SLRC Breaches Journalists Rights- IFJ

According to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) latest report, the sate television station Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) has sent four of its journalists on compulsory leave after they submitted a letter stating that their professional rights had been disrespected and damaged, under the newly posted Mass Communication specialization Chairperson .

The SLRC has claimed that the journalists distributed the leaflets during working hours, however according to sources from the FMM the leaflets were distributed outside of the institution and before working hours began.

IFJ Asia-Pacific Director Jacqui Park said, forcing these journalists to go on leave is unnecessary, unjust and a clear breach of their professional rights. The IFJ calls on the SLRC to negotiate with the journalists and their Association.

According to Free Media Movement (FMM), harassments, attacks, killings and abductions of media staff and journalists are on the increases, not a single investigation into the harassments, attacks, abductions and murders journalist has been carried out to completion by Sri Lanka’s government. At least 10 media workers killed in Jaffna since May 2006.

"The FMM expresses it serious concern at the continuing violence directed against journalists and the media in the country," the group said in a statement.

Meanwhile, r\president of the Rupawahini Ariyarathna Athugala, has sent four trade union activists including one chairman of a union for submitting a letter against actions that damaged the rights and the professional respect of the producers , according to news reprts.

SLRC Producers' Union Chairman Kanchana Marasinghe, Organizer Herbert Kumara Alagiyawanna, Athula Peiris and Ravi Abewickrama are the four individuals sent compulsory leave while all 72 producers of the SLRC signed the petition, the reaprts added.

Furthermore, the union points out that the SLRC profits as well as viewer's rating have dropped under the current Chairman, the SLRS is purchasing low quality teledramas of the Chairman's associates from outside at higher rates stating that SLRC have no talented directors, does not provide opportunity to the talented producers in SLRC and comes to agreements with outside producers to pay rates several fold higher than normal.

The President also, an attempt to steal a scholarship of a feature producer of the SLRC and to scoff Rs. 300,000 funds that ended with exposiure and revenge of the Chairman.

According to the story German radio and TV service Dutch Welles granted a scholarship to Premachandra Rupasinghe,a feature producer of the SLRC. The Chairman Athugala changed the scholarship to his name and attempted to claim Rs. 300,000 as expenses from the Administrative Section of the SLRC. But it was failed after exposed.

( Photo: Dr. Ariyaratna Athugala)