(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is an IFJ capsule report: General election violence and anti democratic media environment The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the global organisation representing more than 500,000 journalists in over 110 countries, is concerned for the welfare of journalists reporting on the upcoming election in Sri Lanka. Frequent threats and attacks against […]
(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is an IFJ capsule report:
General election violence and anti democratic media environment
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the global organisation representing more than 500,000 journalists in over 110 countries, is concerned for the welfare of journalists reporting on the upcoming election in Sri Lanka.
Frequent threats and attacks against the Sri Lankan press have led to concern that campaigning political parties are resorting to tactics of intimidation in order to restrict the amount of bad press they receive during the elections and to suppress public debate.
The IFJ calls on the Sri Lankan Government to protect its citizens’ democratic right to free and unbiased election coverage and ensure that the press receives the freedom it requires to carry out its duty as a watchdog of society.
“It is clear from recent attacks on media organisations that, once again, press freedom is under threat in Sri Lanka,” said IFJ president Christopher Warren.
“These violent attacks against the media threaten accurate and fair coverage of the upcoming election and need to be condemned by all and quickly investigated by authorities so that the perpetrators can be brought to justice,” said the IFJ president.
“Sri Lanka’s record of violence and intimidation towards journalists, especially during election campaigns, is well documented, and as the election draws closer it is vital that this type of behaviour be stamped out,” said Warren.
Politicians and political party representatives on all sides have used violence and intimidation recently, and in previous elections, in attempts to suppress news reports and dissemination of information critical of their parties.
Attacks on Sunday Leader and Irudina
On October 16, a group, armed with clubs and knives, attacked the Sunday Leader and Irudina printing press in Rathmalana, Colombo.
They threatened to severely harm the manager if he continued printing before setting fire to bundles of returned newspapers. Staff acted quickly to extinguish the fire before it damaged the printing machine.
This was not the first time that the Sunday Leader, which has a history of being very critical towards the Government and often advocates opposition political views, has come under attack. The newspaper and its editor Mr. Lasantha Wikramatunga have been harassed and threatened repeatedly in the past.
The IFJ is concerned that this attack is part of a tactic used during elections in Sri Lanka to silence criticism of political parties and stifle public debate of election issues.
Recent violent attacks and murders of journalists
On September 6, Sudath Veherawatta and Kasun Sapumal Bandara of Sirasa TV were subject to fierce verbal and physical abuse outside the Sri Lanka Freedom Party’s 54th Anniversary rally in Colombo.
The party supporters responsible for these attacks appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and had arrived at the scene in buses belonging to the public transport service of Galle district. The assaulted journalists have filed a complaint at the Borella police station.
The attack followed several months of verbal threats to the Sirasa media organisation and other independent media organisations by government officials.
On August 30, two Sudaroli parliamentary journalists, V Puththirasigamani and Arumugam Varatharajah, were assaulted on their way home after work. Fortunately, both journalists received only minor injuries in the attack.
Meanwhile, on August 29, two unidentified attackers threw grenades towards the door of Sudaroli printing press in Colombo, killing security guard D Selverajah. Journalist, Iliya Abdulla, proof-reader Kamalanathan and a visitor were also injured in the attack.
The attack that killed Selvarajah occurred just two days after a grenade was thrown at Sudaroli newspaper advertising office in Wellawatta, Colombo on August 27. Before the grenade attack Sudaroli editor, Mr Vidyadaran, said he had received threatening telephone calls.
On August 23, Sudaroli photojournalist Yadarshan Selvarajah was covering a political rally in Colombo when he was assaulted and handed over to police.
On August 12, Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) journalist, Relangi Selvarajah and her husband were shot dead by unknown gunmen in broad daylight in Bambalapitiya, Colombo. Selvarajah had previously worked as a TV presenter with the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC).
According to reports, the killing had the trademarks of an ongoing killing spree that was occurring between rival Tamil groups, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the LTTE breakaway Karuna group.
