FMM awaits the response of the government of the Maldives

FMM condemns false allegations against press freedom and human rights activists

The Free Media Movement (FMM) expresses its serious concern on the false allegations being carried out by the media controlled by and sympathetic to the Sri Lankan government against a former Convener and a present Ex-Co Member of the Free Media Movement.

According to these allegations, President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives has charged them of being a disgrace to the country of their birth.

These reports claim that said incident happened at a side-event organized by the Government of Sri Lanka during the ongoing 18^th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. A number of representatives of international human rights organizations who were present at the meeting, as well as former Convener Mr. Sunanda Deshapriya and present Ex-Co Member Mr. Udaya Kalupathirana confirmed to the FMM that no such incident took place at the GOSL side-event on 12^th September 2011 at room XXII at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. FMM is convinced that all these media reports relating to the Maldives’ President blaming Sri Lankan human rights activists are completely false.

Further , both Mr. Deshapriya and Mr. Kalupathirana have conveyed to the FMM that they are in possession of a complete recording on audio-tape of the side-event which proves that these stories are false. After the event, President Nasheed has had a friendly chat with both of them.

FMM considers these reports/ this incident as an extension of the various attacks being carried out by the GOSL against press freedom and human rights activists. The importance of this incident is that GOSL has dragged a head of a neighboring country into attacking press freedom activists. In FMM’s opinion this is a matter that requires serious consideration.

In this context, the Free Media Movement would like to register its strong protest against this ongoing campaign. At the same time, FMM eagerly awaits the response of the Government of the Maldives on this false media campaign involving its President.

Sunil Jayasekara

Convener,

Free Media Movement