Senior journalist Chulawansa Sirilal passes away

Senior journalist Chulawansa Sirilal passed away yesterday, on his 68th birthday, following a brief illness.

Mr. Chulawansa was a journalist for more than 4 decades and a free media activist, having once served as Convenor of the Free Media Movement (FMM).

Mr. Chulawansa was in the frontlines of struggles to safeguard the freedom of the press and safety of journalists, during different governments.

He began his journalism career with Aththa, the official organ of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka (CPSL), in the 1970s, and thereafter, as a political analyst at the Lankadeepa, Yukthiya and Ravaya newspapers. At the time of his death, he was Editor of Lankapress News Agency.

Mr. Chulawansa was appointed Media Secretary to President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga in 1994, but left the government saying it had betrayed the promise of ensuring media freedom and the journalists.

Born in Kelaniya, Mr. Chulawansa lived in Sedawatta, Kelaniya, and attended Gamini Maha Vidyalaya, Sedwatta. He later moved to Wickremesinghepura, Battaramulla, and lived there until his death.

He is survived by his wife Kanthi, daughter Charmie Bamunusingha Arachchi Attanayaka, who is a medical doctor domiciled in Canada, and son Ranga Sirilal, who is a senior journalist at the Reuters news agency in Sri Lanka.

His remains are now lying at 19/ 2 A, 1st Lane, Wickremesinghepura, Battaramulla.

His cremation will be on Monday, at 5.30 pm, at the Borella Cemetery.