President Maithripala Sirisena is to appoint a Presidential Commission to investigate the attacks on journalists and media organizations which were carried out during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s rule.
The Presidential Commission will be tasked with probing the attacks on several journalists including Poddala Jayantha, as well as the attacks on Sirasa TV and Lankaenews.
Meanwhile, speaking at the US Institute of Peace, Washington DC on Friday, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said that the investigation into the killing of Sunday Leader Editor Lasantha Wickrematunga was moving extremely well.
“But for obvious reasons, and until the suspects are rounded, the details are curtailed. But I assure you that the investigations of Lasantha Wickrematunga and Prageeth Ekneligoda are moving forward,” he added.
Samaraweera also went on to claim that there was ‘total and absolute’ freedom for the media to write as they wish in Sri Lanka since the change of government.
Incidentally, his statement about media freedom in the country comes just weeks after Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe lashed out at a television channel and newspapers, where he said that if they don’t stop their nonsense he will take them on and also demanded a journalist to go home for writing an article asking him to give up his party leadership.
Incidentally, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, who is alleged to have been involved in several attacks against journalists was given a ministerial portfolio by the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration this week, raising questions about the independence and authenticity of such inquiries.
Adam Ant / February 27, 2016
What is the point in appointing another one of ‘those’ Commissions, when all that has o be done is to allow the Police to sort out their evidence and prosecute the guilty?
‘Commissions’, as we have seen through the years, have been a waste of time and money and are mainly used to appease the public. Most of them fade into oblivion without anything of value resulting from their existence.
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shankar / February 27, 2016
adam,you are wrong.Without a commission it is difficult to pass a motion in parliament.However i agree that they should not overdo it cos that may result in loose motions that will severely damage the country.
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Adam Ant / February 27, 2016
Shankar, why would a “motion in Parliament” be required if a crime is committed and the guilty are charged and prosecuted in courts?
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shankar / February 28, 2016
adam
“why would a “motion in Parliament” be require”
aren’t our parliamentarians also human beings.Do you expect them to hold it up till they get home.Then we will become like india just after they got independence.A foreign traveller was travelling in the train when he saw scores of people squatting and passing their motions in the fields.He said how disgusting and why does the prime minister of india do something about this.His fellow indian traveller asked him can you see that guy squatting and having his motion.The foreigner said yes i can see him.Well,replied the indian,he is our prime minister.
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Amarasiri / February 28, 2016
RE: Sirisena To Appoint Presidential Commission To Probe Rajapaksa Era Media Attacks
We have a Presidential Commission Inflation.
Malinda Rajapaksa, instead f a Residential Commission, told Gotabel, Malli, Bump that guy off, and that guy was gone, either dead or missing for ever.
Different style of governance.
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Depen / February 27, 2016
so it is only for the media and journalists of the South and still very little hope for Justice for people of North
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Anoma de Fonseka / February 27, 2016
Maithripala Sirisena was a Senior Cabinet Minister in the MR Government until he left to contest the 2015 Presidential Election as the common candidate. During that period he was trying hard to be appointed as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. That was his main grievance with MR. Now he wants to appoint a Special Presidential Commission to probe into attacks on Journalists and Media Organisations in Sri Lanka during MR Regime. As a Senior Cabinet Minister hasn’t he got to take responsibility for these lapses as well ?
There were Journalists, like Richard de Zoysa killed when previous governments were in Power. Under the present Yahapalana Government the crime rate in Sri Lanka is still very high. Without wasting public funds to probe into the past, I think it will be best for the President to move forward and start developing the country and create employment opportunities to people of Sri Lanka. He should take tough action if there are any corrupt cabinet ministers and senior government officials in his government who abuse their power. People are sick of listening to the past politics now and he should put the past behind him and start developing the country to reduce the poverty rate in Sri Lanka.
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shankar / February 27, 2016
adam,you are wrong.Without a commission it is difficult to pass a motion in parliament.However i agree that they should not overdo it cos that may result in loose motions that will severely damage the country.
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shankar / February 27, 2016
anoma
“People are sick of listening to the past politics now”
they are even more sick that nobody has been charged,convicted and sent to jail for the rest of their miserable lives.
