Condemnation was swift over the bloody assassination of Sunday Leader Chief Editor Lasantha Wickrematunga with the World Bank joining the chorus of protests.
The Bank in a statement expressed grave concern about the growing incidents of violent attacks on the media in Sri Lanka, including the brutal killings of several journalists.
It said free and independent media is fundamental to the sustainable economic development of Sri Lanka.
“Violence against media has a profoundly negative impact on the ability of the media to fulfill its core watchdog function and to carry out its role as a medium of accountability and a reflection of the citizen voice,” it said while urging the government to hold full and transparent investigations of incidents of violence against media.
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