President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa spoke about media freedom during a talk show with Gama on March 20. He said that media freedom is not the freedom of media owners. He also accused the media of being a mafia and made lengthy criticisms of the media.
The Federation of Media Workers ‘Trade Unions, Free Media Movement, Sri Lanka Professional Journalists’ Association, Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum and media organizations have stated that the President’s statement regarding the media is a serious warning to the media.
Media organizations collectively believe that there is no problem with the President’s view that media freedom is not the freedom of media owners and that it is wrong to distort and report facts, but that this statement is aimed at any media, especially those who make critical remarks against the government.
The press release issued by this media collection further states:
The statement made by President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa regarding the media while participating in a talk show with the village held on March 20 in the Yombuweltenna area in the Walapane Divisional Secretariat Division in the Nuwara Eliya District casts a serious shadow over the freedom of expression and expression of the media. Expresses its strong concern.
The President said that certain media facts were distorted and that media freedom was not the freedom of the media owners. The Maharaja was in India. The owner cannot run the country the way he wants. The rulers are trying to control. They are not with me. I know if you want to teach lessons, teach. I have given the media freedom. No media was affected. There are rules for misuse. Not only that media but also the media of some national ideologies have left false news. There are those who worked against us during the war. Get up again, ”the President said.
In particular, “They can’t be with me, I know they teach lessons. Those who worked against us during the war are in it, resurrected. ”
- This situation is intimidating to all concerned, including journalists and media owners, as well as restricting the freedom of expression and expression of the media. Therefore, the Sri Lanka Professional Journalists’ Association, the Free Media Movement, the Young Journalists’ Association, the Tamil Media Forum, and the Federation of Media Workers’ Trade Unions should refrain from such approaches that raise issues regarding media freedom and the right to freedom of expression. And the Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum, a coalition of media organizations, urging the President, the government and all other parties.