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JHU backs Da Vinci Code ban
By Dhananjani Silva
The Jathika Hela Urumaya is backing President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s move to ban the movie ‘Da Vinci Code’ in Sri Lanka. JHU media secretary Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe told The Sunday Times that his party believed the President had taken the right decision because as the leader of the country he should also be concerned about religious sensitivities of the people.

“If the movie had been screened in Sri Lanka, it would have hurt the feelings of some people,” he said adding that his party did not believe that an artiste should have unlimited freedom.

“Freedom of expression does not mean freedom to harm others, especially to a community or a religion,” Mr. Warnasinghe said. He said his party believed there should be a national policy to regulate films as many unsavoury movies were imported and screened in the country.

Although JHU has welcomed the ban, human rights and media activists have lashed out at the President’s decision. Describing the President’s decision as a dictatorial act, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) says the President did not have any powers under the Constitution or under any law to ban a film.

The Free Media Movement in a statement said it was opposed to all forms of censorship that restrict the freedom of expression. “We urge the President to call on the Public Performances Board to carry out its mandate by reviewing the film ‘Da Vinci Code’ and then take a decision in terms of the Public Performances Act,” the FMM said.

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