President respects media freedom [January 13 2011]

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said he would always respect media freedom and any one could criticize the government but requested not to act in a manner to harm the ethnic unity.

He made this remark at a meeting held with the heads of media institutions at the Temple Trees in the morning.

“ You can criticize the government but don’t write in a manner that could create ethnic hatred and also tarnish the image of the country internationally”, he said.