“Civil society has been viewing, with mounting alarm and concern, the wanton attacks on media personnel. Threats and violence directed at journalists, including abductions and murder, unfortunately feature with increasing regularity in the news.”_________________________
(May 28, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, Sri Lanka’s premier chamber body, today strongly condemned attempts to suppress the media and called the the recent abduction ‘and despicable assault of a respected editor of a recognized newspaper’ as yet another example of this growing threat.
The chamber, in a statement, deplored the crude attempts at violating press freedom and said democratic principles relating to responsible coverage by the media must be respected. It urged the Media Minister to intervene and bring an early end to this trend, so that the commitment to press freedom will continue in word as well as in deed.
“Civil society has been viewing, with mounting alarm and concern, the wanton attacks on media personnel. Threats and violence directed at journalists, including abductions and murder, unfortunately feature with increasing regularity in the news,” the statement, issued, six days after the brutal attack on Nation Associate Editor and defence columnist Keith Noyahr, noted.
“Assurances of the conduct of investigations by itself will not win back confidence unless such investigations lead to the apprehension of culprits. Alternatively, at worst, it will be seen as a ploy or a facade to deflect the shock and horror of the initial public reaction and at best it will be seen as pure incompetence and causing serious concerns about the law and order situation in the country as the case may be,” it said.
- Sri Lanka Guardian
The brutal attack on Nation Associate Editor and defence columnist Keith Noyahr,should be
strongly condemned. The attempts to suppress the media and the the recent abduction and brutal assault of a respected editor of a recognized newspaper is another example of this growing threat against the media personnels by the Sri Lankan Govt.
We applaud UN members for rejecting an abusive state from the UNHCR which has used its position on the Human Rights Council not to promote Human rights, but to protect itself and other violator states from scrutiny.
The International Community should be applauded for having given Sri Lanka the resounding slap it deserves for its continuing disregard of Human Rights.
Winners of the Nobel Peace Prize from three continents called on UN members to reject Sri Lanka’s candidacy for the UN Human Rights Council, the NGO Coalition for an Effective Human Rights Council said today. Nobel laureates Desmond Tutu of South Africa, Adolfo Perez Esquivel of Argentina, and Jimmy Carter of the United States each published statements urging opposition to Sri Lanka because of its abusive human rights record.
Post a Comment