Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who has from time to time lambasted the media since coming to power, once again took on the media on Saturday, warning certain media organizations against playing with his government, and also threatening to reveal names of certain journalists who were benefited financially during the previous government.
Ranil with journalists | File photo
Speaking at an event held in Kandy on Saturday, Wickremesinghe said that certain print media organizations were conspiring against the current government because they (journalists) too have been hit since the change of governments.
“Some of the rogues are trying to overthrow the government, and this includes print media journalists who are conspiring against the government. Over the next few days, I will reveal names of these journalists who were benefited from the previous government. These journalists ate with them and even took money,” Wickremesinghe said.
Wickremesinghe also criticized two leading English language newspapers in the country, the Daily Mirror and the Financial Times. “The Daily Mirror is telling us to remove Mangala Samaraweera as Foreign Minister. Sometime back, even the Daily Mirror editor said I should quit. I think she is the one who should go, if not we must see what we can do about it,” he said.
Wickremesinghe also criticized the Financial Times saying it too was playing a part in conspiring against the Government. “If rogues are trying to topple the government then we are ready to take on them,” the Prime Minister declared.
“Do not play with this government, we came to power with a mandate from the people, if they tell us to leave in five years, then we will, but we won’t go just because rogues wants us to leave,” Wickremesinghe added.
max / July 25, 2016
So much so to the media freedom! What if MR did give the same statement? Then the lipton circus would have been surrounded by so called ‘free media’ organizations demanding an apology. Non stop messages will pour from the embassies of UK, US, German, Norway et el of condemning the “actions to curtail media freedom by the state”. ‘Rathu sahos’ will surely be in the streets with placards saying various things – that even they themselves dont understand. Last but not least, the keyboard heros of CT will want an “international court'” to investigate the motives behind the statement and demand an immediate lockup of MR.
Press freedom in yahapalana way!
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Seelawathie Jayasinghe / July 25, 2016
Maxes will take few more years to get it – but the most gullible the innocient targets deserve to get the truths but truths.
Freedom of press is not that allow Pro-RajapKSHE media mafia to continue the way, they kept the information away from the majority folks. Today, we the right thinking ones are becoming clear that there should be somee barriers in media branch that stand on the way of free media men o fthis country. So what is wrong with PM revealing those names to the very nation, once had been made fools by Rajaakshe thugs.
Maxes will stay mum even if their mums would have been whitevanned to protect the Rajaakshe or the like thugs, but we are very clear this country has got increasing numbers of people that trust their belly feeling further being manipulated by Rajapakshe media units.
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max / July 25, 2016
Whooooo the hell are you to define what is free media Aseelawathie?? What do you know about media freedom stupid old woman? Do you think media freedom is something that ‘praise yahapalanaya, praise yahapalanaya and again praise yahapalanaya’? Kesara Abeywardhane is a well known journalist with a good track record. In fact DM gives more prominent to this tasteless govt who do nothing but keep opening the projects that their predecessors have initiated. Just because Kesara A gives a portion in his newspaper to MR faction of SLFP, does that mean he’s a ‘henchman’ of Rajapakshes? Then what do you have to say about various media men who are in the pay roll of the current govt? And chameleon type buggers like Gamini Sumanasekara, Bandula Jayasekera?
The pity minded old lady Aseeawathie, you are filled with hatred and jealousy. Just seeing the name Rajapaksa is enough for you to go insane and become hysterical.
I think I was just right when I said, weeks back, Aseelawathie is a curse to mankind! Such an illiterate human(?) who has NO sense at all of what “balance” criticism is.
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Seelawathie Jayasinghe / July 25, 2016
You sound to be intoxicated by Rajakashe mantra.
We have enough of your kind in the country. You the men are undoubtedly a curse to this island nation.
Why you talk about a press freedom today ? though abusing it. We perfectly know that no abuduction of journalists are the case for today.
Learn to resect the older women – even if you the ilk cant do so.
