The Free Media Movement (FMM) has declared that in the wake continuing cases of intimidation and harassment of journalists during the past two weeks it is apparent that the Cabinet sub-committee appointed by the Government to look into the grievances of the media community is powerless.
The FMM said the Cabinet sub-committee has failed in its duty to foster media freedom and the freedom of expression in Sri Lanka or investigate meaningfully the violence directed at journalists.
The FMM in a statement highlighted a series of incidents which have taken place.
In early July persons calling themselves from the Police visited FMM spokesperson Sunanda Deshapriya’s residence. He and his family had just moved to a newly rented residence and this incident took place within weeks of changing homes. It was found out that the names and positions given were completely false.
Sirasa TV court reporter T. Jayakumar was threatened and asked not to report a fundamental rights petition filed by a Major General against the military high command. The petition was taken up for hearing in the Supreme Court on July 7. When the court proceedings ended a civil person came to journalist Jayakumar and threatened him against reporting the court proceedings to Sirasa. The FMM is aware that around one month ago unknown persons had visited his residence and asked questions about him.
On July 13 a Sinhala nationalist Sunday newspaper carried a distorted and inflammatory opinion in its defence column accusing a photographer as working against the national security for talking a photograph of a bomber taking off from Sri Lanka’s only international airport. The article said, “nowhere in the world is this kind of photograph allowed. Defence authorities should investigate how this foreign contractor journalist was able to take this photograph.”
On July 7 Journalist Chaminda Kulathunga provincial correspondent of Hambantota for a number of radio stations operating from Colombo, reported to FMM that he was assaulted by Hambantota Police HQI Kalinga Silva and his national identity card and tape recorder taken in to custody. He was covering a people's agitation organized by the organization to protect peoples rights in Hambantota, demanding some roads and reservoirs be repaired immediately.
On July 14 Meegoda Hemapala, freelance provincial correspondent of Girandurukotte was threatened with death and his house surrounded by a violent mob angered over his reporting of a child abuse case. Journalist Hemapala told the FMM that the Police had personally threatened him over this incident.
Provincial correspondent Mahamuni Subramaniam working from Vavuniya reported to FMM that he has been facing continuous intimidations from known and unknown groups. A group of persons has visited him on July 7 and questioned him about the photo published in the papers about the bomb blast in front of the Office of the Senior Superintendent of Police on June 16, 2008. In his letter to the FMM Subramaniam says that two other Tamil journalists are living in fear of continuing threats and intimidations from various quarters.
On July 16 an anonymous caller threatened Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI) staff. The caller has said “Your boss has come to work today, we will bump you all” The person referred to was Mr. Ranga Kalansuriya, the Director General of SLPI who reported to work that day after a few days of working from home because of the threats to his life. This clearly shows there are persons who keep a close watch on SLPI and its staff movements.
On July 16, a journalist of the Tamil daily Veerakesari was stopped by the Police at the Town Hall junction in Colombo and questioned for nearly half an hour although he produced his media accreditation and newspaper identity card.
Condemning all these attacks on and intimidations of journalists and media institutions, FMM demands that the Cabinet sub-committee on media take immediate steps to investigate all these incidents in order to take appropriate measures and to advice police personnel to respect journalists’ rights to gather information and not to interfere with their professional activities. |
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