If the Rajapaksa regime adheres to democratic norms, it should recognize anyone’s right to have the freedom of opinion. It should be known to the government that an ongoing war is no reason to refuse that right.It is a universal truth that the first thing that is murdered, imprisoned and disappeared at a war is the truth, which we are witnessing in our country today._______________________________
by Mangala Samaraweera
(March 14, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Today, the media and media personnel of this country are faced with a very serious and dangerous situation. Last year, Sri Lanka was among the countries that had the highest number of murders of journalists in the entire world.
This year began with a still worse warning, the Army Commander publicly issuing a threat to the media.
This repression of the media cannot be taken as isolated occurrence; it is part of a grand plan of terror being unleashed unceasingly on entire society by the president, a fact well known to the whole world by now. The reason for curbing the media and suppressing criticism against the present administration is to hide the government’s inability to solve the burning issues of the people.
The detention by the Colombo Terrorism Investigation Division of five media personnel attached to the ‘Outreach’ website and the wife of its owner is just one instance of this media repression.
On the night of March 06th, TID officers had gone to the Outreach Multimedia office and apprehended its owner V. Jesiharan and his wife Valarmathi.
The cruelty of this arrest was manifested by the fact that Mrs.Valarmathi had been arrested irrespective of her being recently undergone surgery for a liver ailment, and had been under medical attention when arrested.
It is reported that she is being kept under conditions that do not suit even a healthy person, leaving alone an ailing woman, and even without giving her any access to medical treatment.
J. Tissanayagam, the Chief Editor of ‘Outreach’ and freelancer for ‘The Sunday Times’ and Kithsiri Wijesinghe, the website’s freelancer, and also Features Editor for ‘Diyesa’ magazine and onetime freelancer for ‘Ravaya’ and ‘Mavbima’, had gone to the TID on March 07th to inquire about the arrested couple, but, they too have been detained since, without citing any reason.
On March 08th, the TID had visited the home of Sivakumar, spokesman for the Free Media Movement and Chief Editor of ‘Sarinihar’, with the intention of arresting him.
However, as he had not been home at the time the police had taken a relative of his to the police in his place.
He was released only after the Convener of the FMM promised to the TID that Sivakumar would be produced to the police.
On the same day, Gayan Lasantha Ranga, videographer for the website, was asked to go to the TID and give a statement.
When he visited the TID, he too was arrested.
Employees of Rupavahini fear for their lives after they opposed Minister Mervyn Silva who stormed the institution and attacked its News Director.
Instead of taking action against the culprit, the state machinery is trying to hunt Rupavahini employees.
It has become a common occurrence that the Rajapaksa regime uses the emergency law and the Prevention of Terrorism Act for these undemocratic measures and label those who criticizes it as terrorists.
The ‘Mavbima’ newspaper was previously a victim of the same conspiracy, for raising a voice against the corruption rampant in the Rajapaksa regime and the terror unleashed by it as well as its human rights violations.
The same thing is now happening to the ‘Outreach’ website, whose journalists are under arrest on terrorism charges.
If the Rajapaksa regime adheres to democratic norms, it should recognize anyone’s right to have the freedom of opinion. It should be known to the government that an ongoing war is no reason to refuse that right.
It is a universal truth that the first thing that is murdered, imprisoned and disappeared at a war is the truth, which we are witnessing in our country today.
In light of the international media focusing its attention on continuous human rights violations in Sri Lanka, this repression by the Rajapaksa regime will isolate us further.
Most countries have withdrawn their economic assistance to our country, and it is very likely that they will impose economic sanctions against us.
This will further aggravate the plight of the common masses who are already suffering due to war and the skyrocketing cost of living.
If GPS plus facility is withdrawn by the European Union it will be the end of livelihoods for more than
300,000 employees in the garment sector.
This is just one example of the worsening situation. The SLFP (M) wants to reiterate that the people have elected the present regime not to unleash a despotic rule of this nature.
We demand that all journalists of ‘Outreach’ website be freed and the attacks targeting Rupavahini employees be stopped forthwith, their safety guaranteed and culprits brought before justice.
We would like to stress one more thing - it would be futile for us to wait until this government offers on a platter a free media and the people’s right to information and to know the truth.
We must struggle to win those rights using our strength, for which all communities and democratic forces should unite as one.
We invite you all for that union.
(The Writer is Member of Parliament and Leader Sri Lanka Freedom Party Mahajana Wing)
. - Sri Lanka Guardian
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