{"id":112791,"date":"2013-11-01T20:39:42","date_gmt":"2013-11-01T15:09:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=112791"},"modified":"2013-11-02T00:28:03","modified_gmt":"2013-11-01T18:58:03","slug":"working-journos-contradict-exercises-right-of-reply","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/working-journos-contradict-exercises-right-of-reply\/","title":{"rendered":"Working Journos Contradict Exercises \u2018Right Of Reply\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ranga Jayasuriya<\/a><\/span>, General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association (SLWJA) has responded to the story published by Colombo Telegraph titled \u2018Sunil Jayasekera\u2019s Lie Exposed, Park Arrest Tipped Off By Working Journos<\/a><\/span>\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Ranga Jayasuriya (left) Army Commander Daya Ratnayake ( right)<\/p><\/div>\n

Considering the letter emailed to us by Jayasuriya, Colombo Telegraph put to him a set of questions relevant to the claims and counter-claims.\u00a0 CT assured Jayasuriya that his letter would be published in full along with the questions and his responses to the same.\u00a0 He has refused to respond, insisting that we honour his right of reply.<\/p>\n

CT has decided to carry both letter and the questions.\u00a0 It is now up to Jayasuriya to respond in the public domain.<\/p>\n

The following is the statement submitted by Jayasuriya.<\/p>\n

Reference to your story, titled \u201cSunil Jayasekera\u2019s Lie Exposed, Park Arrest Tipped Off By Working Journos,\u201d I wish to respond on behalf of the\u00a0 Sri Lanka Working Journalist Association (SLWJA).<\/p>\n

Your reference that \u201cImmigration authorities had been tipped off about Park\u2019s visa issue by elements in organisations that are full members of the IFJ, disgruntled over continued preference of the IFJ for an affiliate (FMM) over member organizations,\u201d is wholly inaccurate and false.\u00a0 SLWJA is one of the full members of the IFJ.<\/p>\n

SLWJA has been maintaining an extremely cordial and productive working relationship with fellow \u00a0Sri Lankan media organizations, including the FMM.<\/p>\n

We have \u00a0been in touch with Jacqui during her stay in Sri Lanka and In fact, I as the general secretary of the SLWJA met Jacqui on Monday, a day before the said seminar \u00a0organized by the FMM got underway.<\/p>\n

The representatives from FMM, FMETU, SAFMA, SAWM and SLWJA were present at the GalleFace Hotel throughout Wednesday night, \u00a0until the end of questioning of Jacqui, Jane and Sunil by \u00a0\u00a0immigration authorities and CID.\u00a0 SLWJA\u00a0 along with other media associations in Sri Lanka which comes under banner of the Alliance of Media Associations are planning on the future course of action over the excessive measures deployed by the government apparatus against our colleagues. Therefore any effort to suggest that local media activists have tipped off Jacqui\u2019s visit is patently inaccurate.<\/p>\n

Also let me add that your reportage on this whole episode – the interrogation of Jacqueline Park, her colleague and the Convener of Free Media Movement, Sunil Jayasekara- is, disturbing, venomous and, I am afraid, is \u00a0\u00a0driven by vested interest. \u00a0The tread of emails you have reproduced is putting the security of media activists at risk.\u00a0 That is unbecoming of a journalist who has claimed asylum abroad over the precarious security situation back home.<\/p>\n

Last but not least, we believe that personal vendetta should not blind the writer or Colombo Telegraph as a whole in their coverage of this incident.\u00a0 We expect Colombo Telegraph would play by the basic rules\u00a0 of journalism of balanced and accurate coverage, while not compromising the security of local journalists and media activists. \u00a0Thank you<\/p>\n

Ranga Jayasuriya,\u00a0General Secretary\/ Sri Lanka Working Journalist Association<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The following are the questions CT put to Jayasuriya:<\/p>\n

1.You say, “Your reference that \u201cImmigration authorities had been tipped off about Park\u2019s visa issue by elements in organisations that are full members of the IFJ, disgruntled over continued preference of the IFJ for an affiliate (FMM) over member organizations,\u201d is wholly inaccurate and false.\u00a0 SLWJA is one of the full members of the IFJ.”<\/p>\n

On what basis do you say that this is wholly inaccurate?<\/p>\n

2. You claim, “SLWJA has been maintaining an extremely cordial and productive working relationship with fellow Sri Lankan media organizations, including the FMM.”<\/p>\n

Why did you and the SLWJA boycott the said event?<\/p>\n

3. You say; \u2018We have\u00a0 been in touch with Jacqui during her stay in Sri Lanka and In fact, I as the general secretary of the SLWJA met Jacqui on Monday, a day before the said seminar\u00a0 organized by the FMM got underway.\u2019<\/p>\n

Are you contradicting what Sunil Jayasekera, Convenor of the Free Media Movement who claimed that Park and another IFJ member were originally not assigned to take part in the workshop organized by them?\u00a0\u201cAfter hearing that they were in the country we (FMM) decided to request for their presence at the workshop. They did not come here on an invitation extended by us,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

4.You say; Also let me add that your reportage on this whole episode – the interrogation of Jacqueline Park, her colleague and the Convener of Free Media Movement, Sunil Jayasekara- is, disturbing, venomous and, I am afraid, is\u00a0 driven by vested interest.<\/p>\n

Can you be specific ? What do you mean by – driven by vested interest?<\/p>\n

5. You say, \u2018The tread of emails you have reproduced is putting the security of media activists at risk.\u2019<\/p>\n

How so ? How do you think we got these emails?<\/p>\n

6. You say It is \u2018unbecoming of a journalist who has claimed asylum abroad over the precarious security situation back home.\u2019<\/p>\n

Can you be specific?<\/p>\n

7. You say, \u2018we believe that personal vendetta should not blind the writer or Colombo Telegraph as a whole in their coverage of this incident.\u2019<\/p>\n

What is this personal vendetta? Can you explain ?<\/p>\n

Related posts;<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bitter War In The IFJ: Park\u2019s Perk Man Blames IFJ President For Arrest And Says IFJ Rigs Elections<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Leaked Emails Show Park Entered Sri Lanka For Workshops And SL Media Orgs Fighting Each Other<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Sunil Jayasekera\u2019s Lie Exposed, Park Arrest Tipped Off By Working Journos<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Jacqueline Park Caught Violating Immigration Laws; Previous Violations Being Investigated<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

IFJ Love Hana And Hate Frederica, So No Statements On Ceylon Today And Sunday Leader Issues<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Sunanda Saga, States Of Denial And NGO Accountability<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

How Sunanda Robbed Money And Rs 30.9 million Unaudited FMM<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[…]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":112795,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,1,2375],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-112791","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-colombotelegraph","category-news","category-stories"],"yoast_head":"\nWorking Journos Contradict Exercises \u2018Right Of Reply\u2019 - Colombo Telegraph<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/working-journos-contradict-exercises-right-of-reply\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Working Journos Contradict Exercises \u2018Right Of Reply\u2019 - 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