The Free Media Movement (FMM)
expresses its concern that on 11th November a protest was organised
at the at the entrance of the Katunayaka Air Port against the Channel 4
journalist Callum Macrae who was visiting Sri Lanka to cover the CHOGM 2013.
The Free Media Movement is not
against any peaceful protest and rather considers it as form of right to free
expression.
The Katunayaka Air Port area
is considered as a high security zone and even at normal times even waiting
outside the Air
Port is not allowed without
a valid reason. Further the Government of Sri Lanka has announced that no
protest will be allowed in the areas related to the CHOGM 2013. The Katunayaka Air Port, where all the heads of governments
will be arriving at is defiantly come under this ban. It is no secrete that
without the backing of the authorities any protest could be held close to the
Air Port in any given time.
It is in this context that the FMM
expresses its concern on the protest held at the Air Port against a visiting journalist. The
FMM holds the view that this protest sends a message to all visiting
journalists that they could come under pressure any time any where in Sri Lanka.
At the same time the FMM considers this 'officially sanctioned' protest as one
more intimidation against foreign as well as local media personal, who are
considered to be critical and independent by the authorities.
The FMM hopes that the government
take notice of this situation and will take necessary measures to ensure the
safety of the visiting journalists.
The FMM is disappointed that the
government has now imposed rigid restriction on the media personal visiting to
cover the CHOGM 2013. According to media reports visiting journalists are banned
form covering any other issues outside the CGOGM 2013. The FMM is unable to
understand as to why such a restriction necessary. Restrictions imposed on
visiting journalists will only strengthened the notion that the government of
Sri
Lanka is trying to hide the post- war situation
form the world.
The FMM requests the government to
revoke the restrictions imposed on the visiting media personal and allow them to
travel and report freely.
Only by ensuring the safety of and
allowing the visiting media personal to report freely the government of
Sri
Lanka can show the world that it stand by the
Commonwealth value of right to free expression.
The Free Media
Movement
Press release /
12 Nov 2013
Singed
Sunil Jayasekara, Convener,
FMM
