‘Local code of media ethics will be introduced’
Nadira GUNATILLEKE
“President Mahinda Rajapaksa who is a true Sri Lankan from Medamulana
will not accept a code of media ethics imported from the UK, as
suggested by the Opposition Leader. A local code of media ethics
formulated by Sri Lankan journalists, academics etc to match local
requirements is to be introduced this year,” Cabinet Spokesman and Media
Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said.
Addressing the weekly Cabinet press briefing held at the Government
Information Department Auditorium yesterday, Minister Rambukwella said
that the government will not introduce a code of media ethics by force.
The process of formulating a code of ethics will be open. Proposals,
suggestions, opinions and ideas of all will be obtained and all relevant
persons and groups ,such as, journalists, scholars etc are to be
consulted while forming the code of media ethics.
According to Minister Rambukwella, arrangements will also be made to
establish an authority in order to cut down the procedures followed by
the Government Information Department. Once the authority is
established, the process of taking decisions will become speedier, short
and smooth. The main objective of establishing code of ethics and
authority is operating with a future vision for the development of media
and to remove all hazards (if there are any) which prevent the
development of media.
“The so called ‘Umbrella Organization’ of media personnel have around
1400 members ,but, they do not know what this media organization is or
what it is doing. None of the office bearers of this organization are in
Sri Lanka. They are all abroad. Sri Lankan people have very clear
experience on how some sections of the ‘media’ and ‘journalists’ behaved
during the humanitarian operation. The history is very bitter. They did
their best to destroy the country, people and the government and
attacked our Armed Forces. Some ‘journalists’ were on the payroll of
some international forces and acted against their motherland”, Minister
Rambukwella said.
“They said the body of Prabhakaran was not his and it that was the
body of someone elses. They lied even after watching the body themselves
and said Prabhakaran was rescued by a country. Some accounts belonging
to NGOs are under the tag of ‘social services’. But the people’s
judgement is the most powerful entity.
‘The matter will be judged by the people when it is presented to the
people’s court. But the majority of the media and journalists extended
their fullest support to the country and its people during the
humanitarian operation”, Minister Rambukwella added. |