Iqbal Athas’s passing marks end of an era in journalism

Many times the term ‘end of an era’ is used too loosely but in the case of Iqbal Athas, one of the senior-most and trailblazing journalists in the country, who passed away on Tuesday, it truly marks the end of an era for journalism in the country. His demise at the age of 81 has left a void in the field of print journalism in Sri Lanka that is unlikely to be filled for many years, if at all. During a career spanning nearly six decades, Athas fashioned his own style of journalism, bold and courageous, making a name for himself, not only locally but internationally as well.

Athas honed his skills as a journalist at the now defunct Independent Newspaper Group’s The Sun newspaper and later worked for nearly three decades at the Sunday Times.

As a Defence and Political Analyst, he made a mark as a defence correspondent covering the country’s separatist movement in the North, from its inception in the early 1980s till its end, as well as the two JVP-led insurrection in 1971 and the 1988-90 period. He was also in the thick of many of the political upheavals in the country during these turbulent years, keeping readers informed.

His defence columns were his hallmark and they were controversial at times but earned him a large loyal following of readers that he became a household among the newspaper readers in the country.

He set the benchmark for defence reporting in the country that was copied by many, but none came close to his gripping style of writing and presentation. His work earned him many admirers but also many enemies for exposing corruption in the political establishment as well as the military.

In an article published to mark the  Sunday Times 25th Anniversary souvenir in 2012,  Athas recollected how he came close to losing his life due to his writing in which he exposed corruption in the military as well as within the Government. Three men stormed into his house in Nugegoda and threatened him at gunpoint in 1998.

In 2008, Athas had to leave the country when he received death threats soon after the killing of Sunday leader Editor Lasantha Wickrematunge. He lived in Thailand for many months in exile, separated from my family and friends.

Athas was a long-time Colombo correspondent for US based CNN television and a regular contributor for Jane’s Defence Weekly. He was among a CNN team that won the Alfred I. Dupont – Columbia University award for the coverage of the tsunami disaster in South Asia 2004 – 2005.

In 1998, he was named Journalist of the Year 1998 for his reporting on the armed conflict which, according to the judges “irritated a few, provoked some to use physical violence against him and yet helped readers to understand the direction of the Government’s battle with the Tamil rebels. Despite threats and intimidation, he has continued to expose corruption, mismanagement and mishandling in the defence establishment.”

For his commitment to journalism, Athas has won accolades worldwide.  In 1994, he won the International Press Freedom Award from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). He was seated at a ceremony in New York’s Grand Hyatt where he was congratulated by the likes of renowned US diplomat the late Richard Holbrooke who was later to be President Barrack Obama’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Ted Turner, the man who launched CNN, his wife, actress Jane Fonda and millionaire businessman George Soros.

At a time when journalists are facing more challenges than ever before, and print journalism in particular, the loss of Athas will be felt profoundly. His legacy should inspire the new generation of journalists on the importance of speaking truth to power.