No return to Criminal Defamation

Govt committed to ensure media freedom, says Minister Maitripala Sirisena:

Uditha Kumarasinghe and Irangika Range

COLOMBO: SLFP General Secretary Minister Maitripala Sirisena yesterday reassured that the Government would not re-introduce Criminal Defamation laws.

Only a note submitted by the Justice Ministry was discussed at the previous Cabinet meeting, Minister Sirisena said.

The Minister reiterated that President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his Government were committed to ensure media freedom and the safety and dignity of journalists.

“We are a Government and a political party which always stands for the rights of journalists,” the Minister told the SLFP weekly media briefing yesterday.

The President and the Government always acts to ensure media freedom. It is not the Government’s policy to create any problems with media personnel or media institutions, he said.

However during the past period, certain media institutions published wrong information on political characters and other Government officials in a very unfair manner, thus misleading the public. This situation was discussed at the previous Cabinet meeting, the Minister said.

“As the Government and the SLFP, we request all media institutions and journalists to perform their duties in a fair manner. We request journalists to extend their support towards the good work of the Government and not to give any room for fraud or malpractice that may take place within the Government.”

“The Media should act without causing any damage to the privacy of politicians, Government officials and their family members. Some news items have caused severe damage even to the schoolchildren in such families.

Some of those children have met the President and detailed this unfortunate situation faced by them. As a Government, the Ministers discussed this situation in the Cabinet.

“The decision reached upon by the President and the Cabinet at this discussion was to request the media institutions not to publish false news items which cause severe damage to the lives of politicians, Government officials and their children.

The Government does not intend to bring any laws. Therefore we request all media institutions to extend their support to the Government on this issue.”

Justice Deputy Minister Dilan perera said only a note was discussed at the Cabinet on Criminal Defamation.

“The President had asked the Justice Ministry Secretary to educate me on this document. But he did not inform me. I have inquired about this matter and the Secretary will give me an answer regarding it.

Anyway a dialogue has been created between the Government and the media on this issue. Both parties should get together and ensure the privacy of individuals without slinging mud.”

The SLFP and several other political parties extended their unanimous support in Parliament to remove Criminal Defamation laws.

“As a leader President Mahinda Rajapaksa has never looked at the media in a vicious manner. We did not have a leader like President in recent times who closely deals with journalists.”

The media should show the shortcomings of this Government. But the media should never engage in the character assassination of individuals. When MP Mangala Samaraweera was the former Media Minister, he also said that there is a media mafia in the country.

“The Cabinet only discussed this issue. Otherwise the Government has not taken any decision to re-introduce such laws. This is just only a note discussed at the Cabinet. The journalists should use their rights without causing damage to the privacy of individuals. Both parties should act to safeguard the rights of individuals.”