'Battle of the Scribes' comes out in the open

Victor to Lasantha

This is a transcript of an exchange of letters between two newspaper editors viz. Victor Ivan of the 'Ravaya' and Lasantha Wickrematunge of the 'Sunday Leader'.

Mrs. Sonali Samarasinghe

Leader Publications Ltd.,

No. 96 Ward Place.,

Colombo 7.

Madam

The suggestions made by you about me in the article on Kumar Rupasinghe written in your name and which appeared on March 4 are devoid of truth. I also say that they are malicious.

That article says that the book written and published by me has been written at the instance and instigation of Mr. Kumar Rupasinghe and that Kumar Rupasinghe had made available the money for publishing the book, that the information required for writing the book had been obtained from a person named Kirthi Ratnayake, and that Kumar Rupasinghe had paid money to Kirthi Ratnayake too for making information available for the book.

I was not in the country at the time that article was published. I was able to read it on March 24. You are a person who poses as an investigative journalist. You have written your investigative article about the genesis of the book, without even having read the book. If you are unable to read Sinhala you ought to have read at least its English edition which is available in the market.

As the book contains much material that would be useful in understanding the story of the genesis of the book. I think you might not have written such an article in that manner if you had at least read the book. Although you should have made inquiries from me too before publishing a document containing such serious allegations, you appear to have not respected even that fundamental principle.

"What the book "The Queen of Deceit" refers to are the acts of fraud, corruption and violence that had occurred in the time of administration of Chandrika Kumaratunga with her knowledge and approval. At that time, not only Ravaya but the Sunday Leader too wrote vociferously about her acts of deceit, corruption and violence.

It was also your editor who proved that her declared educational qualifications were blatant lies.

Although the book written about her was published in September 2006 after she had left her post, the first part of the book had been published in instalments in Ravaya, while she was still in office. That series of articles, which appeared, also mentioned my wish to publish a book on her.

I have no need to write books at the instigation of Kumar Rupasinghe or anyone else. I must also say that this is not the first occasion I have published a controversial book.

Ravaya readers know that I had earlier written on and published all matters appearing in the book, except the Town Hall bomb incident involving Chandrika. It was no secret to my friends that I had a different view about the Town Hall bomb incident.

Your editor Lasantha Wickrematunge too knew about it for a long period of time. The trip I had wanted to make to see one of the main accused who had been taken into custody, too, was prevented by your editor. There is a mention of it in the book.

There was nothing in particular which I had to ask and get information about from a Ratnayake on the murder of Kumar Ponnambalam. Four weeks after that murder, I reported in Ravaya particulars about persons involved in that murder.

When Moratu Saman was arrested on some other offence, I requested the Criminal Investigations Bureau to question him as he was a member of the group that had murdered Ponnambalam.

I also informed members of Kumar Ponnambalam's family too about it. I reported further that Sugath Ranasinghe, a reserve police constable associated with the murderous gang was keeping as a memento, the mobile telephone used by Kumar Ponnambalam. It was as a result of this that the Criminal Investigations Bureau was able to get at that mobile telephone.

A group of us on a particular occasion went to the Criminal Investigations Bureau and questioned the head of the Bureau on the investigations into the murders of Kumar Ponnambalam and Rohana Kumara.

Your editor also went with us on that occasion.

It was I who had arranged that meeting. It was also I who gave Frederica Jansz at your editor's request a copy of the tape recording of the long statement obtained over the 'phone from Sugath Ranasinghe by police inspector Nuwan Wedisinghe'. Your newspaper also carried an English translation of that tape recording. It contained details relating to Kumar Ponnambalam's murder.

It is also mentioned in your article that Kumar Rupasinghe wanted to get this book published by me because he wanted to institute an action before an international court of justice.

This is nonsense. It was I, and not Kumar Rupasinghe, who wanted to institute legal action against Chandrika Kumaratunga.

It was an idea I had while she was still in power, and not only after she went out of power. I had discussed that matter with your editor too.

He had told me then that, if I were to institute such a court case, he too would be able to join me. The idea had also been discussed with other persons who had been harassed by Chandrika's mafia. I had wanted to do such a thing because of my desire to conduct such experiments and because I believed that it might set a good precedent.

I had discussed the matter with an international institution of legal instruction.

However I could not proceed with it because of the high expenditure it would involve.

I wrote and published the book on Chandrika not because I believed it would have record sales. The Ravaya press, at the beginning, printed 3,000 copies only. If you can prove that I have obtained money from Kumar or anyone else to published the book, I am prepared to become a serf of yours. Writing of dreams that come to one's mind is not investigative reporting.

I am not prepared to treat Chandrika Kumaratunga as a lily or as a saviour now, disregarding her preposterous crimes, and acts of deceit and corruption.

I think that is the difference between you and me. Finally I must say that I am not a disciple or political puppet of Kumar Rupasinghe. In your article it is stated that Kumar Rupasinghe, in his commercial advertisements business, failed to advertise in the Sunday Leader newspaper and Irudina only. Ravaya too did not receive those advertisements. I hope you will publish this reply of mine."

..........

Victor Ivan

Lasantha to Victor

Dear Mr. Ivan,

Your letter contains many factual inaccuracies and defamatory statements which this newspaper cannot take responsibility for.

If you were to send a letter without the defamatory statements and false references, we would certainly publish same with our response thereto.

You can consult necessary legal opinion and decide how you want to proceed on this matter.

If as you allege we have maliciously defamed you, you are free to take legal action against us and we can then defend our position in court.

With best wishes

Lasantha Wickrematunge

Editor - The Sunday Leader