Sri Lanka News Updates with Discussions

By Supun Dias

SLRC employees and media rights groups yesterday staged a protest opposite the state television station to agitate against the assault on its news director by Minister Mervyn Silva and an alleged attempt by the CID to track down those involved in the alleged assault on the Minister.

?The CID took away all the video tapes of Thursday`s episode recorded by the Rupavahini and an inquiry is underway,? Sri Lanka Working Journalist Association (SLWJA) convener Poddala Jayantha said during the protest claiming that now there was an attempt by the government to intimidate the Rupavahini staff.

?Video footage of the incident was not telecast in the main Rupavahini news bulletin on Thursday night owing to government pressure,? SLWJA Rupavahini representative Kanchana Marasinghe said.

The protestors including news director T.M.G. Chandrasekara urged the government to remove non Cabinet Minister Mervyn Silva from his portfolio and asked whether there was an attempt to protect him despite the commotion he created inside the state institution.

?All media institutions got together for the first time in media history against a Minister,? Mr. Jayantha said.

Meanwhile the JHU Central Committee member Ven. Hadigalle Vimalashanthi Thera who was also among the protestors said the JHU had already urged the government and President Mahinda Rajapakse to remove the Minister from his portfolio.

The Sri Lanka Tamil Working Journalist Association, Sri Lanka Muslim Working Journalist Association, Free Media Movement and several civil groups participated in the protest campaign.