Rajakashes bred you the kind of the idiots -over years, but today the environment is no friedly for you guys anymore.
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Samuel Jayaweera / July 25, 2016
Why is that you guys get even more aggressive when all is being shaped against Rajakashes the pal horu.
I fully agree with Seelawathie.. I have no doubt, all right thinking ones will follow her.
You guys, not being able to volumize your stolen monies… now make every efforts to continue licking the balls of former Alibaba and 40 thieves.
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max / July 26, 2016
Samuel, just an idea. Think of a marriage to Seela. Seriously a good match and of course productions too would be same as you two. And more votes for UNP in 18 years from now on. There’s another Jayasinghe lady who has the same gullible, stupid mindset of Seela and Sam Fernando could be the witnesses. I honestly wish both of you a green green future where there is no space for other opinions.
Make sure the bridal kit and the groom kit should be green and the invitees dress code also should be pure green.
Cheers
Oh now only I saw. There are few more buffaloes from the Ranil Bandwagon have opened their smelly mouths in order to save the real ugliness of Ranil Wick. Dan Fernando, Rarithoughts, punchiburampi, colin! You guys could be the best men, bridesmaids, flower girls, page boys etc., for this proposed wedding of the millennium!
Cheers again.
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Dan Fernando / July 26, 2016
As some commentators added above Max et al are the thugs that seem to continue their IRC work even today. They are so ignorant towards teh truth.
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Raritythoughts / July 26, 2016
Max how much you get paid ?
Do you think that the buggers could ever win the hearts of people ?
Cant you see the difference between today and in the days of Maharaja ?
Anyone with a bird brain would see it right … that those who looted and rooted the country for filling their own pockets should be charged ….. Merciless buggers to stand on the way of current rulers should be focused …
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Leelawathie / July 25, 2016
Maxes should be hung by their balls.. in order allow average to get truths through good media men. We perfectly know today, some progress in the line of media but PRO Raja men are still running their mafia media units being close to those men.
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Leelawathie / July 26, 2016
Can anybody please provide some more Grass to these Maxes..? They seem to have been intoxicated as no others. These are the wild weeds of the motherland.
As anybody sees it, today we dont read only about rulers but also more about the all hapankam of Alibaba and 40 thieves. Under MR rule we only heard about their siblings and the related hapankama if I may remind you.
But sadly, you guys seem to have been suffering from Amnesia as no others.
Meaning so long you guys are there in the country, – or the majority of the country… not much towards the progress of the nation.
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colin / July 25, 2016
Has media freedom that we enjoy now gone too far? Just sit back and reflect and be your own judge
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Sam Fernando / July 25, 2016
So long Maxes are the majority in the country, nothing will be changed towards the improvement of this nation.
Alone the manner MAX s comment attack the older women, I feel… Rajaashes have brainwashed these men.
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Punchiburamphi / July 25, 2016
You are right.
These men are like that Wimal Buruwas Or Gonthadi Gunawardhana, Wasidewa or Udaya Gembipila- they all have much in common in the areas of doing anything to be against any good moves.
If anyone would say – that the current rulers have done good things, which is a big lie. They have allowed journos to feel free… at least to some extent, but most of them seem to be abusing it –
Today we read more about Rajakashes and their so call activities than had been the case for the oppositon men under Rajaakashes.
Guys you remember the days, how Rajapakshe men attacked fact finding mission paid visit to Hambantota.
Guys you are not reborn, but should remember the days how they treated Opposition….. accusing of Unp that way… not giving chances them to react as it is the case for Joint distruction group of the current day.
People if they are all not punnaku eaters… they are not MAXEs… they should respect the freedom given to them. God save this country.
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okkomaekai / July 25, 2016
Ahem…Are not the two print media owned by his nephew/defmin ?
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Devasiri / July 25, 2016
The man who should be behind the bars for life for giving the country to Prabakaran thru Norweigian has crept to power by Crook & now like Batalanda style he is threatening the media.This is just the beginning.
