Sri Lanka: Freedom of Sri Lankan and foreign journalists and press agencies to seek information from independent sources (not under the control of the government) and to verify for themselves information regarding ethnic minorities; membership of the Free Media Movement (FMM) and history of organization; whether the organization has experienced problems with the Sri Lankan authorities (1998-1999)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 July 1999 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | LKA32036.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Sri Lanka: Freedom of Sri Lankan and foreign journalists and press agencies to seek information from independent sources (not under the control of the government) and to verify for themselves information regarding ethnic minorities; membership of the Free Media Movement (FMM) and history of organization; whether the organization has experienced problems with the Sri Lankan authorities (1998-1999), 1 July 1999, LKA32036.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6aae61c.html [accessed 21 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
No reports of any restriction of the freedom of Sri Lankan and foreign journalists and press agencies to seek information from independent sources (not under the control of the government) and to verify for themselves information regarding ethnic minorities could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. For general information regarding freedom of the press in Sri Lanka, please consult Section 2(a) of the entry on Sri Lanka in Country Reports, 1998.
A number of sources reported on the imposition of military censorship by the Sri Lankan government on 5 June 1998 (CPJ 31 Dec. 1998; ibid. 9 June 1998; IFEX 9 June 1998; Weekend Express 29-30 Aug. 1998). In December 1998 the military censor was replaced by a civilian official (The Hindu 12 Dec. 1998). However, two media reports indicated that the substantive effect of the Regulations was unchanged (Sunday Times 20 Dec. 1998; The Island 24 Dec. 1998). Identical, although non-official, copies of the Regulations appear in three sources (TamilNet 5 June 1998; IFEX 9 June 1998; The Island 24 Dec. 1998). The Regulations authorize the censorship of:
...any material containing any matter which pertains to any operations carried out or proposed to be carried out, by the Armed Forces or the Police Force (including the Special Task Force), the deployment of troops or personnel, or the deployment or use of equipment, including aircraft and naval vessels, by any such forces, or any statement pertaining to the official conduct or the performance of the Head or any member of any of the Armed Forces or the Police Force (ibid.).
According to Human Rights Watch:
Independent press coverage of the war has been difficult since 1995, when the Defense Ministry introduced regulations barring journalists from the north except during infrequent visits organized under military escort. In June, the situation deteriorated further when, for the third time under the People's Alliance (PA) government, strict censorship rules were imposed on war reporting, punishable under emergency regulations. This time the government also banned reporting on the conduct and transfer of security personnel. News services noted that background on the ethnic dynamics of the war was frequently censored (1999).
Information on the history and membership of the Free Media Movement (FMM) is scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. According to information received from the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX), the Free Media Movement stated the following in the 1998 IFEX Annual Report:
1998-99 has been a crucial year for the FMM. We have notched some landmark achievements during this year.
Firstly the FMM was instrumental in bringing together three other media organizations - The Editors Guild, The Publishers Association and the Working Journalists Association - and the FMM together in a three-day conference to finalize a joint agenda to expand freedom of expression in the country and to agree on a code of conduct for media practitioners. At the end of the three-day conference attended by members of international bodies such as ARTICLE 19, the Committee to Protect Journalists and the Commonwealth Press Union, the four organizations came out with a joint declaration called the "Colombo Declaration". The FMM also won two landmark judgements in the Supreme Court. The first was when the Supreme Court accepted that freedom of expression is freedom of thought which is an entrenched provision in the country's Constitution. In the second judgement the Supreme Court accepted that the right to vote is part of the freedom of expression. Freedom of expression is a guaranteed fundamental right in the constitution while the right to vote is not.
The FMM in 1997 also set up along with the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) an organization called the Centre for Monitoring Political Violence. In a short period of two years, the organization has become the most respected election monitoring organization (28 June 1999).
According to Article 19, as cited in an IFEX Action Alert, two journalists who are FMM members, "risk imprisonment for having reported on electoral malpractice (3 Feb. 1999)."
Although it does not specifically name the persons concerned as members of the FMM, a 7 May 1999 IPS report indicates that:
While the previous government used muscle power to silence critics, its successor has been going to the courts for justice. Four newspaper editors are embroiled in criminal defamation cases for reports on President Kumaratunga and her ministers.
No further information regarding the membership and history of the Free Media Movement (FMM) could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. Enquiries made to the Free Media Movement, Committee to Protect Journalists and Article 19 did not receive a response within the time constraints of this Response.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). 31 December 1998. "Country Report: Sri Lanka." [Internet]
_____. 9 June 1998. "CPJ News Alert: CPJ Denounces Sri Lankan Censorship."[Internet]
The Hindu [Madras]. 12 December 1998. V.S. Sambandan. "Military Censorship Ends in Sri Lanka." [Internet]
Human Rights Watch (HRW). 1999. World Report 1999. [Internet]
International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX). 1999. "1998 Annual Report Free Media Movement (FMM) Entry."
_____. 3 February 1999. "Action Alert - Sri Lanka; Ministers Threaten Election Monitoring Centre."
_____. 9 June 1998. "Action Alert - Government Institutes Censorship of Military News."[Internet]
Inter Press Service (IPS). 7 May 1999. Feizal Samath. "Media - Sri Lanka: Press Clamours Against Government Curbs." [Internet]
The Island (Mid Week Review). [Colombo]. 24 December 1998. "Military or Civilian Censorship, Chandika Rules the Media." [Internet]
The Sunday Times [Colombo]. 20 December 1998. Iqbal Athas. "Another Shady Deal Whilst Censorship Continues." [Internet]
TamilNet. 5 June 1998. "Emergency (Prohibition on Publication and Transmission of Sensitive Military Information) Regulations No. 1 of 1998." [Internet]
Weekend Express [Ratmalana]. 29-30 August 1998. Harry Goonetileke. "Censorship - A Means to an End." [Internet]
