Five media groups seek free post-poll environment Saturday, 30 January 2010 00:25
Five major media organizations in the country have expressed deep concern over what they called increasing media suppression in the post presidential election situation.
They alleged in a statement that the presidential election was marred by various threats to non state media and misuse of state controlled public media.
“The post election period media situation is becoming serious day by day as clearly shown by the development in last few days. We, the Five Media Organizations condemn theses suppressive measures in the strongest terms and express our unconditional solidarity with the media and journalists who are under attack, the statement said.
The organizations alleged that Lanakenews journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda, disappeared on January 24 night on his way home from the office. There has been no news on his whereabouts till now. The only answer police has given to the complaint made is that they are carrying out investigations.
The State controlled Sri Lanka Telecom blocked the www.lankaenews.com on the Election Day making it impossible for Sri Lankan citizens to visit the site. Lankaenews had been providing much needed space for opposition news and opinions, it the statement said.
It added that the Election Commissioner (EC) ordered Sri Lanka Telecom to lift the blockade in response to the complaint made by its editor. But soon after the final election result was announced by the EC, Sri Lanka Telecom re-imposed the ban, this time more strictly. Meanwhile the editor and staff of the lankaenews continued to receive death threats on their phones.
On January 28 night an unknown group surrounded the lankaenews office located in Rajagiriya, and stayed there for nearly two hours inquiring about the staff, according to the statement.
“Further it has been reported that at least four more websites with critical content has been blocked by state as well as privately owned servers in Sri Lanka. Those are www.lankanewsweb.com, www.srilankagaurdian.org , www.infolanka.com, and www.nidahasa.com” the media organizations alleged.
It further said that On 28th January morning Ravi Abewickrema, a programme producer of Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) was assaulted by SLRC deputy transport manager G.D. Somapala at the office of SLRC Chairman Ariyarathna Ethugala. Later Chairman Atugala, additional Director General Devapriya Abeysinghe threatened programme producers Kanachana Marasinghe, Herburt Kumara Alagiyawanna and Gamini Pushpakumara using abusive language. These media personal are being targeted for their leading roles in advocating the compliance of Election Commissions media guide lines by the institution to ensure fair coverage for all sides.
“On 28 January the leader of the major opposition collation partner, the Peoples Liberation Front (JVP) Somawansas Amarasinha told a news conference that Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa calling on his mobile from Rajapaksa's mobile threatened to set fire to the Lanka newspaper which is a pro JVP Sinhala weekly. Later it was reported that unofficial ban on carrying this news item was imposed. Incidentally none of the TV news bulletins carried the news.”
The organizations claimed these developments would hamper any informed discussion on the aftermaths of presidential election and the malpractices reported. “The result will be the violation of people's right to information.”
“In this context, considering that the news freedom as the expression of people's right to information and freedom of speech, we, the five media organizations in Sri Lanka earnestly urge all democratic forces in the country, diplomatic corps in Sri Lanka, United Nations, International human rights, press freedom and journalists safety organizations to use their good offices to ensure that the government of Sri Lanka stop the media suppression and create a free and democratic post election environment” the five media organizations said.
Daily Mirror.lk
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