July 2, 2008

Sri Lanka`s continuing attacks on the media is a conspiracy to discredit the government, President Mahinda Rajapakse said, while the latest assault against a mediaman and a UK embassy staffer drew new condemnation.

At a time when the government was fighting terror and implementing development projects, there were moves to de-stabilize the process by leveling allegations of human rights and media suppression, President Rajapakse said after opening a bridge re-built with US aid in the island`s east.
The US also condemned the latest attack against Namal Perera, a freelance journalist and a senior official of the Sri Lanka Press Institute, an industry body, and UK high commission staffer Mahendra Ratnaweera.
`A press that is free of intimidation is an essential component of any democracy,` the United States said.
`We are deeply concerned by a series of recent incidents involving members of the Sri Lankan media.`
Sri Lanka`s Free Media Movement (FMM) said the government response to the latest attacks would test the effectiveness of a high powered ministerial committee appointed to look in to the country`s war against journalists.