The commitment of politicians to protect media freedom is a highly debatable one and given the views coming out of the country’s Legislature last week, it is obvious that those who champion the cause of press freedom while in opposition want to control it when in power.
So, it was not surprising that the Speaker W.J.M.Lokubandara himself told MPs, that doing away with the powers the legislature once had to summon to parliament and take punitive action against errant editors and journalists, was one of the most foolish acts they committed.
The repeal of such draconian laws which would have been hailed as progressive in any democratic society, sadly was seen as a “foolish act” by the Speaker himself, who sounded eager to retain the supremacy of the Legislature even if it meant snuffing out the voices of dissent, if Parliamentarians thought they should not be heard.
The Speaker’s comments came during cross talk that took place when non cabinet Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywradena used the floor on Thursday to clarify a statement he made at a news conference a day earlier, which he said was misreported in a state run newspaper. Quite correctly JVP Parliamentary Group leader Anura Dissanayaka objected to Minister Abeywardena using the Legislature to clarify a matter that had no relevance to Parliament, pointing out that Opposition members too then should be allowed to do the same. The Speaker himself seems to have erred by allowing a “ministerial statement” of that nature. The Speaker later said he would only allow ministerial statements if he was given prior written notice of them after lamenting the fact the MPs have deprived themselves the right to punish journalists.
But as the JVP member said the Media Minister could have got the newspaper to carry a correction by calling up the editor of the newspaper that carried the incorrect news item or even held another news conference to clarify what he had said a day earlier without taking up the time of the House.
The decision of the Government to reactivate the Sri Lanka Press Council drew fire from the Opposition benches, while the Leader of the House Nimal Siripala De Silva said the media could not be allowed unbridled freedom. “When the media has freedom, there should be recourse for the aggrieved parties as well, which is why bodies like Press Councils are needed,” he said.
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress MP Rauff Hakeem however cautioned against the activation of the Press Council saying at a time when the media is being liberated all over the world, such control was not needed.
Last week Parliament also approved the Chief of Defence Staff Bill to give legal power to the military post which would be second only to that of the President who is Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces.
Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanyake said new laws were needed for better co-ordination among the three armed forces and the Ministry of Defence.
Even though the Bill was supported by all parties, UNP MP John Amaratunga said it entrusted too much power on the Ministry of Defence Secretary adding that such a Bill makes it virtually impossible for a person from a non military background to ever hold the post of Defence Secretary in the future.
Under the provisions of the Bill, the CDS needs to function subject to the authority, direction, control and supervision of the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence.
MP Wimal Weerwansa said the law was needed to avoid terrorism from raising its head again in the country. “We have eliminated terrorism but there are those still trying to sow the seeds of terrorism once again in this land. We should never allow that to happen,” he said.
TNA parliamentary group leader R. Sampanthan said the enactment of such laws would lead to more militarization and that the problems of the Tamils needed to be dealt with politically and not militarily. |
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