Noting that in the past year the relationship between Sri Lanka’s civil society actors and the State has continued to deteriorate, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), protested this week at the persecution of the media by the Sinhala-nationalist regime.
In a substantial report released earlier this month on “In the Balance: Press Freedom in South Asia 2007-2008,” the media watchdog, said:
“Verbal and physical attacks, harassment, restrictions on access and vilification of media personnel have become a common feature in the lives of journalists, photographers and all those engaged in the gathering, publication and dissemination of information in Sri Lanka.”
“Access to areas of the country’s north and east where the military conflict is ongoing is extremely restricted, and the state-created Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) has a monopoly on official information regarding the conflict.”
“As a consequence of these restrictions, members of the media remain unable to provide an accurate picture of the conflict to their viewers and readers, and the people of Sri Lanka are deprived of their right to know exactly what kind of war is being carried out against the people of the north and east in the cause, supposedly, of their security.”
“A range of emergency regulations has been promulgated that restrict access to conflict-affected areas for civil society actors, including humanitarian agencies and the media. The regulations enable arbitrary arrest and detention, and control dissemination of information considered to be contrary to the interests of national security.”
“MCNS spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella declared that anyone who criticised the army at that juncture could be considered to be a traitor since he or she was undermining the morale of the security forces. This opinion was reiterated by military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara”
"Restrictions on journalists and media institutions are coupled with systematic and regular attacks on nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) and on individual members of civil society, including those engaged in media freedom issues. The Parliamentary Select Committee on NGOs continues to summon key officials of NGOs in order to inquire into the nature and scope of their activities and their funding portfolios."
“In terms of media freedom, it is a matter of particular concern that government officials and politicians – including the President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, not to mention the government spokesman and the Minister of Information and Media – have at various times made speeches that have indiscriminately attacked journalists and media organisations. This is despite rhetorical commitments to media freedom and to ethical media practices.”
"The lackadaisical approach of law enforcement agencies toward complaints made by media personnel about attacks and harassment has enhanced the culture of impunity for attacks on the media community. No progress has been made in any investigations into killings of journalists that have occurred during the period under review."
"In addition, media personnel have filed complaints of being summoned to several provincial police stations for interrogation about the content of their news reports. These interrogations amount to intimidation and interference with the right of journalists and media workers to engage in their profession."
The Sri Lankan airstrike on the Voice of Tigers radio station last November in which several media workers were killed or injured was amongst those singled out by the IFJ report:
“Several statements were issued by media freedom organisations in Sri Lanka and outside, including by the head of UNESCO, condemning the deaths of Voice of Tigers workers during the air attacks on the station. Media and Information Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa challenged these sentiments on the grounds that none of those killed in the attacks had been issued with a media identity card from his ministry and therefore could not be considered to be media personnel.”
“According to the ministry’s figures, using this criterion, only one journalist was killed in Sri Lanka in 2006-07.”
Meanwhile, in another press release, the IFJ also condemned the continuing anti-media statements made by Sri Lanka's Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.
IFJ joins its affiliate, the Free Media Movement (FMM), in calling on Sri Lanka’s Government to explain chilling and inflammatory statements by Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary suggesting independent media should be prevented from running reports allegedly detrimental to the security forces," it said.
