Civil society joins fight for media freedom

By Isuri Kaviratne

The Movement Against Media Harassment (MMH), a network of trade unions, civil society organisations, human rights and women’s rights organizations is to hold a protest demonstration against media suppression on November 6 in front of the Fort Railway Station.

The Sri Lanka Working Journalists’ Association, the Free Media Movement, the Sri Lanka Tamil Journalists’ Alliance, the Sri Lanka Muslim Journalists’ Forum and the Federation of Media Employees’ Trade Union founded the MMH to defend the media against government harassment. The aim of the MMH is to uphold the right of the people to be informed and to protect media freedom.

Speaking at the inaugural meeting of the MMH participants pointed out that media personnel and media institutions were being subjected to harassment and suppression on an ever increasing basis. Attention was drawn to the fact that none of the killers of journalists had ever been identified.

Participants decided to highlight recent issues such as the arrest of journalist Arthur Wamanan, the murder of a journalist in Jaffna, the cancellation of the licence of the ABC radio network and the gazette notification on the proposed prohibition of news on military operations at the proposed demonstration. The Organization of Professionals Association (OPA) of Sri Lanka expressed deep concern over the arrest of journalist Arthur Wamanan on the basis of “uncorroborated allegations made by a Minister to the effect that the said journalist tried to blackmail him”.

The OPA pointed out that not only was Wamanan arrested, but his mother too was subjected to harassment by the CID. The OPA also drew attention to the fact that the police had refused to record the journalists statement in English or Tamil, but had compelled him to sign a document written in Sinhalese.

The OPA pointed out that a new and dangerous trend appeared to be creeping into the system. He said in a shocking move the police had attempted to remand an individual on the basis of his belonging to a particular ethnic group and the fact that his parents had lived in Jaffna.