Prageeth Eknaligoda

Prageeth Eknaligoda is a cartoonist, political analyst and journalist. He was reported missing on January 24, 2010 - two days before the presidential polls in Sri Lanka when the island was under the Presidency of Mahinda Rajapakse.[1][2][3] He actively participated in the presidential campaign of common opposition candidate Sarath Fonseka while working as a freelance journalist for a pro-opposition website Lankaenews.com.[4][5] Members of his family believe he has been abducted by pro-government supporters because he was investigating the alleged use of chemical weapons, charges that was denied by the government of Sri Lanka.[3][6] In 2009 Amnesty International released information regarding circumstances of his disappearance.[7] Reporters without borders has issued a statement concerning him.[2] The investigation is being led by the Colombo Crimes Division.[8] His wife was given an International Women of Courage Award in 2017 for her campaigns.

Prageeth Ranjan Eknaligoda
Occupation	Political Writer, Cartoonist Journalist
Nationality	Sri Lankan
Notable works	Cave Arts of 21st Century
Spouse	Sandya Eknelygoda

Disappearance

Eknaligoda had been investigating the alleged use of chemical weapons against civilians by Sri Lankan army in the fight against the Tamil Terrorists.[9] He left his office on 24 January 2010 evening saying that he has to meet an old friend. He has not been seen since that.[10]

Government response

His wife Sandya Eknaligoda, his family and several activist groups have accused the Sri Lanka government of being directly responsible for his disappearance. At a meeting of United Nations Convention Against Torture in Geneva, Sri Lanka's then Attorney General (Former Chief Justice) Mohan Peiris dismissed the charges against government and said that Eknaligoda has sought asylum abroad.[10] But when questioned in the court later, he told that he does not remember who the source of his information was and that “only god knows” the whereabouts of Eknaligoda.[11]

Reappearence allegations

On June 5, 2013 a government Member of the parliament claimed that Eknaligoda was living in France.[12] But several Sri Lankan journalists in exile in France, including Manjula Wediwardana, whom that Member of parliament alleged to have taken him to meet Prageeth, vehemently denied the claims that Prageeth is living in hiding in France. French embassy in Colombo too denied any claims that Prageeth is living in France.[13][14]

Free Media Movement (FMM) Convener Sunil Jayasekara in a statement on the MPs allegations told[13]

“We think the MP is using Parliamentary privileges and trying to mislead the people. He is claiming that a journalist had introduced Mr. Ekneligoda to him when he visited France in January this year. However the journalist Manjula Wediwardana has sent an e-mail to us saying he never met the MP in France or introduced any Mr. Ekneligoda to him,”.

2015 probe

In March 2015 the government launched a probe of the disappearance of Eknaligoda,[15] but his wife expressed dissatisfaction over the government's actions.[16] In January 2016 Bodu Bala Sena leader was arrested after he disrupted court proceedings on Eknaligoda disappearance[17]

Major Prabath Bulathwatte who is alleged to be the leader of the alleged death squad that assassinated Ekneligoda was investigating Jihadists networks in Sri Lanka at the time of his arrest and his removal from the post is believed to have allowed the 2019 Sri Lanka Easter Bombings to happen. Thus he was reinstated to his former position in May 2019 and given control of a special team directly under the Army Commander Mahesh Senanayake.[18]

Award

In 2017 Sandya Eknaligoda was given an International Women of Courage Award for her campaigns.[19][20]

See also

• Forced disappearance
• Human rights in Sri Lanka

References

1. Sri Lankan presidential election, 2010
2. "Cartoonist kidnapped two months ago still missing". Reporters Sans Frontières. 23 March 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-02.
3. Bangkok Post, February 25, 2010. p.5
4. "Journalist "verschwunden" | Amnesty International Deutschland". Amnesty.de. Retrieved 2010-04-02.
5. Agence France-Presse / Bangkok Post, 25 February 2010. s.5
6. "Prageeth missing due to 'chemical weapon probe'". BBC Sinhala. 28 January 2011. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
7. "Act Now – Amnesty International USA" (PDF). Amnesty International USA. Retrieved 2017-08-26.
8. Dias, Supun (25 March 2010). "Eknaligoda disappearance: CCD takes over". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
9. "Biographies of the Finalists for the 2017 International Women of Courage Awards". US Department of State. Archived from the original on 29 March 2017. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
10. Appeal Court ruling on former AG
11. Still seeking justice from judiciary - Sandya Ekneligoda
12. http://www.dailymirror.lk/top-story/30452-mp-claims-missing-journo-residing-in-france.
13. France says no evidence at all of Ekneligoda living there
14. wife surprised over claims
15. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-04-16. Retrieved 2015-04-16.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
16. http://www.lankasrinews.com/view.php?224KY5nd204omBnd4e2oeOldeca0CgA4edd0A4MCe2aca7lOc3e4bZBmA3303cP5YOc3./ Archived 2015-04-20 at the Wayback Machine
17. "Magistrate files contempt of Court action against Ven. Gnanasara Thera | Daily News". www.dailynews.lk. Retrieved 2016-04-27.
18. "Alleged death squad leader reinstated in special team under Army Chief". www.ft.lk. Retrieved 2019-05-15.
19. "Sandya Eknelygoda: 'International Woman of Courage'". Daily Mirror. 30 March 2017. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
20. "Voices in Danger: 'Prageeth is my courage. He always worked for peace and unity'". Evgeny Lebedev. The Independent. 28 April 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2017.

External links

• "Prageeth missing due to 'chemical weapon probe'". BBC Sinhala.com. 28 January 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2011.