7/21/2019 World Press Freedom Day 2015 and Freedom of Expression in Sri Lanka

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/world-press-freedom-day-2015-and-freedom-of-expression-in-sri-lanka 1/6

World Press Freedom day 2015 andFreedom of Expression in Sri Lanka

• by Ruki - on 05/0/2015

•

•   “  All must be free to express their concerns, their needs, their aspirations and

their fears” Pope Francis, at the Katunayake International airport, on arrival to

Sri Lanka on !th "anuary #$%&

 Amidst killin's, disappearances, assaults, threats, intimidations, harassments and

restrictions on (ournalists, )idespread self*censorship and exile of (ournalists critical

of the 'overnment, surveillance and blockin' of )ebsites, and absolute impunity, there

 )as very little to celebrate +orld Press Freedom day in Sri Lanka last fe) years&

Perhaps the only thin' to celebrate )as the resilience of fe) )ho dared to express their

 vie)s at 'rave risk to themselves, collea'ues, families and institutions&

ut this year, thin's are different& -he last . months has 'iven somethin' to celebrate

for free expression in Sri Lanka& +ebsites that )ere blocked )ere unblocked& State

media has stopped discreditin' those critical of the 'overnment in po)er& Some of us

 )ere invited for talk sho)s and asked for intervie)s by the very same state media that

7/21/2019 World Press Freedom Day 2015 and Freedom of Expression in Sri Lanka

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/world-press-freedom-day-2015-and-freedom-of-expression-in-sri-lanka 2/6

had previously branded as traitors and terrorist supporters& -hou'h not perfect, a

/i'ht to Information Act is expected to be enacted in the comin' )eeks, after the

drafts have been circulated in all three lan'ua'es and several consultations& A stream

of forei'n (ournalists have visited Sri Lanka and many )ho met me have told it )as

much easier for them to obtain (ournalistic visas& -ravelin' around the hi'hly

militari0ed 1orth appears to be sli'htly easier, and unlike before, I have encountered

less obstructions and intimidations and others have expressed similar sentiments&

Forei'n nationals are no lon'er re2uired to obtain special permission from the

3inistry of 4efense to visit the 1orth&

I have not come across ne) 'uidelines, instructions restrictin' freedom of expression

 by the ne) 'overnment& ut the formal circular issued by the 156 secretariat

restrictin' the issuin' of press releases, conductin' of press conferences and issuin' of

trainin' for (ournalists has not been for formally )ithdra)n& -he Prevention of

-errorism Act 7P-A8 continues to pose 'rave threats to freedom of expression and

even freedom after expression& -he investi'ation a'ainst me under the P-A for char'es

of supportin' terrorism, includin' 9sendin' information abroad” continues to date,

and the court order restrictin' my freedom of expression is still in place, despite efforts

of my la)yers to have these concluded& For more than t)o months, there has been no

in2uiry by the 1ational :uman /i'hts ;ommission on a complaint lod'ed by me

a'ainst an incident related to the restriction of freedom of expression by the Police

 )ithin court premises&

Impunity 

Like last years, and probably for foreseeable future, +orld Press Freedom day in Sri

Lanka )ill be commemorated in the dark shado)s of killin' of )ell kno)n -amil

 (ournalist Sivaram 7-araki8 on #<th April #$$% and the deadly attack on -amil daily

=thayan press in "affna on #nd 3ay #$$>& -he only )ay this dark shado) )ill be

removed is by holdin' perpetrators accountable& -he ne) 'overnment has announced

investi'ations into fe) hi'h profile cases such as murder of Sunday Leader editor

Lasantha +ickramathun'a and disappearance of ;artoonist Pra'eeth ?kneli'oda& ut

pro'ress made in last . months even on these cases is not clear& Accordin' to Sandya

7/21/2019 World Press Freedom Day 2015 and Freedom of Expression in Sri Lanka

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/world-press-freedom-day-2015-and-freedom-of-expression-in-sri-lanka 3/6

