Articles by Free Media Movement
UNESCO senior advisor asks president to ban book critical of her conduct as former president
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 23 November 2006 FMM letter to UNESCO Director General Koïchiro Matsuura: Mr. Koïchiro Matsuura Director General, UNESCO, 7, Place de Fontenoy 75352 Paris 07 SP France Dear Mr. Koïchiro Matsuura, SENIOR ADVISOR TO UNESCO MRS. CHANDRIKA B. KUMARATUNGA THROTTLES FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION The Free Media Movement (FMM) is seriously […]
Chief editor of public newspaper dismissed without explanation
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 19 November 2006 FMM press release: Dinamina Editor removed, without any reason given Mr. Chandrasiri Dodawatta, chief editor of the newspaper “Sinhala Daily Dinamina”, was removed from his editorship on 19 November 2006 without any reason given for his removal. He is the third chief editor removed from the […]
Education director of public television station sent on compulsory leave over sexual content of programme
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 19 November 2006 FMM press release: State television director of education sent on compulsory leave from health education programme. Free Media Movement is shocked and appalled by the decision to send Mrs. Anoma Wattaladeniya, Director of Education for the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC), on compulsory leave in response […]
FM radio channel banned without warning over programming with sexual content
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 9 November 2006 FMM press release: FM radio banned, without prior warning The Free Media Movement (FMM) expresses serious concern over the government’s banning of Raja FM, a radio channel of the AEP radio and television network, based on an allegation of “indecency” by the Department of Information. The […]
Editors of three Jaffna newspapers warned by military against critical coverage, reporting on rebels
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release: Editors of Jaffna dailies threatened The commander of Army 512 Brigade in Jaffna summoned the editors of three Jaffna dailies on 6th November 2006 and warned them against publishing any news critical of the military in Jaffna, reliable sources informed the Free Media Movement (FMM) today. […]
Paramilitary group burns 10,000 copies of Tamil-language daily newspaper
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 25 October 2006 FMM press release: 20,000 copies of Tamil Daily Virakesari burned by Para military group Free Media Movement (FMM) registers its strong condemnation of continuing threats and harassment directed at Tamil-language media in Sri Lanka. On 23 October 2006, 10,000 copies of the Tamil daily newspaper “Virakesari” […]
FMM decries air force’s bombing of rebel radio station
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 19 October 2006 FMM press release: FMM decries bombing of the Voice of Tigers (VOT) The Free Media Movement (FMM) decries the bombing of radio station Voice of Tigers (VOT), the official radio station of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Fighter jets belonging to the Sri Lankan […]
Media groups release “Weligama Declaration” on role of media in building national unity
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an 18 October 2006 joint statement by FMM and several other organisations: THE WELIGAMA DECLARATION 2006 THE ROLE OF MEDIA FOR NATIONAL UNITY Preamble: We, the journalists, editors, news directors, and other media practitioners of the Sri Lankan mass media, along with media scholars and other concerned activists, gathered in […]