(The First Editorial of Sunday Island inaugural issue on Oct 04, 1981)

About Ourselves

We love this land. That is why the newspaper which is born today is called “The Island”. We are modest people but we believe that the advent of “The Island” on the country’s journalistic horizon will fill a long felt vacuum, for we are committed to the truth.

This is the land of our birth and in this decisive stage of our country’s history we believe an independent newspaper has a role to play in Sri Lanka’s progress. That is why we are committed to the truth even if it hurts.

We do not believe in pie ties and platitudes. Suffice to say that we will use “The Island” as a forum in the best tradition of classical journalism to battle the monsters of injustice and to speak out on behalf of the millions of people in this island.

Watergates are unpleasant. But if we sniff one, our newshounds will be hot on its trail.

“The Island” comes out today at a point of crisis in our journalism and society. There are many things the people would like to know, but the truth remains an elusive commodity as more and more dirt is swept frantically under the carpet. Today it has become a guessing game as to what the big bulges under the carpet are.

In this situation the newspapers whose traditional role was to inform and expose, agitate and speak out in the interest of their readership have been tamely silent. The absence of a truly independent press during the past years has destroyed the credibility of the Fourth Estate in the country. The mass media has deteriorated into propagandist mills and to those who may expect us to tamely toe the line and do the same we can only say, “The truth is the right you deny and the wrong you justify”.

There will be those who will prate to us about our duties; while we will not forget our duties we believe jealously in our right—and the rights of our people.

There have been some mandarins who have been quivering in their slippers, poor souls, even before “The Island” could emerge. We are intrigued as to the reason and are modest enough to believe that it perhaps demonstrates the power of the unprinted word. We are not vindictive but we will not be bullied or taken for granted.

“The Island” does not believe in the mouthing of empty editorial platitudes. It will be enough at this stage to say that we stand for a synthesis of a free market economy coupled with social justice —the motif of an open society. Our newspaper will not be a mere recorder of events or a spectator on the touchlines of the power game. We will play our role on behalf of our readers in the process of dialogue and decision making. We shall not hesitate to put our fingers on the defects and suggest remedies when the need arises.

“The Island”, then, is committed to the truth.