Media policy vital to rebuild country

by Reggie Fernando

Speaking at the inaugural meeting of the Committee for International Law and International Relations (CILIR), its convener Sarath Wijesinghe, the well-known London lawyer said that although Sri Lanka has a tolerant society and a tolerant government, certain groups who have to abide by the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations "overstep and over-react without being mindful of their duties and obligations".

The meeting 'Press Freedom and International Standards' took place at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute recently where the main speaker was Prof. W. M. Karunadasa (Ph.D), an Attorney-at-law.

Obviously, referring to the recent publicity relating to a senior foreign diplomat and a newspaper editor, Wijesinghe said: "Article 3 represents that a Diplomatic Mission represents the sending state and they are bound to act within the limits permitted by international law and that it is not appropriate for such a Head of the Mission, however powerful, to interfere in the internal affairs of the host government, unless within the purview of the Vienna Convention.

This applies to international organisations enjoying the immunities and the respect of the host countries."

Taking the opportunity to congratulate the 'present trustee of the nation' President Mahinda Rajapaksa, on his actions, Wijesinghe said: "the appointments made by the President on strategic and important positions are well thought of, particularly the appointments of the Secretary of Defence, Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Heads of the Forces and many others, stressing that the time is ripe for the civil society to act and react proportionately above politics, when the country is successfully going through a most decisive and important phase in our history."

Finally, Wijesinghe emphasized that the press has an important and enormous role to play at this decisive moment, touching on some famous incidents such as the death of Richard Soyza, the mass scale disappearances of journalists and activists and the Gladstone and Paul Harris affairs.

"Certainly, the maintenance of international standards and the future of our press freedom depends on how carefully we conduct ourselves in this decisive era and how carefully the civil society, the NGOs, the international community, the family of state and our critics will assist our nation in our struggle for nation building and maintaining security by eradicating terrorism and establishing individual and collective human rights and the rule of law", he said.

The main speaker Prof. W. M. Karunadasa said; "People in this country are mature enough to understand the tune of music and the voice of the traitors and the patriots.

Whatever the allegations made by the Opposition parties and hostile forces in respect of media freedom, the ground truth and nothing but the truth is that the Rajapaksa government honour and respect the media freedom according to ethical standards practiced by civilised societies in the world.

Being a small country in the Indian Ocean, which is facing the separatist agitations of the worst terrorist organisation in the world. It is not possible, in the present context of political affairs of the country to satisfy all disgruntled elements in meeting their demands for media freedom, human rights and democracy.

"In meeting their demands and the national interests at large, I may conclude my speech by saying that it is high time for President Rajapaksa government to introduce a Media policy to suit the interests of Bhumiputras of this country but not for the satisfaction of alien forces operating in this blessed island".