?kneli'oda, )ife of Pra'eeth, there has not been any marked difference about the slo)

and lethar'ic court proceedin's& 3ost importantly, there are hundreds of incidents

a'ainst free expression, for )hich )e a)ait (ustice&

;ontinuin' attacks and threats to free expression under the ne) 'overnment

 April )as probably the )orst month for free expression under this ne) 'overnment&

6n #nd 3ay, a (ournalist )as reported as havin' bein' attacked by a local politician

due to his efforts to report problems in a local health clinic& A prominent political

commentator and university academic )as hospitali0ed after bein' attacked on st

3ay, as he )as observin' a 3ay 4ay rally in ;olombo by political forces loyal to the

former President& ?arlier in 3arch, several persons dubbin' a film related to the

militari0ation )ere arrested by the Police in ;olombo, and e2uipment of the studio

confiscated& In the ?astern province, it )as reported that harassment and intimidation

of family of a 3uslim )omen activist continued to date, after she had expressed her

opinions about le'ali0ation of sex )ork, back in #$#&

From the 1orth, an alarmin' number of threats to free expression has been reported

a'ainst -amil (ournalists& 6ne )as prevented from coverin' a discussion related to

pollution of )ater& Another -amil )as reported as detained in "affna on #!rd April&

Four -amil (ournalists based in the northern cities of 3annar and @avuniya )ere

summoned for 2uestionin' by the Police in ;olombo on #th April& Another (ournalist

had received a similar summons that resulted in him bein' char'ed )ith publishin'

false information on #>th April& Police in the northern city of "affna had arrested 1&

Lo'athayalan, a freelance (ournalist )orkin' for the ne)spaper =thayan, on th April

 because of an article about police violence on a school 'irl& 6n Bth April, three -amil

 (ournalists )ere harassed and threatened by Police officers in "affna, after they )ent to

report about a protest a'ainst oil pollution& Also in April, the @ice ;hancellor of the

=niversity of "affna had refused permission for a discussion about a book )ritten by a

=niversity academic, about the end of the )ar& Fe) )eeks after the election of the ne)

President, it )as reported that the Sri Lankan military had threatened displaced

residents from @alikamam 1orth in "affna, not to share their experiences and vie)s

 )ith the ritainCs Forei'n and ;ommon)ealth 6ffice minister, :u'o S)ire, durin' his

7/21/2019 World Press Freedom Day 2015 and Freedom of Expression in Sri Lanka

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/world-press-freedom-day-2015-and-freedom-of-expression-in-sri-lanka 4/6

 visit to "affna&

/eturn of exiled (ournalists

Fe) days before +orld Press Freedom days his year, ! exiled (ournalists D human

ri'hts defenders 7:/4s8 returned to Sri Lanka& -he stru''le to come home )as a lon'

and frustratin' stru''le )ith very little action from the Sri Lankan 'overnment and the

?mbassy& Several other (ournalists D :/4s are considerin' returnin'& At least t)o in

?urope have told me they have renounced their refu'ee status and )ere 'oin' to

return to Sri Lanka in the comin' months& 6thers have told me they may come later if

the situation is conducive and safe for their return& Amon'st those plannin' to return

temporarily in comin' months is Poddala "ayantha, a )ell kno)n (ournalist and press

freedom activist )ho had fled to India in the face of death threats, returned to Sri

Lanka, and then a'ain )as compelled to leave for =S after a brutal assault and death

threats as he )as recoverin'& PoddalaCs )ife told me she is still very scared for his

safety if he returns& /ecent incidents I have mentioned above )ill not encoura'e exiled

 (ournalists to return& So many do not )ant to return as yet, as they fear persecution

and are not assured of safety, includin' pendin' investi'ations or arrest )arrants

a'ainst them& Some do not )ant to return due ill*health, situation of children )ho have

learnt lan'ua'es and settled do)n in ne) countries and some )ant to return )hen

they 'et permanent residency or citi0enship in countries they have 'ot refu'ee status&

Some may have left even )hen they didnCt face serious risks, and they are unlikely to

return from )hat they may considered to be 'reener pastures&

Immediately after the th "anuary elections, the ne) 'overnment invited exiled :/4s

and (ournalists to return& 4espite some belated efforts to 'et do)n the three (ournalists

