Sri Lanka: "Deepening media crisis in Sri Lanka"- IFJ
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Tuesday, 08 January 2008 |
Expressing alarm at the comments at made by Sri Lanka's Army (SLA)
Commander Major General Sarath Fonseka labelling some journalists and
sections of the media as "traitors," the International Federation of
Journalists (IFJ) is a press release issued Monday said, "the statement
by Major General Fonseka and the allegations of death threats against
journalists are indicative of a deepening media crisis in Sri Lanka."
Full text of IFJ's press release follows:
The
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is alarmed by comments
attributed to the commander of Sri Lanka’s Army, Major General Sarath
Fonseka, who labelled some journalists and sections of the media as
“traitors”.
In an interview published in the state-controlled
Sinhala daily Dinamina on January 2, 2008, Foneska said the “treachery”
of the media was the only obstacle hampering the military’s fight to
defeat the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
“The biggest
obstacle is the unpatriotic media,” he was quoted as saying. “I know 99
percent of media and journalists are patriotic and doing their jobs
properly. But unfortunately, we have a small number of traitors amongst
the journalists. They are the biggest obstacle.”
The Free Media
Movement (FMM), an affiliate of the IFJ, believed Fonseka was referring
to journalists who criticised government war propaganda and who
reported on both sides of the civil conflict. Foneska did not name
specific journalists or media organisations.
His comments follow
a statement by Sri Lanka’s Media Minister, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa,
late last year that journalists would only be recognised as such if
they obtained media accreditation cards issued by the Government’s
Information Department. Using this criterion, Yapa said just one
journalist was killed in Sri Lanka in 2007, compared with IFJ and local
records of six journalists killed in 2007.
The FMM is also
extremely concerned that three journalists involved in a dispute with
Labour Minister Mervyn Silva reported receiving death threats. Three
leading media personnel with MBC-TV and Radio network, which broadcast
an incident in which the Minister scuffled with journalists at the
office of the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Cooperation (SLRC), have lodged
complaints with Maharagama police over the threats. On December 27,
2007, the Minister assaulted SLRC’s news director, TMG Chandrasekara,
at the premises of the main public television broadcaster.
The
complaints by Chevaan Daniel, Kingsley Ratnayaka and Susil Kindelpitiya
name underworld figures who are alleged to have been contracted to kill
them, according to the FMM.
The FMM has received information
that others also have been targeted due to the SLRC incident, including
Sanath Balasuriya, president of the Sri Lanka Working Journalists’
Association (SLWJA); Dharmasiri Lankapeli, general secretary of the
Federation of Media Employees Trade Unions (FMETU); and several other
senior journalists and trade union and media activists.
IFJ
Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park said the statement by Major
General Fonseka and the allegations of death threats against
journalists are indicative of a deepening media crisis in Sri Lanka.
“Attempts
by senior power-holders to discredit journalists because they do not
toe the line on government propaganda or because they resist
intimidation and bullying seriously undermine media freedom and freedom
of expression,” she said.
“The tight control exercised over the
media by authorities in Sri Lanka is obstructing citizens in their
right to information. But the public have a right to know all points of
view, even those that place the Government in an unfavourable light.”
The
IFJ joins the FMM in calling for the international press freedom
community to write letters of protest to the Sri Lankan Government to
demand it make a commitment to uphold its responsibility to protect
journalists as non-combatant civilians in a time of conflict, and to
cease slandering of journalists by officials and authorities.
Recommended action
Write
to register your concern about the media situation in Sri Lanka in
light of these developments and to request that meaningful remedial
measures are taken urgently to restore public confidence in the rule of
law in Sri Lanka.
Hon. Anura Priyadarshana Yapa
Minster for Mass Media and Information
Ministry of Mass Media and Information
163, Kirulapona Road, Polhengoda,
Colombo 05,
Sri Lanka.
For further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +61 2 9333 0919
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