Activist Committee for media freedom challenge Govt.’s ‘bad boys’ to sabotage media workshop if they can

(Lanka-e-News, 02.Aug.2014, 11.30AM) The activists of the committee for media freedom while summoning a media conference against the threats and intimidation posed by the government day after day deploying its murderers , mobsters and marauding squads, announced that they are going to conduct a media workshop on a not too distant date on behalf of the media personnel of the south and the north, and they challenged the government’s ‘bad boys’ to come and sabotage it , if they can.

The media conference was held 30th july at the auditorium of Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI) which was described by the government’s henchmen as a “Tiger brothel,” and , who also threatened to devastate the media workshop if it is conducted.

The media freedom activists at the conference issuing a warning said , the task of another round of communicating to the foreign diplomatic commissions of the fate that has befallen the free media under this government shall be undertaken.

‘During the run up to the forthcoming elections , the media suppression will further aggravate , but no matter the threats and intimidations, our organization is ready to face any challenges ,’ Saman Wagaarachchi , the former editor of Lakbima , and convener of the activist committee for media freedom emphasized.

Based on the threats and intimidations faced by the media personnel and Institutions , it is clear the independence of the judiciary and the legal foundation of the country have been destroyed , and all these singly and cumulatively bear testimony that the laws are not being enforced or implemented duly, the President of the Sri Lanka working journalists association , Lasantha Ruhunage asserted.

Chandana Sirimalwatte , President of the mass media organization for Democracy ; Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema, President of Professional mass media conference committee ; Ameen of Muslim media association; Freddy Gamage , the President of web media journalists ; Dharmasiri Lankapeli ,media profession workers association ; and a representative of Tamil journalists association also aired their views at the conference.