The defamatory reference to The Morning Leader editor followed an exclusive article published in The Sunday Leader issue of November 11 under her by line where the role of Asian Tribune editor KT Rajasingham in the Karuna issue was exposed with documentary evidence.

In the letters of demand sent to the Asian Tribune by Attorney GG Arulpragasam yesterday by e mail and registered Air Mail, it was stated the reference to the editor on her tenure as Information Counselor at the Sri Lankan mission in Canberra, Australia was defamatory per se and by innuendo.

The letter of demand stated Samarasinghe is a lawyer by profession and practised law for several years before taking up full time journalism. It was further stated the editor has a Masters degree in International Affairs from the Australian National University, a law degree from the University of London and Diplomas in journalism from Australia and Sri Lanka.

The letter also cites a number of awards won by Samarasinghe including the Editors Guild Journalist of the Year on no less than four occasions and the Zonta Woman of Achievement Award for 2006.

Attorney Arulpragasam had also said the statement published in the Asian Tribune website conveyed to the reading public that Samarasinghe got a diplomatic posting by insidious and immoral means and not by her own merits and was not worthy of getting such diplomatic post.

"I have been instructed by my client to state that you have willfully and deliberately made the said false, malicious, defamatory statement against my client" Attorney Arulpragasam wrote.

The letter further states the false and defamatory statement in the website was carried due to the fact Samarasinghe wrote an article in The Sunday Leader of November 11 exposing Asian Tribune editorunder the headline," Plot to get rid of Karuna was hatched at a presidential suite in Geneva" and under the sub heading "Asian Tribune chief spills the beans in letter to presidential advisor".

The letter further states the defamatory statement was carried in the website following this article with express malice and was mala fide.

"I have been instructed by my client to state that notwithstanding your cheap and degrading media conduct my client will continue to fight for justice and to expose the real countenance of you and of the Asian Tribune," Attorney Arulpragasam wrote.

"I have been instructed by my client to state that due to the aforesaid defamatory statement, my client suffered loss and damage which my client estimates at Rs 500 million", Attorney Arulpragasam further wrote.

The Asian Tribune editor and Publisher were given 14 days to make the payment failing which legal proceedings will be instituted.

Action is to be filed in Sri Lanka, Australia and Sweden where the Asian Tribune is based.

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