Foreign Ministry slams AI report

COLOMBO: The recent Amnesty International report fails to acknowledge the many positive steps taken by the Government to promote freedom of expression which is enshrined in the Constitution, the Foreign Ministry said yesterday.

It fails to acknowledge any positive steps taken by the Government of Sri Lanka to enhance protection in an environment of combating terrorism and shadowy killers, the Ministry said.

The Ministry said: “The attention of the Government of Sri Lanka has been drawn to a recent report issued by Amnesty International titled “Sri Lanka-Silencing Dissent” on alleged threats to media and media freedom.

The Report is totally misplaced - a contradiction between the title ‘silencing dissent’ and Government’s sustained policy of open and constructive engagement with the international community and international human rights mechanisms.

In 2007 the Government extended invitations to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General on the human rights of internally displaced persons, the Special Rapporteur on Torture, and in early 2008, to a delegation from the Inter Parliamentary Union and Ms Angela Kane, the UN Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs.

In keeping with its voluntary pledge in 2006, Sri Lanka has already extended an invitation to the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression to visit the country.

A look at some of the weekend newspapers would prove the level of freedom enjoyed by the press in Sri Lanka to criticise anyone, in particular senior government figures.

The re-issuing of Presidential guidelines on arrest, the setting up of Independent Commissions of Inquiry, the crackdown by the police which has resulted in a decrease of allegations of abductions and disappearances, as well as invitations extended to special procedures mandate holders to visit Sri Lanka and present easy to implement recommendations to enhance protection.

The listing below of media houses and radio/tv stations will indicate the current status of freedom of information in the country. All these electronic media outlets and stations function independently, mainly under private ownership and with no interference from the Government. There are only four Government owned outlets among them.

14 media outlets - Radio/TV, Two Sinhala Language stations, Four Tamil Language stations, Six English Language stations, Three Regional Sinhala Language stations, One Regional Tamil Language station and Three Sinhala Language Community radio stations

Regarding security, any individual is provided security on the basis of a threat assessment.

Any individual who is not satisfied may apply for redress to the Supreme Court, which has recently pronounced in favour of certain applications and directed the responsible authorities to provide enhanced security.

While affirming the commitment of the Government of Sri Lanka to uphold media freedom, the Government rejects attempts to denigrate national institutions in the eyes of the international community to achieve narrow politically motivated objectives.