Parliamentary Blows & The South Asian Buddha: The Case Of Dignity In Sri Lanka

By Asanga Abeyagoonasekera –May 5, 2016

Asanga Abeygoonasekera

“On this World Press Freedom Day, I urge all Governments, politicians, businesses and citizens to commit to nurturing and protecting an independent, free media. Without this fundamental right, people are less free and less empowered. With it, we can work together for a world of dignity and opportunity for all.” ~ Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

World Press Freedom Day

The 3rd of May marks the world press freedom day. Among other factors, unimpeded violence against the press culminated in the Silent Revolution one year ago. Of this violence included injustice toward media giants, press freedom fighters such as Lasantha Wickrematunge and many others who were brutally assassinated. The contribution of Sri Lankan journalists over decades of civil war and before remains immense. Despite multifold limitations to freedom they continued work which needs to be appreciated. I remember the words of Ariyarathna Dombagahawatta senior journalist and Sunday Lankadeepa editor sometime ago, he said during the insurrection in 1989 he fled the country to India as the assassins targeted to kill him and he only returned after this horrific time. A politician who was kind to him helped him to save his life by calling his contacts in India.

According to the Freedom of the Press Report 2016 by Freedom House, Sri Lanka is ranked at 64th place. This is not a positive rank comparison to our neighbours with India at 41 (Nepal 54, Bangladesh 61, Pakistan 64 and Afghanistan 62). Sri Lanka is categorized out of Free, Partially Free and Not Free categories as a country “Not Free” for the press, the report confirms. The report explains “Unlike its neighbors, Sri Lanka experienced a marked improvement in press freedom conditions after a new government took power in early 2015. Journalists faced fewer threats and attacks than in previous years, investigations into past violence made progress, a number of websites were unblocked, and officials moved toward the adoption of a right to information bill.”

Another report is Press Freedom index by Reporters without borders which ranks Sri Lanka at poor 141st place, before us ranks South Sudan and on par with us sits Ethiopia.

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