With the passing away of Iqbal Athas (81), a glittering era in Sri Lankan journalism comes to an end. He belongs to a generation of journalists that relied on rigorous information verification before the availability of digital verification tools and worked with a highly reliable and large network of human sources to tell stories unimpeachable accuracy. “Situation Report by Iqbal Athas” was a must read on a Sunday and through his column, Iqbal kept an entire country informed of defence matters and offered rare insights.
His death marks not only the passing away of an iconic journalist but a brand of high-quality journalism Sri Lanka is fast losing, that required great effort and time. A pioneering journalist and the long-serving Consultant Editor of The Sunday Times, Athas was among the most influential figures in the country’s media landscape and beyond.
For decades, he was closely associated with the principle that power must be subjected to public scrutiny. His career was marked by a sustained commitment to fact-based reporting, often carried out in challenging and, at times, threatening circumstances. Through investigations that raised serious questions about governance, transparency, and accountability, Athas came to occupy a distinctive place in Sri Lankan journalism.
Sri Lanka’s civil war, which lasted nearly three decades, unfolded in a climate where defence matters, particularly military expenditure and procurement, were frequently treated as matters beyond public scrutiny on grounds of national security. It was within this sensitive environment that Iqbal Athas established himself as a specialist reporter on defence and security affairs. Athas consistently argued, through his reporting, that independent scrutiny of the defence establishment was essential in a democratic society, particularly during periods of prolonged conflict. His work sought to examine decisions taken within opaque institutional structures, emphasizing the public interest dimension of defence related governance.
His primary platform was The Sunday Times, where he served at different times as defence correspondent, political editor, and consultant editor. Reporting extensively on the prolonged conflict, he developed detailed knowledge of military procurement processes, operational decisions, and the institutional actors involved. This specialization informed many of the investigations for which he became widely known.
Although his reporting focused on Sri Lanka, Athas also maintained a strong international presence. He was the Sri Lanka-based contributor to CNN and earlier worked with Worldwide Television News (WTN) and United Press International (UPI). Iqbal was a regular contributor to Jane’s Defence Weekly, a globally recognized publication reporting on military and corporate affairs. This international exposure brought him distinction and global attention to his work and, at critical moments, drew international scrutiny to the many pressures he faced.
The professional trajectory of Iqbal Athas cannot be separated from the risks he encountered during his reporting. Over time, responses to his work escalated from public criticism and intimidation to more serious incidents that drew concern from press freedom organizations. A notable early episode followed his reporting in 1997–98 on the disappearance of a consignment of 70,000 mortar shells purchased from Zimbabwe. While official statements at the time attributed the loss to an alleged hijacking by the LTTE, Athas reported that independent experts had questioned the evidentiary basis of that claim. His coverage was met with hostility and physical intimidation.
In 1998, after a series of articles examining alleged irregularities in aircraft procurement by the Sri Lankan Air Force, armed individuals entered Athas’s residence. According to court proceedings, his family was threatened and he was held at gunpoint. The incident led to the provision of police security, and several years later two Air Force officers were convicted in connection with the attack. In delivering judgment, the presiding judge affirmed the role of the press in exposing corruption and underscored the need for firm action when violence is used to suppress journalistic activity.
In 2005, Athas had faced the prospect of legal action after then-President Chandrika Kumaratunga publicly indicated that he could be charged under the Official Secrets Act following a column on a naval procurement issue. The Committee to Protect Journalists publicly expressed concern, stating that the threat appeared to target legitimate reporting on matters of public interest.
Another major flashpoint emerged in 2007 following Athas’s reporting on the acquisition of second-hand MiG-27 fighter aircraft from Ukraine. In an article titled “MiGs loaded with millions in mega frauds,” he examined procurement documentation and raised questions about payments made to a company identified as Belimissa Holdings, which he reported was not listed in official United Kingdom company registries. The reporting generated intense controversy and heightened pressure on journalists reporting on military procurements.
Following the MiG-27 reporting, Athas’s State-provided security was withdrawn. Demonstrations subsequently took place outside his residence, and threats were reported, including one conveyed to a journalist involved in translating his articles. International organizations such as Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists issued statements expressing concern and calling on the authorities to ensure his safety, describing the developments as damaging to press freedom in Sri Lanka.
While Athas faced sustained pressure at home, his work received significant recognition internationally. This contrast between domestic controversy and international respect highlighted the standards of investigative journalism by which his work was often assessed abroad.
The many honours he received during his illustrious career include the International Press Freedom Award (1994) from the Committee to Protect Journalists, Journalist of the Year (1998), from the Editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka, Columnist of the Year (2001)from the Editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka and Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award (2007) awarded to a CNN team for the media coverage of the 2004 Asian tsunami.
Athas was regularly invited to speak at international forums on journalism and security, including events in Hawaii and Washington, D.C. In a notable development, he was included in Sri Lanka’s official delegation to the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in 2018, reflecting the international standing he had attained over the course of his career.
Iqbal Athas’s career reflected a consistent belief that public institutions, including those operating under conditions of conflict, must remain subject to scrutiny. His reporting sought to raise questions about governance, accountability, and the use of public resources, often at considerable personal cost. His legacy lies not only in the investigations he pursued, but in the professional standard he represented. He demonstrated that careful, evidence-based journalism can endure even in restrictive environments. While Iqbal Athas has written his final column, his body of work remains a lasting testament to the role of the press in a democratic society.
