Stop post election media suppression – an open appeal

PRESS STATEMENT: SLWJ | FMETU | FMM | SLTMA

(January 29, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) We five major media organizations in the country express our deep concern over the increasing media suppression in post presidential election situation. The presidential election was marred by various threats to non state media and misuse of state controlled public media. In the post election period media situation is becoming serious day by day as clearly shown by development in last few days. We Five Media Organizations condemn theses suppressive measures in strongest terms and express our unconditional solidarity with the media and journalists who are under attack.

Here are major incidents reported so far.

Lanakenews journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda, disappeared on 24th January night on his way home from the office. There has been no news on his whereabouts till now. Only answer police has given to the complaint made is that they are doing their investigations.

State controlled Sri Lanka Telicom blocked the www.lankaenews.com on the election day making it impossible for Sri Lankan citizens to visit the site . Lankaenews had been providing much needed space for opposition news and opinions. The Election Commissioner (EC) ordered Sri Lanka Telecom to lift the blockade as a response to the complaint made by its editor to EC. But soon after the final election result was announced by the EC, Sri Lanka Telecom re-imposed the ban, this time more strictly Meanwhile the editor and staff of the lankaenews continue to receive death threats on their phones. On 28th January night unknown group surrounded the lankaenews office located in Rajagiriaya, Boralla and stayed there nearly two hours inquiring about the staff. The vehicle they arrived had the number plate of 32-8432.

Further it has been reported that at least four more websites with critical content has been blocked by state as well as privately owned servers in Sri Lanka. Those are www.lankanewsweb.com, www.srilankagaurdian.org , www.infolanka.com, and www.nidahasa.com.

On 28th January morning Ravi Abewikrama, a programme producer of Sri Lanka Broadcasting Cooperation (SLBC) was assaulted by SLRC deputy transport manager G.D. Somapala at the office of SLRC Chairman Ariyarathana Atugala. Later Chairman Atugala, additional Director General Devappriya Abeysinghe threatened programme producers Kanachana Marasinghe, Herburt Kumara Alagiyawanna and Gamini Pushpakumara using abusive language. These media personal are being targeted for their leading role in advocating the compliance of Election Commissions media guide lines by the institution to ensure fair coverage for all sides.

On 28 January the leader of the major opposition collation partner, the Peoples Liberation Front (JVP) Somawansas Amarasinha told a press conference that Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa calling on his mobile from Rajapaksa's mobile threatened to set fire to Lanka newspaper which is a pro JVP Sinhala weekly .Later it was reported that unofficial ban on carrying this news item was imposed. Incidentally non of the TV news bulletins carried the news.

On the top of this it has been reported to our organizations that number of provincial correspondents have been threatened and intimidated over the issue of election reporting.

These incidents show clearly that media suppression is on the increase in post election period. These developments will hamper any informed discussion on the aftermaths of presidential election and the malpractices reported. The result will be the violation of people's right to information. This in turn will seriously limit people's ability to make informed judgments on political developments. We would like to reiterate that in the light of the parliamentary election due in few months time, it is all the more necessary to re establish our peoples right to information without delay by making the media environment free..

In this context, considering that the press freedom as the expression of people's right to information and freedom of speech, we, the five media organizations in Sri Lanka earnestly urge all democratic forces in the country, diplomatic corps in Sri Lanka, United Nations, International human rights, press freedom and journalists safety organizations to use their good offices to ensure that government of Sri Lanka stop the media suppression and create a free and democratic post election environment.