Private media violating polls laws - UPFA
 

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

The UPFA yesterday charged that private electronic and print media institutions were completely violating the election laws and carrying programmes supportive of Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.

"Even at this moment, several private sector print and electronic media institutions are shamelessly telecasting advertisements and discussions which are entirely biased towards the UNP candidate. Even those who clamour for the free media are silent," UPFA General Secretary Minister Susil Premajayantha told a media briefing at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute yesterday.

As the election campaign ended on Monday's night, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse even refused to give a comment to Lakhanda over the telephone to mark its 10th anniversary on Tuesday. He clearly showed his unassuming nature and his respect for the Election Law, Premajayantha said.

"We have to question various Non-Governmental Institutions and some political parties who always accuse the State media as to what they have to say on the biased reporting of private media institutions.

Some electronic media and FM channels have become unpopular among the public due to these acts," the Minister said. "We never hate these media institutions. But People can clearly see the morality of UPFA candidate Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse and the immoral behaviour of the UNP backed private media institutions," he noted.

The Minister commenting on a statement made by UNP Parliamentarian Prof. G.L. Peiris who had accused the UPFA of trying to send 300 Army deserters to Jaffna to disrupt election proceedings and incite violence said since the UPFA candidate will definitely win the Presidential Election, they had no intention whatsoever to make even a trivial attempt to disrupt the election.

The UPFA election campaign conducted during the past two months has clearly shown this. The UPFA has not violated election laws. "We don't want to focus any attention on such baseless allegations made by the UNP in the face of their defeat," he remarked.

"The UPFA has a lot of supporters belongs to EPDP, LSSP, Communist Party, SLFP and Tamil organisations which are fully backing the UPFA candidate. The reports of PAFFREL and EU election observers point out that there were many incidents of the violation of Election Laws and poll rigging in North-East areas at the previous General Election.

In addition the representatives of the TULF and the EPDP had been chased away from the polling centres.

"In this context, we requested the Elections Commissioner to provide us facilities and security to appoint representatives from the EPDP and other political parties from outside areas to polling centres established in Jaffna. The Election Commissioner has agreed to our request. However, the UNP attempted to distort this fact to mislead the public."

Intelligent Tamil youth who seek to safeguard their democratic rights have extended their fullest support to the Prime Minister. "We are confident that Prime Minister will obtain over 60 per cent votes at this Presidential Election."

JVP Propaganda Secretary Wimal Weerawansa said the UNP was distorting his statements and telecasting them through their friendly private TV and FM channels to gain their narrow political advantages. These private media institutions have allocated their full airtime for the UNP candidate by insulting even to country's election law.