http://freemediasrilanka.wordpress.com/2008/07/29/fmm-is-disturbed-over-remarks-by-army-commander/
FMM is disturbed over remarks by Army commander
Posted on July 29, 2008 by FMM
The Free Media Movement is deeply disturbed over the remarks
attributed to the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, Lieutenant General
Sarath Fonseka in recent interviews he has granted.
One such interview appeared in the state run Sunday
Observer newspaper of 20th July 2008. The contents were later posted
on the website of the Ministry of Defence (www.defence.lk) thus giving
it official credence. Another interview was published in the Sunday
Sinhala weekly Lakbima and was posted thereafter on their website
(http://www.lakbima.lk/archive/last 20.07.08/index.htm).
We reproduce below relevant excerpts of the interviews
where Lt. Gen. Fonseka is quoted as justifying the recent attacks,
intimidation and harassment of journalists.
"If Keith Noyair has not done anything wrong, he does not have to live
in fear. If he has done some damage to our organisation or to a
person, especially when he has done something which he is not suppose
to do, then it is natural he must be living in fear. If they think
that they have done something of that nature the best thing for them
is to correct themselves and rectify the mistake".
"We know that journalists are being bribed, given 'drinks', treated in
restaurants and they have their own vested interests.. . We know very
well about those media people who take bribes, write and voice their
opinion for some personal gains.
These so called media guys are not responsible to the people and they
are not entitled to such media freedom.
That Keith Noyair who was assaulted was returning from a restaurant
with his friends and they were drunk. We do not know that somebody in
the restaurant had got annoyed with them, followed him and assaulted.
So, especially the media people should behave well and set an example
to others. To me, those who stage protests with unshaven beards, long
hairs and wearing costumes like in fancy dress competitions are not
scribes who are clamoring for media freedom but a gang of thugs".
(Interview with the Observer, reproduced in www.defense.lk )
In another interview with Sinhala language weekly Lakbima the
commander had said the attacks on Keith Noyahr, Iqbal Atthas and Namal
Perera could be the consequences of their "misdeeds"
If indeed Lt. Gen. Fonseka has made the remarks attributed to him, the
FMM is of the view, that it is unbecoming conduct of a highest
military officer. At a time when he is spearheading a war against
Tiger rebels, it is unfortunate that he has chosen it fit to justify
indirectly the recent attacks on journalists. (The FMM waited for a
week before making this statement to see if there would be any
corrections to the interviews form the commander.)
In reporting any public interest issue, no doubt,
independent journalists may express dissenting views. Such views may
sometimes be uncomfortable to various persons in the echelons of
power. The time honoured tradition under successive Governments have
been for those concerned to counter those views, correct the facts if
they are known or state their own.
If they violated the laws of the land, they would also have recourse
to Courts. However, if the remarks of Lt. Gen. Fonseka are in fact
correct it clearly leaves an indelible impression that the might of
the military is being brought to bear on unarmed and unprotected
journalists. This in the form of a hate campaign to threaten harasses,
intimidate and force them into silence. This is an extremely
disturbing trend and is unprecedented in Sri Lanka.
Making this even more disconcerting, the FMM strongly
believes, is the deafening silence of the Government. Not so long ago,
they announced the appointment of a Ministerial Committee to alleviate
the problems faced by journalists. Several Ministers made pledges to
protect them and ensure media freedom.
FMM believes that it would be the responsibility of the
Government to make its position clear. Otherwise, FMM fears, their
silence or indifference would only pave the way for more journalists
to be killed, brutally assaulted, intimidated and harassed.