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Srilal / February 27, 2016
This is the main argument put forward by all the rouges i.e Thunmulle Booruwansa , Mahindanada A , Rohitha A et al , why ? they simply want the present regime to forget the past and get on with the development activities , we the majority people voted My3 and RW in for a special reason , that is to punish all the criminals first , then focus on the development path. without punishing the criminals , SL as a country wouldn’t be able to move an inch , current yahapalana lot would do the same thing as they know no body would dare to touch any of them , this cycle must be stopped .father of all Criminals ,our Mafia king must be caged for life , this would send a strong signal to rest of the potential criminals to be . Gota the serial killer is already in hot water after the cops revelation , Gota the goon must pay for all his sins .
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Leelawathie / February 27, 2016
Here you are wrong. Recalling the manner MR hadled all these towarded the President, you perfectly know and could know that nobody else was given chance to share their thought but their siblings only. Mr 30% was above the law and he was the first MR contacted in implementing anything and everything. As if you are born yesterday, to add this kind of two cts worth is ridiculous to my eye.
They did whatever they was right. Nobody else nor MY3 as minister was given a chance to do anything by their own. It was truly saying 100% totalitarian regime that MR held to the end. Today, as if he did everything better – is being explained. MR is not an honest person. He says something on day light and does the otherway around being close to his underground net work- WHICH they call so called joint opposition. Those joint-oppo canddiates are beyond all ethics and morals. They have done all kind of higher abuses.
Giving you an example… HOw Mahindananada as a minister became a multi millionar should be a magic as JVPers are pointing out it clearly. Mahindananada had been working for a 1500 rps in 1989 – but the very same person having a minister level post not having done anyhting else to collect over 500 million assets should be made clear through investigations. Basta.
Current regime is right- they focus on the issues that people have kept the faith on. At least with bakala kakul manner they move forward. Right at the moment, the son of most powerful man of the nation thought in the recent past has been in the custody. Now his neck is being tightened while all what had been not clear coming to surface. Who may have murdered that sportler etc are being investigated. Gone are the days that the idiots gave no what so ever chances for any kind of investigations. At least now it seesm to be functioning.
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Samarasekera / February 28, 2016
Well said !
When My3pala was the minister of health he made a statement saying that he was aware of the mafia operating inside the health Ministry but he was powerless to do anything about it. These are the spineless faggots who lead our country into the opposite of prosperity.
The man will soon fade into oblivion with his Yahapalanaya colleagues and will be solely responsible for lanka’s next troublesome future.
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Banjiappu / February 28, 2016
There will be no more MR style regime if the current rulers would restore law and order properly… already they have achieved a lot. Wait and see. You guys have no knowledge to see it. Just ones get decieved to rice packets cant see it beyond. Else would not have added the kind of contents.
Just now after listening what Cope has to say- they confirm the magnitude of the corruption qaukes are beyond all margins. No whatso ever feasiblity or proof records are maintained but billions of peoples funds have been abused.
If you guys have a brain the size of a needle head, should question yourself as to why the bugger et al regime did not keep any record fo ranything. Be it Airline related or CB oranyother projects, no records had been maintained. Current rulers are helpless when start to find the proof materials. JVPrs prove the situaton of the country today clearly.
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Non PhD / February 27, 2016
Anoma De Fonseka,
Why then Rajapakses are using the war winning past to get back to power by any means using race , religion and language and spewing anti west, anti US, anti India venoms?
Saving a lady from rebels capture from 2005 to 2009 does not give licence to molest and rape that lady from 2009 to 2014.
Changing the constitution by buying over MPs to win elections and stay in power for more than 10 years, amazing wealth through political influence and corruption, making law and order secondary and many other illegal or immoral acts.
If a building is sinking need proper investigations to learn and to come out with proper design and re construction.
The best way out for Rajapakses regime is to gracefully retire from politics or for a new party and beg people to elect them with out using the race, religion and language cards. Also guaranteeing law and order through ammendments to the constitution
Then the country can go forward with necessary development work with the help of international community.
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dharamapala / February 27, 2016
the present government has two opinions president and foreign minister want the criminal to face the court case, but prime minister and minister of justice not allowing case to go forward , purpose of good governance.
