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| Monday, 21 June 2004 |
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The Government of the day is entitled to a voice of its own and the people of this country have the right to the freedom of information of the news and views of the Government, the Heads of Government media institutions said yesterday. They said the people have a right to know the truth without the dilution and misrepresentations that anyone can clearly see that sections of the private owned media are having recourse to, almost on a daily routine orchestrated basis. In a response to a media release by the 'Free Media Movement' (FMM) published in the Daily Mirror of June 16 and the Island of June 17 under the headlines 'FMM lashes out at Government and 'FMM slams Mangala', the government media chiefs said it was their national and constitutional obligation to provide the people with correct news and views of the Government of the day. They also had a duty to expose the ulterior motives of elements seeking to prevent the people from receiving the benefits and their mandate being executed. The statement was signed by Hudson Samarasinghe (Chairman, Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation), Janadasa Peiris (Chairman, Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd), M. M. Zuhair (Chairman, Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation) and Newton Gunaratne (Chairman, Independent Television Network Ltd). The statement: "The FMM has accused the new Media Minister for statements attributed to him at a discussion with Heads of Public Broadcasting and Print Media institutions and media officials. We wish to state that the statement of the FMM is based on incorrect facts attributed to the Media Minister. "It is undoubtedly clear that the FMM has acted negligently in that it has failed to verify the facts either from the Minister or anyone of us. "We have noted with deep concern that certain elements had been time and again resorting to unethical tactics to defeat the people's mandate granted by the largest segment of the people of this country to the new Government. "This mandate is based on the manifesto of the United People's Freedom Alliance, which was placed before the people of this country at the April 2004 General Election and received the acceptance of the largest majority of the people of this country. "Regrettably, the same elements have clearly been supportive of the obstructionist activities of the opposition aimed at destabilising the new people's Government, utilising both the electronic and print media to encourage and support the acts of the main Opposition party in Parliament. " These elements have abused the freedom of expression to undermine the people's mandate, and to thwart the efforts of the Government to fulfil the mandate of the people. "We consider it as our national and constitutional obligation not only to provide the people with correct news and views of the Government of the day, but also to expose the ulterior motives of elements, seeking to prevent the people from receiving the benefits and their mandate being executed. "We wish to underline the fact that the people have elected a Government on a specific mandate and the public sector broadcasters and print media have an obligation to disseminate the Government's news and views as a representative spectrum of the voice of the people of this country. " We will continue to discharge this people's mandated task without any hesitation." |
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