Richard de Zoysa

Infobox actor
bgcolour = silver
name = Richard de Zoysa


imagesize = 200px
caption = Richard de Zoysa
birthdate =
location = flagicon|Sri Lanka Colombo, Sri Lanka
deathdate = 1990
deathplace = Sri Lanka
birthname = Richard de Zoysa
height =
notable role = Malin Kabalana in "Yuganthaya" (1983)

Richard de Zoysa was a well-known Sri Lankan journalist, author, human rights activist and actor, who was abducted and murdered on February 18, 1990.

Life and death

Background

de Zoysa was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka. He was of mixed ethnicity, his father a majority Sinhalese and mother a prominent medical surgeon from the minority Sri Lankan Tamil community.

In 1983, de Zoysa starred in Lester James Peries's film "Yuganthaya" alongside Gamini Fonseka. The role of socialist Malin Kabalana in the movie closely mirrored de Zoysa's own beliefs.

Abduction

At the time of his abduction and murder, de Zoysa was the head of the Colombo office of the International Press Servicecite web|url=http://www.sangam.org/FB_REPORTS/98rappv.htm|title=Impunity|accessdate=2007-04-22|author=Ndiaye, Bacre|date=1997|publisher=Commisson on Human Rights] He lived in the in the Welikadawatte housing estate with his mother, Manoranee Saravanamuttu and associate A. V. Karunaratne. In the early morning of February 18, 1990, an armed group broke into their home, and forcibly removed de Zoysa and drove off without explanation. Saravanamuttu then hastily travelled to the Welikada police station and lodged a complaint. The following day, de Zoysa's lifeless body was found in the sea at Moratuwa, some 12 miles south of Colombo. He had been shot in the head and the throat, and his jaw had been broken. His body was identified by his friend Taraki Sivaram who suffered a similar fate in 2006.

Government response

At the inquest the following day, Dr. Saravanamuttu stated that she could identify two of the abductors. Three months later, she saw one of the abductors on television. He was a high-ranking police officer. She informed her lawyer who brought it to the notice of both the Magistrate conducting the inquiry into the incident and the police.

However, the suspect was not arrested and the lead was ignored. Both Dr. Saravanamuttu and her lawyer, Batty Weerakoon, subsequently received death threats. Police officers assigned to guard Batty Weerakoon have also received similar threats. Dr. Saravanamuttu later became an activist for missing people and passed away in 2004.

In 2005, Assistant Superintendent of Police Lal Priyantha Darmasiri Ranchagoda, Officer in Charge Bodeniya Gamlath Gedara Devasurendra and Sergeant Mahawedikkarage Sarathchandra were indicted for de Zoysa's murder. cite web|url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2005/01/29/new21.html|title=Four men dragged Richard down the stairs - says witness|accessdate=2007-04-22|date=2005|publisher=Daily News] They were acquitted of all charges on November 9, 2005 by Colombo High Court Judge Rohini Perera; she stated that the evidence presented by the prosecution was "contradictory and not credible". cite web|url=http://www.freemediasrilanka.org/index.php?action=con_news_full&id=56&section=news|title=All accused in Richard de Zoysa killing acquitted|accessdate=2007-04-22|date=2005|publisher=Freemedia]

UN award in his memory

An award in recognition of independent journalism was established the UN sponsored Inter Press Service news agency in de Zoysa's memory.

ee also

*State terrorism in Sri Lanka
*Sri Lankan civil war

References

External links

* [http://www.ipsnews.net/ips_award/i_ranked.asp IPS award in excellence by the UN]