Media workers are becoming increasingly caught up in the crossfire of rival Tamil groups. Just four months before, on April 29, leading Tamil journalist, Sivaram Dharmeratnam was also murdered.
The IFJ continue to urge all political parties to stop targeting journalists and respect their rights to report freely and independently.
Government control of state-media
In late 2003 President Chandrika Kumaratunga took control of the Media Ministry, justifying the move on the basis of national security. She quickly removed editors and media heads and appointed her close political supporters in their place.
Shortly after an obvious shift in the state-media’s news content was recognisable. The state-media, which had previously been unfavourable to the UPFA (The President’s party) and favourable to the opposition UNP party, were suddenly being extremely favourable toward the UPFA. The state-owned media has continued its favourable bias toward the government ever since because of the Government’s editorial control.
But it is not only the state-owned media that the President is trying to control. On July 29, the President accused respected Sunday Times reporter, Iqbal Athas, of damaging national security and threatened to use the Official Secrets Act against him.
The threat occurred at a closed meeting of 1,000 military and police officials in Colombo and followed a number of reports by Athas about the government’s plans to purchase a logistics landing craft from Britain.
The Act, which is more than 100 years old, carries a prison sentence of up to 14 years if convicted of gathering secret information.
This is of great concern to the IFJ as such remarks by the President further deter journalists from questioning government decisions, stifling public debate.
Other Government members have also used their power to control the press. On July 25, Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister Mervin Silva verbally abused and threatened to expel from Sri Lanka the owner of two leading television companies – Sirasa TV and Swarnawahini.
The incident took place after journalists gathered outside the Fort magistrate’s court to report on a case involving the deputy minister’s son.
In light of this recent incident and the pattern of intimidation of journalists, the IFJ called upon the Sri Lankan government to call its ministers into line, and specifically to reprimand Deputy Minister Mervin Silva for his unacceptable behaviour and demand a public apology.
History of threatening behaviour against journalists in previous elections
In the run up to the April, 2004 election, journalists were threatened by representatives of political parties and the state-owned media were used as instruments of political propaganda in favour of the ruling UPFA party.
Criticism of the government by state-owned media has, in the past, had severe consequences for the parties involved. In 2004, just two weeks ahead of the general elections, editor-in-chief of the state-owned Sunday Observer, Laskman Gunasekara, was temporarily relieved of his editorial responsibility due to his criticism of the government in his editorials.
The President has frequently threatened journalists who have questioned her government’s decisions. This has lead to an environment where journalists have become afraid to question government decisions.
The IFJ’s campaign for a transparent and free press in Sri Lanka
The IFJ and its Sri Lankan affiliates have been working to promote public service broadcasting in Sri Lanka ever since the Public Broadcasting in Asia conference held in Colombo in December 2003.
The IFJ asserts that a fair, balanced and independent media is essential to good governance, effective public administration and the capacity of Sri Lankans to achieve a negotiated peace settlement and undertake a successful post-tsunami reconstruction program.
In September 2005, at meeting of more than 100 representatives of Sri Lanka’s Journalists Associations, facilitated by the IFJ, Sri Lankan journalists outlined their charter for a democratic and pluralist media culture and for the upholding of social and professional rights for the media in Sri Lanka.
The Tholangamuwa Declaration promotes a professional media with a responsibility to the public interest, independent of government or partisan influence and interference. Principles in the charter include:
* respect for truth and the public’s right to know;
* respect for editorial independence including independence from both governments and political forces, from commercial interests and from undue influence from other pressure groups;
* balance and fairness in reporting;
* promotion of a transparency and open governance;
* diversity in the workplace and programming;
* public accountability, public participation and access for all and elimination of all forms of corruption in the media; and
* commitment to quality journalism.
The IFJ has developed a range of resources to help support Sri Lankan journalists and media organisations.
The IFJ has called for the removal of all forms of political control of the state-owned media and the creation of a fair and democratic environment for journalists.
The IFJ represents more than 500,000 journalists in more than 110 countries.