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Sinchoappu / July 25, 2016
Meeharakas of your kind would ever believe so, not knowing how their media men supported them to paint the picture in favour of them. Very same media men do the job even today… to make the picture of stupid Rajaakshes to continue their thuggish agendas under Joint OPPO umbrella.
You the grass eaters will take longer to get this. Please open your yes.. dont let the nation become so stupid.
No sooner Media men will have to choose the way in favour of the majoirity – the days that those mafia links allow Rajaakshe media men to continue their proxy propaganda will find its ends.
Please all gods, help this nation to see it unbiased. Then only this nation can be brought forward allowing them to see dream coming true.
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Roshan / July 25, 2016
Good PM, we will teach the MR thief and his stinky friends who are crying for foul plan and dirty money a strong and much necessary lesson of their life..
we are ready to see these fake dirty people who just write and publish news,
We do have good neutral media but the people with cunning evil plan should be stopped.. we can read the news and understand whether they are friends of old thief or neutral opinion,. the way they put the words and break the news will expose who they really are?
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Benet / July 25, 2016
So media personal, authors and writers may not be criticised? Even when there is strong evidence of, say a journo working hand in glove with a nepotistic dictator? Or those who uncommented/unrelated publish the nonsensical daily blabber of those politicos who backed the former regime and who today face the brunt of the law?
Let’s face it, it is a fact: many of the media outlets in Sri Lanka are faulty, not only in terms of writing but in their research methods, if at all they engage in any… There are some who completly seem to make up their stories and some engage in the use of headlines which have nothing to do with the article thereunder…
What to do? There must be a proper code of ethics for the media in a Sri Lanka of the future. There must be public discouragement – do not use/buy the said faulty media. And there must be a penalty code for misconduct.
So, Ranil, why don’t you copy yourself one such code, say from Norway or Finland. Both countries in which the media are supposed to have very high standards in the ethics of publishing. Also a godd idea: Found a School for Journalism and hire some internatioanlly famed Journos to tutor there!
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vigilante man / July 26, 2016
Well said RW. These journalists were in the payroll of the corrupt previous regime. Obviously you have not given them free laptops and string hoppers at Temple Trees at government expense like what MR did. Time to bring in a strict code of professional ethics for these bastards and to ensure that the code is strictly regulated. Gutter journos appear to be the most vociferous in SL at the moment because the crooked benefits are no longer being given to them. These pro]icks need to have a lesson in distinguishing between fact and fiction and taught what integrity, truth, objectivity and unbiased reporting mean. I would start by investigating Malinda S who appears to have always been in the pocket of the MR clan with other pricks like Bandula J, HLDM and KAS, the club of well known rogues.
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sr / July 26, 2016
People, especially ladies say your body language doesn’t show a good leader inside you.
Ladies inspire, be careful and far sighted.
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maalumiris / July 26, 2016
Aiyo! Mr. Prime Minister
Even our Western Masters don’t threaten the likes of Fox News and those critical of their policies as you and the President have just seem to have done.
And here you are.. “going to see what can be done about it”, is it ?
Suggestion : Why not reinstate that fleet of white vans and be done with those who have the effrontery to critique Yahapalanaya ?
To the devil with “Press Freedom” and the Fifth Estate.. these were all pre-election promises and can be easily dispensed with, just as “No More Corruption” was
Best of Luck !!!
PS : I agree with you – those who critique us must be silenced permanently. Either by gifting laptops and string hoppers or by more persuasive and permanent actions. We must show these fellows that we are not to be trifled with. That despite all our so called “Enlightened Western Sensibilities”, we are still no better than everyone that came before us.
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Katie / July 27, 2016
Media freedom is one thing, misusing media freedom is another? so media should also take care what to write and what not to. Just because there is media freedom they think that they can just write anything and everything. They give publicity to politicians far too much than the normal citizens needs.
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