We reproduce, without comment, this reader's response: Bouquet for press freedom

by Suren Peiris, attorney at law

It is indeed heartening to note that a Journalist in its full 'sense' is at the helm of the Sunday Observer. Why I say that a journalist in the full sense is at the helm at the Sunday Observer is not only because the quality of the paper has improved, but there have been individuals who were editors and who hardly wrote or never wrote.

Under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapakse it is quite evident that even the state newspapers have been given a sense of freedom, in publishing news items and articles without any impediments. Of course besides certain non government papers such as the Sunday Times and the Island one finds 'rag sheets' which are sometimes not readable, owing to the manner of writing.

Though the 'rag sheets' on rare occasions have matters which could be read but owing to the majority of the contents being non readable and the contents of the language one cannot even give it to your children to read.

Both President Mahinda Rajapakse and Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe are for a free press and this might be the beginning where newspapers in particular get off the clutches of being controlled by the state and certain individuals be it politicians or otherwise for their own personal benefits.

Fortunately Lake House is now being headed by an independent person in an eminent Lawyer Mr. Anil Obeysekera PC, who would endeavour to take Lake House papers to its past glory under the late Mr. D. R. Wijewardane, Mr. Esmond Wickremasinghe and Mr. Ranjith Wijewardene.

With the takeover of the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon or Lake House, a deterioration of the quality and the independence also dwindled, but one must say that the then Independent Newspapers of Ceylon, the Wijeya Group and the Upali Group have strived to keep the independence of the newspapers going. In fact it is history that the Editor of the Sunday Times was criminally charged in the High Court for publication of newsitems.

In a democratic country these sort of things are never heard or carried out, but powers that be at that time were determined to proceed to prosecute the Editor of the said paper Mr. Sinha Ratnatunga. Fortunately for Sri Lanka and for freedom of expression that draconian Law has now been removed from the statute book.

The present President in his days of being in the Opposition was a champion not only in safeguarding human rights but also freedom of the media. It is the same with the leader of the opposition Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe whose late father Mr. Esmond Wickremesinghe the Head of Lake House at that time tirelessly worked with my father and others to prevent the muzzling of the free Press by taking over of Lake House.

Unfortunately to make certain individuals satisfied the late Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike who was also for a free press had to agree to the passing of the Law in order to take over the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.

There were many I know in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party at that time who were against the muzzling of the free press but could not do anything.

If I may strike a personal note I could well remember the mayhem at Lake House following the victory of the United Front Government on the 27th of May 1970. Witnessing this from the Regent Flats with my late father, Mr. Gamini Weerakoon a Senior Journalist and some others, we were to witness that the crowd headed by politicians of the left in order to fulfil their personal revenges burning the Library at Lake House.

The burning of the Library of Lake House which had material from the commencement of Lake House was one of the most destructive things which has ever happened in the history of Ceylon, for information which could never be obtained ever were put to ashes. It was not only this, there were individuals who climbed on to the building and quite gleefully were seen throwing typewriters and other furniture into the Beira lake.

This is now history and best forgotten. It is now upto President Mahinda Rajapakse who is a Champion of the free press and welcomes criticisms and Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe who himself worked to safeguard the free press to bring in a law to denationalize Lake House and permit it to function in its past glory.

Fortunately we have a President who does not believe unlike in the past of 'pumping' his own image and who has been a victim of vicious and malicious publications in the recent times before and during the presidential elections who would welcome positive criticism and writing in the Lake House papers rather than making it a government gazette.

I am positive it would be the same not only with Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe but a majority of politicians. Hence, in the similar manner where both Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe the Leader of the opposition and President Mahinda Rajapakse has to get together to eradicate the menace of terrorism jointly it is high time the country was taken back to it's past glory of having a free press.

Indeed in this context it is commendable that the Sunday Observer is headed by Mr. Rajpal Abeynayake who had a long stint writing independent articles in the Sunday Times whose objective I am sure would be to improve the quality of the Sunday Observer even more.