Let's take this opportunity to thank all our writers and readers who have taken us to new heights and trusted our publication. We do not hesitate to extend our utmost gratitude to everyone who has been with us in every difficult situation. We walked through the dark tunnel expecting the light at the end.
Editorial
Today we are celebrating fifteen years of establishing the Sri Lanka Guardian. We believe it is imperative to make a very brief note about our journey over the past fifteen years overcoming many challenges. When the Sri Lanka Guardian was launched in August 2007, online journalism was a new experience for Sri Lanka. In an environment where the primary focus was on print and electronic media, the key challenge faced by this new media was to ensure credibility. Rhetoric and imaginary-based abstracts cannot win the reader’s trust. It depends on the authenticity of the content we publish. In professional journalism, truth is a process that involves cautious homework and the ability to preserve integrity. When we look back at the path we have walked for fifteen years with millions of readers, we have had to face many decisive events both locally and abroad. The last fifteen years have turned human civilization upside down. The world order has changed irrevocably.
The Sri Lanka Guardian, as a result of distinguished volunteerism among journalists, academics, social activists, and retired civil servants, was founded at a time when Sri Lanka was embroiled in a serious civil war. Our journalism initiative, which started on a small scale, managed to attract many local and foreign readers in a very short period of time. The Sri Lanka Guardian had exclusive opportunities to report the actual details of the brutal conflict. We always make sure to report based on the truth. Subsequently the war, a national program was implemented for rehabilitation and development. However, the political authority in power at the time decided to censor us in Sri Lanka. Consequently, we had to face many unprecedented impenetrabilities. We believe that the ban was an arbitrary decision without any valid reason. The loss suffered by us newspaper was very serious. It was not easy to bear the mental pressure that we had to face, especially because of the absurd accusations made by various parties with vested interests. However, considering the difficulties faced by independent media organizations throughout history, we are only a small part of it. Truth is a right, but in journalism, it is a very expensive process.
Let’s take this opportunity to thank all our writers and readers who have taken us to new heights and trusted our publication. We do not hesitate to extend our utmost gratitude to everyone who has been with us in every difficult situation. We walked through the dark tunnel expecting the light at the end. Miraculously, once again, our newspaper had the opportunity to reach the readers in Sri Lanka. By then we had expanded our newspaper focusing not only on Sri Lanka but also on the other countries in the Asian continent and beyond. Many writers living in Africa and Latin America chose Sri Lanka Guardian as one of the platforms to express their views. Accordingly, the number of writers who voluntarily joined us increased significantly. As the editorial team, we primarily prioritized giving writers the opportunity to express themselves without any censorship. We are bound to fulfil this duty in the future as we have done in the last fifteen years.
Sri Lanka is going through one of the most difficult periods in its history. We believe that there are many responsibilities assigned to media organizations at this crucial moment. More important than mere reporting what is happening in society is taking every possible step to fulfil the duties consigned to uplift a fallen nation. On the other hand, the post-Covid pandemic has affected the entire world and threats to global security are becoming more complex than ever. Due to the power struggle between each other for hegemony, appropriate collective action against the burning issues such as the food crisis and the adverse effects of climate change has been undermined. All social and political trends reiterate that human civilization is facing unprecedented challenges. The present is confused and hopes and dreams for the future are fading. Prevailing crises cannot be solved individually or divided into groups, except through solutions based on collective action at this moment of need. It should be the duty of all of us at this moment to put aside hypocritical political conspiracies to satisfy political desires and work honestly to protect the rights of every man and woman. Only then will we be able to preserve this world for generations to come. We are passing the most critical moment that will determine our existence.
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