I mentioned above, $$ days do)n the line, this appears to be hollo), rhetorical

statement& If the ne) President and his 'overnment are serious and 'enuine, they

should establish a concrete pro'ram of action to assist exiled :/4s and (ournalists to

return, )ithout further delay& Such actions could include the appointment of focal

point )ith the 3inistry of Forei'n Affairs or any other relevant 3inistry, instructions

to all Sri Lankan embassies to extend full cooperation for exiled (ournalists to return,

clarifyin' about any pendin' arrest )arrants or investi'ations a'ainst any (ournalist in

7/21/2019 World Press Freedom Day 2015 and Freedom of Expression in Sri Lanka

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/world-press-freedom-day-2015-and-freedom-of-expression-in-sri-lanka 5/6

exile, facilitatin' 9come and see visits”, updatin' them on status of investi'ations

related to attacks and threats a'ainst them, opportunities to reclaim (obs lost due to

exile and settin' up a voluntary trust fund to assist those )ho need financial

assistance& 3ost of :/4s and (ournalists )ho had 'one into exile have suffered

terribly E before they )ent and after bein' exiled& -heir families have suffered& -hey

had to 'ive up a lot& -hey deserve respect and understandin' for their decisions to stay

a)ay or return& If and )hen they )ant to return, they should be supported morally,

politically and financially, considerin' specific needs and )hether the return is

permanent or temporary& -he Sri Lankan 'overnment must take the lead role in this&

3edia institutions, media freedom and human ri'hts or'ani0ations 7local and

international8, forei'n 'overnments, donors and all others )ho value human ri'hts

and media freedom, especially Sri Lankan people, should support and contribute to

such efforts&

/ecent concerns by local and international 'roups

Immediately after the election of the ne) President in "anuary, Pope Francis visited

the country, and in his openin' remarks on arrival at the airport, he stressed the

importance of everyone bein' free to express themselves freely& In 3arch, the

International 3edia 3ission to Sri Lanka reported about continuin' self*censorship

due to uncertainty about the political future of the country, restrictions on access to

information and continuin' surveillance and monitorin' of (ournalists& /eporters

 )ithout orders, the International Federation of "ournalists and the ;ommittee to

Protect "ournalists have expressed concern about some of the recent incidents a'ainst

freedom of expression in Sri Lanka& In April, a -amil ne)s editor in "affna )as

reported to have told that his (ournalists 9do not feel terribly free”, and that Police and

other security institutions are still not )illin' to 'ive them the space they need to do

their (ob as reporters& -he Free 3edia 3ovement of Sri Lanka continued to express

concern about continuin' attacks on free expression and impunity in the last fe)

months, includin' in a statement issued about recent incidents on eve of +orld Press

Freedom day, on #nd 3ay&

Prospects and challen'es

7/21/2019 World Press Freedom Day 2015 and Freedom of Expression in Sri Lanka

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/world-press-freedom-day-2015-and-freedom-of-expression-in-sri-lanka 6/6

;onvertin' state media from bein' propa'anda or'ans of the 'overnment in po)er to

Public Services, buildin' effective self re'ulation and stron' le'al and institutional

frame)orks that could act as a buffer a'ainst authoritarian 'overnments )ill be key

challen'es in this relatively more positive atmosphere for freedom of expression& A

ma(or challen'e no) )ill be for (ournalists, media institutions and media freedom

or'ani0ations to en'a'e in self reflections, about our o)n political, ethnic and other

 biases, self*censorships, particularly about sub(ects considered taboo such as

accountability for alle'ations of )ar crimes durin' last phase of the )ar, char'es of

'enocide, political solution to the ethnic conflict, caste, sexuality and 'ender etc&

-hrou'hout the dark and dan'erous years under the /a(apakses, the coura'e,

commitment and creativity of fe) committed to free expression, kept alive hopes for

democracy and human ri'hts in Sri Lanka and the stru''le must continue )ithout too

much complacency&

Posted by -havam