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PURAWESIYA / February 27, 2016
WE HEARD THE PRESIDENT TELLING IN GERMANY THAT SRI LANKA MEDIA IS TAKING MEAN ADVANTAGE………. OF THE MEDIA FREEDOM HE HAS GRANTED THE SRI LANKAN JOURNALISTS ………..WHEREAS THE PRIME MINISTER OVER HERE IN SRI LANKA IS HACKING ,INSULTING AND TERRORISING THE JOURNALISTS OF PAPER AND THE ELECTRONIC MEDIA COUNTRY….WE CANNOT THINK OF A PRIME MINISTER BEHAVING LIKE THIS……. SUCH A TERROR..NOT ALLOWING HIS OPPONENTS TO TALK……AND NOW AGAIN THE PRESIDENT IS TO APPOINT COMMISSIONS…WHY WITH TELLING LIES TO FOREIGNERS ….WHAT A JOKE…..WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THE DEMOCRACY OF THIS COUNTRY……. …..A PARLIMENT FULL OF MPs’ WHO HAVE BEEN REJECTED BY PEOPLE …WITH NO PROPER OPPOSITION……….WHERE IS THIS COUNTRY HEADING FOR………..A DICTATORSHIP?
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Jim softy / February 27, 2016
Maithripala Sirisena is screwing up he himself.
Media is a tool used by outsiders for outsiders benefit to promote their agenda.Because, outsiders want to mingle in domestic affairs.
Media attacks are common in India and even in turkey which is a democratic muslim country. In relation to those countries, Sri lanka had treated journalists very well.
Even though these special interest groups like Free media journalists which is a christian organization promotes Ekneligoda as a Journalist he was promoting LTTE agenda partial to the Church.
In Sri lanka, Journalists, BASL and many NGOs are working for outside organizations that include LTTE rump, church and western intelligence agencies.
Sri lanka should investigate murders that happened because of the church’s influence.
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Native Vedda / February 27, 2016
Jim softy
“Ekneligoda as a Journalist he was promoting LTTE agenda partial to the Church.”
Is that why LTTE lost the war?
“Maithripala Sirisena is screwing up he himself.”
Is it physically possible?
“In Sri lanka, Journalists, BASL and many NGOs are working for outside organizations that include LTTE rump, church and western intelligence agencies.”
You must be exceptionally clever to identify the issue where others have failed.
What do the outside organisations want from this country? Are they planning to steal the Buddha Sasana from you?
How do you intend to stop them? In case if you can’t then what?
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E Stoner / February 28, 2016
To: Jim (Loud) Softly.
What do you mean ” promoting LTTE agenda partial to the church”.
What church are you talking about ????????
Is it the Catholic church.???????????
What do you mean “Sri Lanka should investigate murders that happened because of the church’s influence. “
Are you trying to whip up some kind of religious riot once more you pea brained idiot.
Sri Lanka should investigate how pea brained idiots like you came into being. Ugly, pea brained, buffoon, use your little underdeveloped brain to bring PEACE & HARMONY to your country. Stop injecting the poison of hatred amongst your countrymen and use a antidote to heal the past and obtain PEACE.
Take a bath in the sea so that the salt water will clean you up and for the sake of God and your countrymen develop a lasting PEACE because the PEACE you now have is very fragile.
May the God of all creation take away the plank from your eyes you IDIOT.
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PURAWESIYA / February 28, 2016
YEAH! E Stoner………God is there you are correct .He has shown already who exactly Eknalegoda is?A creation of the LTTE…………Now we all have got to know except the present GOSL and supporters of LTTE.
A sector from the Roman Catholic Church in Sri Lanka mostly the Tamil Clergy has been supporting the LTTE openly from a very long time whereas the Colombo Bishop Palace has been keeping a blind eye.WHY?We all have been observing this. Now after the war they are trying to get the HARDcore LTTE suspects released from the Prison showing to the world that they are Political prisoners.And now the GOSL and the Catholic Church keeping a blind eye.WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THESE PEOPLE TRYING TO GET THE LTTE HARDCORE SUSPECTS RELEASED.ARE THEY GOING TO CONTEST THE NEXT ELECTION?May god help us to eradicate the terrorists outfits forever……AND give Us PEACE for All.
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Anoma de Fonseka / February 29, 2016
I have read with interest the comments made against what I have written.
I would like to let all of them know,if MR was so bad, why the present President and half of the present cabinet stick with him ? If they were genuine politicians they should have all resigned from their positions. All of them held their positions and enjoyed the perks and now speak against MR.
For the lapses of the previous government, the former President and the entire cabinet has to take responsibility.
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