Attack on State media a forerunner

Lakshmi de Silva

The brutal attack on the State media TV crews that went to cover the UNP special convention at Welisara was a forerunner of things to come, Mass Media, Information and Investment Promotion Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said at a press conference held at the Ministry auditorium yesterday.

The UNP goons attacked the media crews injuring them and damaged their cameras. They had assaulted the TV crew members on their heads, shoulders and faces. One of the victims of the assault could not even raise his head on Saturday evening, the Minister said.

Mahesh Perera, Lakshman Samaratunga, Gayan Sanjeewa, Vajira Perera, W.D. Wijenayaka and provincial correspondent Saman Wijenayaka were brutally assaulted by the UNF supporters and rescued by the villagers and sent to the National Hospital, the Minister noted.

This situation was a clear sign of a right wing dictatorial regime to come in future if they were elected to power. The UNP had an unclean record in its history.

They killed Richard de Zoysa, Premakeerthi de Alwis, Thevis Guruge. Yet they pontificate about media freedom, good governance and democracy within the country and go round the world saying things against the government, he said.

The leaders of the UNP and the JVP were not democratic. Their past behaviour would instinctivly come out and they would work according to their masters’ voices.

Also the so called media freedom fighters too would behave according to the way of their political leaders, the Minister added. When the war against the LTTE was in its finale these freedom fighters of media cried for media freedom and went round the world and now I am watching how they would report this incident, Minister Anura Yapa said.

This was a blow on democracy and media freedom and whatever Government comes to power there should be media freedom, the Minister stressed.

Speaking further at the press briefing the Minister noted, spreading false rumours by hired people against the President’s brothers was a new method.

Gotabhaya Rajapaksa was appointed as the Chairman of Lanka Hospital but he was working in an honoraray basis to manage the Government owned hospital after the Sri Lanka Insurance Cooperation gained its ownership with its 55 percent shares.

People should not be mislead with such mud slinging campaigns but should get the clear picture by allowing both sides to speak, Yapa said.