‘Ceylon Today’ sacks editor: several journalists resign in protest

‘Ceylon Today’, owned by DNA MP and businessman Tiran Alles, has sacked its editor Lalith Alahakoon with immediate effect.  The reason given for Mr. Alahakoon’s removal is that he had refused to publish certain articles, published by the sister newspaper ‘Mawbima’, in the English newspaper, reports said.

‘Ceylon Today’, published by Ceylon Newspapers, also sacked its chief graphics artist Wasantha Siriwardena, effective from yesterday (June 13).

To protest the removals, deputy editors Wilson Gnanadas and Darisha Bastians, news editor Rasika Jayakody and journalist Dinindu de Alwis have resigned.

According to reports, Mr. Alahakoon, also a director of Ceylon Newspapers, had been removed even without being given a 24 hour notice.

All the sacked and resigned journalists of the newspaper accuse editorial director, journalist Thushara Gunaratne.

When contacted, Mr. Gunaratne refused to comment, saying he had never heard about a website called ‘srilankamirror.com.’

When he was told that ‘Mawbima’ newspaper, of which he is the editorial director, had published several articles regarding ‘srilankamirror.com’, he said he was unaware of all the articles published by the newspaper.
SLM