Reputed journalist and founding editor of Ravaya newspaper, Victor Ivan, has passed away. He served as the Editor of Ravaya for 25 consecutive years since its inception and introduced a new brand of journalism. The journalism of Ravaya was fearless, investigative, and often controversial.
Victor Ivan was the 7th accused in the main court case related to the Youth Insurrection of 1971, but later became a harsh critic of the JVP’s strategies and policies. Rejecting the doctrine of violence, he became an ardent follower of Mahatma Gandhi, adopting the philosophy of non-violence.
He once supported Chandrika Kumaratunga Bandaranaike’s presidential campaign, but later became a bitter critic of hers. His book, Chaurya Rajina (Rogue Queen), was a result of this disillusionment.
After her retirement, President Chandrika Kumaratunga sought approval from the Cabinet of Ministers to vest a valuable piece of state-owned land in her name. Victor Ivan filed a case against her for this corrupt transaction (C.A. (Writ) No. 2074/2005). The court ruled that the disputed land be reverted in the state.
Victor Ivan consistently raised issues of alleged irregularities involving the then Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva, which remain unresolved to this day.
Although some critics argued that he should have retired from journalism, Victor Ivan answered them by stating that he would remain active until his last days. And that is exactly what he did until the last presidential election.
