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President
muzzles ministers and MPs JVP Propaganda Secretary Wimal Weerawansa told a meeting in Matara on Friday his party believed that to start talks on the ISGA would mean a formalisation of a separate state and it would be foolish for the government to do this. The President's move to seal the lips of her ministers and MPs came as the government finalised fresh proposals for the development, rehabilitation, reconstruction and humanitarian aid for the North and East. While the ministers and the MPs have been prohibited from speaking on the peace process, the state media have been told to consult the President herself or Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera before they carry any reports on the peace process or the ISGA. President Kumaratunga issued the fresh directives after the state media caused a controversy by publishing lead stories that the UPFA executive committee at a meeting had decided to reject the ISGA proposals. The Sunday Times learns that the President severely reprimanded Lake House Chairman Janadasa Peiris over this report and demanded a full probe on who gave such a story. She also demanded a probe by Rupavahini and ITN on who gave the story to them and how it came to be broadcast. The Sunday Times learns the probe report said two government ministers present at the UPFA executive committee meeting had given the story and it was confirmed by the JVP office. State media bosses are learnt to have told the President that JVP infiltrators were planting or plugging stories and this led to the dismissal of a state media journalist who is also the editor of a weekly newspaper which backs the JVP. |
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