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by Nadira Gunatilleke

"I never issue orders over the phone and dominate the mass media. The Government does not interfere with the administrations of State owned or private media institutions" said Mass Media Minister Imtiasz Bakeer Markar.

He was addressing a media conference held on the theme of creating a positive image of women in society, the responsibility of the media in minimizing violence against women, its legal provisions and the media responsibility on reporting women's issues for the benefit of the society organised by the Women's Affairs Ministry and held at the Sri Lanka Institute of International Affairs on Thursday.

Minister Bakeer Markar said that there is a significant change in the field of mass communications today. The Prime Minister or the Cabinet ministers do not call media institutions and interfere."As Mass Communication Minister I have never done it", he added.

"The Press Council has been terminated and a new Press Council Commission has been established enabling journalists to work independently. They should be practised self censorship. The same rule should be implemented when publishing, telecasting and broadcasting things related to women.

Women's Affairs Minister Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake said that women are being contempted by the society. Violence against women has increased and most of the husbands believe and expect that their wives should do all the household chores.

These type of inaccurate concepts should be changed. The mass media should provide legal education to women. More television programmes should be produced for the use of women. The whole society should contribute to build a positive image for women, she added.

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