(Credit: www.lankaenews.com)

A Sri Lankan news site, www.lankaenews.com, was attacked by arson, Reuters reported.  The news site “regularly criticises the Sri Lankan government.” In response, the president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, has called for an investigation.

The Independent explained that Lankaenews.com’s building was burned and destroyed.

In a statement on its website, Lankae News addressed the arson:  “It is well to note that under … Rajapaksa regime, the free media had suffered most and sustained losses to persons and property on an unprecedented scale in the media history of Sri Lanka.”

Reuters noted that an employee of the site, cartoonist Prageeth Eknaligoda, is currently missing.  He “has been missing since January 2010,” and previously has “been accused of arranging his own disappearance.”

Further, the site’s editor, Sandaruwan Senadheera, reportedly “fled into exile in the UK” last year and “has accused the authorities of carrying out the assault.”