(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release: FMM expresses its deepest regret over an attack on a television news crew during an election meeting of Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), which has become the political party of Buddhist monks. FMM extends an urgent request to the JHU’s leading monks to put an end to […]
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release:
FMM expresses its deepest regret over an attack on a television news crew during an election meeting of Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), which has become the political party of Buddhist monks. FMM extends an urgent request to the JHU’s leading monks to put an end to the hateful attitudes and actions of its followers without delay.
On 2 March, a Young Asia Television team that had been obtaining people’s opinions regarding the JHU political rally held in Kandy, after having filmed the rally itself, was surrounded and harassed by a group of JHU followers. The news crew’s tape was seized and destroyed. One of the team’s female journalists was singled out and verbally assaulted by the unruly mob after they discovered that she was a Christian. The mob accused Young Asia Television of “selling peace” and “betraying the country.”
FMM deeply regrets that a group of young monks were also involved in this incident.
On a previous occasion, during the last week of February, JHU supporters manhandled two private television cameramen who were filming the party’s first public meeting in Panadura.
FMM notes with concern that the Sihala Urumaya political group, which is supporting the JHU bikkhus, has made their intolerance of other opinions known by harassing and attacking members of the media and cultural groups in the past.
While urgently requesting that the JHU’s leading Buddhist monks put an immediate end to the anti-media attitude of some of its followers, FMM also urges the country’s democratic forces to oppose this tendency towards intolerance.
Sunanda Deshapriya
FMM Spokesperson
