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Defence official's comments severely undermine media freedom, says FMM

(FMM/IFEX) - The following is a 23 February 2007 FMM press release:

"Freedom of the Wild Ass" vs. Media Freedom in Sri Lanka

The comments by Sri Lankan Defence Spokesperson Mr. Keheliya Rambukwella, made in English and Sinhala on the 6 March 2007 news broadcast of the government-owned Independent Television Network (ITN), augment the increasing concern of FMM regarding the growing disconnect between the Government's avowed support of media freedom and the statements of high-ranking officials within the Government who seem continually to undermine it.

Rambukwella's comments were prefaced by the news announcer stating that the general public will judge the allegations that media freedom is on the decline in Sri Lanka in light of the direct support of the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eeelam) by some media. Rambukwella then commented that some broadcast media outlets and some newspapers were only interested in supporting the LTTE and in lowering the morale of the Armed Forces and Police.

Rambukwella went on to suggest that these media may be fulfilling the agenda of groups interested in corrupting the mind of the general public, saying that 90 percent of the public was up in arms as to why "freedom of the wild ass" was allowed free rein under the guise of governmental support for media freedom.

Rambukwella then cited the example of Israel, stating that not one of Israel's 13 television channels mentioned anything against the State when it engaged in attacks (perhaps referring to the recent attacks against Lebanon, or Israel's recurrent attacks in the occupied territories), despite the world's opinion being firmly against it.

The Israeli army's repeated abuses against journalists' rights in the occupied territories constitutes unacceptable behaviour by a nation that has never stopped affirming its commitment to freedom of expression, as noted by Reporters Sans Frontières in 2003. Rambukwella's positive evocation of the Israeli example is a chilling indication of the Sri Lankan government's real position with regard to media freedom.

As noted by Human Rights Watch in its World Report 2007: " . . . in its conduct of hostilities, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) repeatedly violated the laws of war by failing to distinguish between combatants and civilians. The IDF claims that the high proportion of civilian deaths in the war was due to Hezbollah hiding its rockets and fighters in villages and towns, but IDF attacks responsible for a majority of the civilian deaths took place at times when there was no evidence that Hezbollah fighters or weapons were even in the vicinity. While the IDF in certain cases gave advance warnings for civilians to evacuate areas likely to be attacked, such warnings do not relieve a warring party of its obligation to target only combatants . . . the IDF's indiscriminate bombardment had devastating consequences for civilians."

We quote this passage at length to demonstrate the unsettling parallels one can draw with the situation in contemporary Sri Lanka. FMM can only assume that in bringing up the example of Israel, Rambukwella was proposing blanket censorship when reporting news related to the on-going war.

FMM recalls the statement made by Anusha Palpita, Director of Government Information, in October 2006, in which he asserted that "the Government of Sri Lanka will not tolerate any attempts by any group or person to harass or intimidate media and every possible step will be taken to foster, strengthen and sustain media freedom in Sri Lanka." Regrettably, Rambukwella's most recent comments reinforce a long list of statements made by high-ranking officials, Members of Parliament, advisors to the president and even the president himself, that have repeatedly and severely undermined freedom of media in Sri Lanka since the current administration assumed office in November 2005.

FMM strongly supports the right of access to information on the on-going conflict through accurate, impartial and responsible journalism. In a war situation, a government should not be issuing veiled threats against media personnel to prevent them from doing their job of acting as public watchdogs of democracy and fundamental rights.

FMM urgently asks the Government to be clear and to speak in one voice about its avowed commitment to media freedom, and to support, by all means necessary, freedom of expression and the growth of professional media in Sri Lanka.