(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM letter to Lieutenant General Shantha Kottegoda and Vice Admiral Vasantha Karannagoda: Lieutenant General Shantha Kottegoda Commander of the Sri Lanka Army Sri Lanka Army HQ Colombo 02 Vice Admiral Vasantha Karannagoda Commander of Sri Lanka Navy Sri Lanka Navy HQ Colombo 01 Dear sirs, Having paid serious attention […]
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM letter to Lieutenant General Shantha Kottegoda and Vice Admiral Vasantha Karannagoda:
Lieutenant General Shantha Kottegoda
Commander of the Sri Lanka Army
Sri Lanka Army HQ
Colombo 02
Vice Admiral Vasantha Karannagoda
Commander of Sri Lanka Navy
Sri Lanka Navy HQ
Colombo 01
Dear sirs,
Having paid serious attention to the contents of Rear Admiral Sarath Wijesekara’s article, which appeared in the “Sunday Divaina” of the 25th of September, and the statement made by Brigadier Daya Rathnayake to the “Hiru” newspaper on the same weekend, the Free Media Movement decided to bring those statements to your attention. The Free Media Movement deplores their attempts to brand the director of the film “Sulenga Enu Pinisa” as an exponent of “terrorism in art”. Furthermore, Rear Admiral Sarath Wijesekara’s article goes to the extent of suggesting that the film director in question deserves hanging. This is a frightening development and FMM condemns it.
FMM accepts that no one can deny someone’s right to express his or her opinion or views regarding a work of art. But that doesn’t mean that he or she is endowed with a right to threaten or intimidate the artist for the simple reason of producing a piece of art that doesn’t suit his or her taste.
Mr. Wijesekara and Mr. Rathnayake both are high-ranking officers of the Sri Lankan armed forces. Hence statements made by such responsible persons cannot be passed over as some fanciful utterances. Therefore, the Free Media Movement would like to request a clarification from the army commander, Mr. Shantha Kottegoda, and the navy commander, Mr. Vasantha Karannagoda, as to whether the statements of the above officers reflect the official view of the Sri Lankan armed forces.
The Free Media Movement also takes this opportunity to point out that the freedom of expression, which is clearly guaranteed by the Constitution, can only lead to the establishment of high standards in culture and art. The artists’ search for subject matter for their creations cannot be confined to one aspect of society, but has to be extended over a vast area of social reality, including ethnic conflict. Therefore, the Free Media Movement requests that the government, and the high command of the armed forces in particular, respect the inalienable right of the artist to freedom of expression.
Sunanda Deshapriya
Spokesperson, FMM
