The latest biography of slain Editor Lasantha Wickrematunge titled ‘Unbowed and Unafraid’ which was released in Colombo today, exposes some of the false promises allegedly given by then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Prior to and following the 2015 elections Wickremesinghe had reportedly assured Lasantha Wickrematunge’s family that the criminals involved in the murder will be arrested and jailed.
The book reveals some of the discussions that took place between Wickremesinghe and Lasantha Wickrematunge’s family and the assurances given by the then Prime Minister, which never materialised.
Written by his ex-wife Raine Wickrematunge, the book was launched at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute in the presence of a large gathering of journalists, friends and former colleagues of the Editor of The Sunday Leader newspaper who was murdered in 2009.
The welcome address was delivered by Lasantha Wickrematunge’s niece, journalist Raisa Wickrematunge, followed by the keynote address by Peter D’ Almeida and a review by Dr. Gayathri Fernando. The first copy was presented to Mrs Sandya Eknaligoda by the author.
“Lasantha lived, breathed and finally died in the pursuit of the truth. I am indeed proud and honoured to present this book to the people of Sri Lanka who Lasantha cared about deeply,” Raine said, speaking to the media after the event.
After Lasantha Wickrematunge was murdered on a Colombo street in January 2009, his posthumous editorial published in The Sunday Leader titled ‘And Then They Came For Me’ resonated not just with Sri Lankans but with the world at large. He wrote from beyond the grave,
“I hope my murder will not be seen as a defeat of freedom, but an inspiration for those who survive to step up their efforts. Indeed, I hope that it will help galvanise forces that will usher in a new era of human liberty in our beloved motherland.”
Unbowed & Unafraid recounts the life of a trailblazer and offers an inside look at Wickrematunge’s life and work. It is a personal, inspirational account of the life of a man who won the collective hearts of a nation due to his courage and dedication to the betterment of Sri Lanka.
The book also describes in vivid detail Wickrematunge’s early life, his foray into journalism, his family life with the author and their three children and his political work.
The book mainly focuses on his remarkable achievements and conflicts as a journalist especially as editor of The Sunday Leader, his tragic assassination and the murder inquiry thereafter. Unbowed & Unafraid runs into 400+ pages with 25 pages of colour photographs.
It is available at Barefoot (Galle Rd, Col 3), all Vijitha Yapa bookshops (Flower Rd, Thurstan Rd, Nugegoda, Kandy, Galle, Matara), and Expo Graphics (Colombo City Center, Battarmulla, Kandy).
The launch event was partnered by PR Specialists, NASA Signs, and Shasta Blue Realty.