Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) Director General Ranga Dissanayake has called on Sri Lankan society to reject a culture of fear and intimidation and stand up against corruption and wrongdoing.
Dissanayake made the remarks at the launch of the Sinhala translation of a book on late Lasantha Wickrematunge. He said targeting of individuals who challenge established interests can have consequences far beyond the victim, creating a broader climate of fear designed to discourage others from speaking out or pursuing investigations.
He said society has often struggled to accept individuals who choose to challenge the status quo or take a different approach to confronting corruption.
According to Dissanayake, the violent targeting of prominent individuals can serve as a warning to others — effectively telling professionals and public officials not to challenge powerful interests, expose wrongdoing or depart from established practices.
He referred to several cases, including those involving Professor Senaka Bibile, Customs officer Sujith Priyantha, Lasantha Wickrematunge, who was attacked with acid, and journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge, to illustrate what he described as a recurring pattern of intimidation against people who challenge powerful interests.
Dissanayake said the impact of such incidents can extend across entire institutions, as colleagues and others may become reluctant to continue investigations or pursue sensitive cases because of fears for their own safety.
Citing the aftermath of the killing of Customs officer Sujith Priyantha, he said some officials had abandoned investigations while others had left the country, demonstrating what he described as the wider chilling effect of intimidation.
He said this environment had also affected families, with individuals increasingly choosing personal safety and security over confronting wrongdoing.
Dissanayake also highlighted the continuing struggles faced by the families of journalists and others who were killed or disappeared. Referring to tributes to Lasantha Wickrematunge and the long-running legal efforts of families such as that of disappeared journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda, he questioned whether relatives should continue carrying the burden of seeking justice alone.
He urged the public to consider whether society would continue to remain silent while families pursue justice through years of legal proceedings, or whether it would collectively challenge what he described as a culture of impunity.
Dissanayake argued that intimidation ultimately succeeds only when society responds with fear and silence. If the targeting of one person instead inspires others to continue challenging corruption and wrongdoing, he said, the intended message of intimidation would fail.
He called on the public to reject fear and respond to intimidation by standing up for truth, accountability and the rule of law.
