Ensuring a free media:

Abolish the Press Council - Seetha

Interviewed by Uditha Kumarasinghe

Convener of the Free Media Movement (FMM), Seetha Ranjani, called on the government to co-operate and carry out investigations into the killings and disappearances of journalists. She was of the view that a conducive environment prevailed for journalists to carry out their duties. “Media Institutions too can function without any hindrance. This was after the January 8 silent revolution,” she said, in the interview with the Sunday Observer.

Excerpts:

Q:Do you think there is a good climate for journalists now than during the Mahinda Rajapaksa era?

A: Certainly. At present, a free environment prevails for journalists and media institutions to perform their duties. During the latter part of the former regime, journalists had to think twice before reporting certain issues. It is obvious today the media is liberal.

The State media too is free to report on shortcomings in the government or otherwise. This is in total contrast to what prevailed during the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime. The conduct of State media institutions during the recently concluded General Election is testimony to the transformation that has taken place in the media.

Q: Do you think the environment is conducive for exiled journalists to return?

A:The environment is conducive for exiled journalists to return and engage in their profession. But the problem is whether there are employment opportunities in the media for all of them once they return.

Maybe independent journalists could secure jobs in the places they worked before.

Some exiled journalists may be in stable jobs in these countries and may not be willing to return due to their children’s education, which would then be disrupted. They are free to return at any time. If practical problems are sorted out, there is no barrier for them to return.

Q: What in your opinion is the role of the Alternative Press (Vikalpa Puvathpath).

A: There are not many alternative newspapers in Sri Lanka. There are some national level newspapers which speak out about, democracy, good governance, human rights and people’s rights.

Alternative newspapers should provide a voice to the voiceless. There maybe a few such newspapers. Alternative newspapers speak on issues not discussed in mainstream media.

Q: Sri Lanka is ranked 156 in the Reporters Without Boarders Press Freedom Index. Can you see an improvement in this ranking next year?

A: I hope we would get a betterranking. When the ranking is decided, positive development, which has taken place in our country last year will be taken into consideration. The prevailing environment has paved the way for a better ranking next year. We should carry forward this journey.

A conducive environment has been created for journalists now. Talking of a change in media culture, there are many things to be considered.

Q: What do you think of the reactivation of the Press Council when the industry initiative Press Complaints Commission is already there?

A: It was an absurd decision taken. Since 2003, the Press Complaints Commission was activated based on some consensus.

Under these circumstance, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government reactivated the Press Council. Soon after the new government came to power on January 8, we as media activists also met the Media Minister and requested him not make appointments to the Press Council and abolish the Press Council Act.

The Sri Lanka Press Complaints Commission should be implemented properly with the help of the media fraternity. Instead of the government spelling out laws, self regulation is the answer and would pave the way to create a healthy media culture.

The then Media Minister and Secretary pledged to abolish the Press Council, later an absurd decision was taken to reactivate it.

Even the President had given approval to elect members to the Press Council without proper understanding.

As media activists and media organisations, we will pressurise the government to abolish the Press Council. The challenge before those who clamour for media freedom is to discuss key issues and rectify the errors.

Q: Even after this government came to power, investigations into high profile cases of killings and disappearances of leading journalists seems to be going at a slow pace. What action is expected regarding these cases?

A: Investigations into the disappearance of Prageeth Ekneligoda is now in progress. The problem is that there is interference as the Defence Ministry and some security forces personnel were allegedly involved. This may be the reason that investigations into the Ekneligoda case is going at a slow pace.

As media activists, we have issued press releases and conducted press conferences in this regard. During the five and a half years of the UPFA Government, information regarding investigations or information about suspects arrested in the Ekneligoda case were not revealed.

We requested the government to appoint a special commission or hand over investigations to the CID.

Investigations on the case moved fast after it was handed over to the CID.

What should be done immediately is to expose the names of top people behind this incident while at the same time, the deliberate attempts by certain elements to prevent that should be thwarted. The President and the government should permit investigations without hindrance and remove obstacles in the path of investigations.

Accusations levelled that investigations were moving at a slow pace will also be a thing of the past. Investigations into the killing of Lasantha Wickrematunga and attacks on some prominent journalits and private TV stations should be expedited.

Q: There are many websites that carry incorrect information. Shouldn’t there be a regulatory framework covering these sites, even though it is difficult to enforce any laws on them?

A: Sometimes misleading news items appear in some of these websites.

In the same way that newspapers adopt self censorship and restraint over certain news, it is paramount that websites do the same.The Press Complaints Commission is looking into websites as well. Earlier there was an attempt by web journalists to adopt a code of ethics. If these web journalists also work based on this self censorship errors and misinformation can be minimized. It is unfortunate that some web journalists are irresponsible.

The Editors Guild has introduced a Code of ethics for journalists, and web journalists could also adopt these guidelines and the media fraternity would then recognise them as being one of their kind.