Petition Against The Press Council

Petition against the Press Council The Government’s determined effort to re introduce the Press Council Bill is to stifle and suppress further the media freedom. This, in other words is another step to undermine and plunder the citizens’ right to information. As a responsible citizen of this country it is your duty to rally round against this obnoxious trend. A golden opportunity is right at your doorstep now to demonstrate your solidarity with us by subscribing to this campaign against media suppression and repression. Please place your signature hereunder signifying your support to the cause of media freedom, and people’s right of expression and to information.

29th Sept. 2009 His Excellency, the President Mahinda Rajapakse, The President of the Democratic republic of Sri Lanka President’s Secretariat Colombo 01. His Excellency, the President, We, the law abiding citizens of Sri Lanka enumerate below the reasons in support of the cause of media freedom which is an indispensable ingredient of a Democratic society.

1. We hereby express our displeasure against the measures being taken by your Excellency’s Govt. to re introduce the Press Council Bill whereby Journalists can be imprisoned. 2. Based on an unwritten sacred agreement around the period 2002/ 2003 among political parties in Parliament, Authors, professional journalists, media personnel, their representatives and media organizations, the Press Council was rendered defunct by a self governing media apparatus, which was also to be further spread and promoted. 3. A press complaints Commission, that is, a conciliatory Commission was established with a majority of non media representatives under Sam Wijesinghe as its President in 2003 under Arbitration Act 1995 (2) for settlement of disputes. 4. The Press complaints Commission has examined over 700 complaints, and took measures to settle disputes. Indeed, all the media Organizations who have signed below, worked in co ordination and co operation with the Press Complaints Commission. Its rules and regulations were adhered to.

5. The Commission formulated policies, and a code of conduct and ethics in regard to publication of newspaper publications, authors, Editors and members of the Editorial guild. Our publications too followed the Press complaints Commission policies and principles. 6. It is our belief that you are aware the Sri Lanka Press complaints Commission was established to provide relief to those who are afflicted and/or aggrieved by media releases and publications. 7. It is a widely and well known fact that the Sri Lanka Press complaints Commission is functioning without straining the national economy and is dispensing justice expeditiously too on behalf of the people. 8. While your Excellency is making open announcements that every measure will be taken to protect and promote media freedom and Democracy in the country, the attempts to resume the Press council defeats the very media freedom professedly advocated and undermines all what Democracy stands for. 9. We therefore urge your Excellency’s Govt. to revoke the draconian Press Council Act 1973 (15) while supporting the existing self governing

machinery regarding the media control, like in other advanced Democratic countries. 10. We, the undersigned kindly urge your Excellency to implement , fortify and protect the sacred right of expression and right to information of the citizens vested in them under the Sri Lanka’s constitution like in India, Pakistan, China, Indonesia, Thailand and hundreds of other countries around the world , instead of the draconian laws under the Press Council Bill. Yours truly, No.

Name

Organization / Vocation

signature

At the conference held on 29th Sept. 2009 at the JR Jayawardena center, Colombo 07, before a huge gathering ; political leaders, civil society activists and several others endorsed this petition by placing their signatures………