Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu
Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu was a renowned Sri Lankan journalist and human rights activist. He is commonly known as 'Saravan' among his peers.
Birth and Death Dates
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Born: 1934, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka)
Passed away: February 16, 2018
Nationality and Profession(s)
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Nationality: Sri Lankan
Profession: Journalist, Human Rights Activist
Early Life and Background
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Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu was born in 1934 in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) to a family of Tamil descent. His early life was marked by the turmoil of a young nation struggling for independence from British colonial rule. This tumultuous backdrop would later shape his commitment to journalism and human rights.
Major Accomplishments
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Journalistic Career: Saravanamuttu's distinguished career spanned over five decades, during which he worked as a journalist with several prominent newspapers, including the _Ceylon Daily News_ and the _Sri Lanka Guardian_. He was recognized for his insightful reports on political and social issues.
Human Rights Advocacy: As a human rights activist, Saravanamuttu played a pivotal role in promoting democracy and protecting individual freedoms. His activism was instrumental in exposing state-sponsored injustices and advocating for the rights of marginalized communities.
Notable Works or Actions
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Saravanamuttu's notable works include:
"The Coup That Never Was": This investigative report, published in 2007, exposed a plot by elements within the Sri Lankan military to oust President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The article was a testament to Saravanamuttu's unwavering commitment to truth and transparency.
Advocacy for Media Freedom: Throughout his career, Saravanamuttu fought tirelessly for media freedom in Sri Lanka. He worked closely with fellow journalists and international organizations to protect the rights of journalists and ensure that the press could function without fear or favor.
Impact and Legacy
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Saravanamuttu's impact on Sri Lankan society is multifaceted:
Strengthening Democracy: His advocacy for democracy and human rights contributed significantly to the strengthening of democratic institutions in Sri Lanka.
Promoting Media Freedom: Saravanamuttu's relentless pursuit of media freedom has left a lasting legacy, empowering future generations of journalists and enabling them to hold those in power accountable.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu is widely quoted and remembered for his unwavering commitment to truth, justice, and human rights. His courageous reporting and advocacy have inspired countless individuals to stand up against injustice and fight for a better world.
As a journalist and human rights activist, Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu left an indelible mark on Sri Lanka's history. His legacy continues to inspire new generations of activists, journalists, and leaders committed to promoting democracy, human rights, and media freedom.
Quotes by Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu
The key question here is as to whether this is an intensification with the explicit objective of resuming hostilities or whether it is an intensification to probe the attitude and disposition of the new government.
Well I think what - the way things have improved obviously is that the killing has stopped in so for as there is no war. But if you talk to people in the north and east in general, there is a concern that the freedom that they expected as a consequence of the end of the war has yet to be realised.
I think a lot of concern of the people in the north is that one hears constant reports in talking to them is about militarisation and the presence of the army, the entry of the army into civic life, into the economy, the lack of a political settlement.
The basic gamut of civil and political rights in terms of disappearances, detainees, people who are surrendered, what happened the missing. Any talk about allegations of war crimes. Those are the kind of thing that lead to a great deal of fear and uncertainty.
I think as a consequence of that, there is also a fair amount of uncertainty about engaging in political activity that would be immediately suspect and seen as evidence as a sort of resurgent militancy.
The issue here is this, that the Government's argument at the present moment is the argument that now the war is over, terrorism is defeated, we have to focus on economic development which in the north and east particular, being the areas where the war was fought, development has to proceed at a pace. That people from those parts of the country are leaving seems to suggest a lack of confidence and certainty in the trajectory of this kind of economic development.
As to whether it will increase will depend very much on that feel-good factor and the sense of confidence being restored in the people that life is going to get much better for them here at the end of the day. I do not think you will be able to shut the tap off. It will not stop abruptly like that.
Certainly they will use it to show that promises made will be fulfilled. But in this country there's cynicism about promises made being kept.
That might be a bargaining position and it might move from there toward talking about some form of federalism, but that's still a long way off.
They'll look bloody stupid if at the end of the day the only reason why they couldn't get to talk to each other is because they couldn't agree where to do it.