Sri Lanka."
The UNESCO World Press Freedom conference discussed the dangers journalists face in their field. According to UNESCO, more than a thousand journalists were killed in the line of duty, in the past decade. And, 95 percent of the crimes against journalists are not resolved.
- Asian Tribune -
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