8 December 2023 02:10 am Views - 400
After arriving at Manila Airport Freddy is being dragged back to a flight by airport security officials
Sri Lankan journalist and human rights activist Freddy Gamage was honoured with the highest award of Timor-Leste, “the Order of Timor-Leste” by President José Ramos Horta last
The Sri Lankan was bestowed with this rare honour for his long struggle on behalf of independence and then East-Timor and her people who were oppressed by the then Indonesian leaders.
Freddy along with 11 others was felicitated by Timor-Leste government on the celebration of the 48th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence from Portugal in 1975. Though freed from Portuguese, just a year later Timor-Leste was invaded by Indonesia and Freddy played a pivotal role in promoting the cause of Timor-Leste’s independence and campaigning around the world; including his own country.
Finally the beautiful Southeast Asian nation- occupying half the island of Timor which is ringed by coral reefs teeming with marine life- was freed in 1999 and the United States finally recognised Timor-Leste, then known as East Timor, on May 20, 2002, when it achieved formal independence.
From the time he was a student of St. Mary’s College Negombo, Freddy was actively involved in issues relating to human rights; joining with Rev. Sarath Iddamalagoda he took the initiative with others to set up ‘Janawab odaya Kendhraya’- or ‘Centre or Enlighten the people’. During the dark period of 1988-89 Freddy had to flee the country for fear of his life. The fishing hamlet of Negombo was not spared by the terror of abduction, disappearance and cruel killing of youth by paramilitary or state-run machinery to control the youth uprising. Exiling himself in the Philippines, Freddy joined a new struggle to free the nations that were controlled with iron fists by authoritarian regimes around the Asia Pacific region.
Freddy also formed an organization called ‘Friends of the Third World’ to carry out various social activities, but he had to face various threats- including death- due to his involvement with people and getting involved with their problems.
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Freddy also formed an organization called ‘Friends of the Third World’ to carry out various social activities |
As a political activist Freddy joined the Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID), an advocacy group based in the Philippines and it was here that he started his first campaign for the cause of Timor-Leste. Becoming an active member of Asia Pacific solidarity Coalition (APSOC), Freddy took forward his fight to back the cause of other countries in the region.
Once the terror period in Sri Lanka came to an end Freddy returned to his country of birth in the early 1990s, but continued with the struggle to free the East Asian nation.
APSOC played a vital role gathering international support to free Timor-Leste and in May 1994 a major protest rally was organised in Manila, the capital of Philippines, against Indonesia’s dictatorial rule on Timor-Leste.
However, pressured by Indonesia, the Philippines was forced to suspend the first APSOC Conference in Manila. However APSOC orgnisers managed to obtain a court order to have the conference, but participation was banned for foreign activists; including Sri Lankans.
Representing his organization ‘Friends of Third World’, Freddy and two others travelled to Manila’s airport to participate at the conference, but the Philippine authorities prevented the three Sri Lankans. However Freddy managed to protest and make a long speech using the Philippine language at the Manila airport; the speech receiving the attraction of many local and international media over there. The international conference that was restricted to the participation of a local once again became an international attraction with Freddy’s speech demanding the freeing of Timor-Leste.
On the following day ‘The Nation’ newspaper in Thailand carried along with its lead story a photo of Freddy being dragged along at the airport by the Philippines security officials.
Once Timor-Leste was freed, Freddy was honoured as a hero.
Back in Sri Lanka, Freddy has been continuing his struggle as a journalist and a fighter on the street. He started a regional newspaper ‘Meepura” mainly to expose the corruptions and malpractices in and around Negombo and on many occasions he won the wrath of politicians; especially in the area for his fearless reporting. There were many occasions when he had near-death experiences; especially when exposing drug lords who had the support of corrupt political leaders. Freddy also serves as the bridge between the North and the South Being the convener of the Action Committee for Media Freedom, a platform for journalists’ organizations.
Fighting for journalist and freedom of expression Freddy is currently the President of the Professional Web Journalists’ Association (PWJA), an organization that struggles specially to sustain a free, fair and independent social media space.
Activist Freddy Gamage receiving the Order of Timor-Leste, the country’s highest award, from President José Ramos Horta.