Govt. pledges media policing according to int’l standards for CHOGM
Friday, 19 July 2013 03:46
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The Government will make the final decision on which media personnel will be allowed to cover the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), a minister said yesterday, adding that controversial journalists would also be allowed to apply.
Concerns have been raised that media critical of Sri Lanka’s lacklustre human rights record and allegations of war crimes including Channel 4 journalist Callum McCrae who directed the controversial documentary ‘Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields’ will not be allowed visa.
However, Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella attempted to put these fears to rest by insisting that even though the Government would make the final decision on eligibility they would follow accepted international norms.
“The Government is the final decision maker on the accreditation. That we have indicated even in our website. We are no different from when the Commonwealth was held in Perth. There is an object called the Blue Book, which as reference on every item and the practice is that the host country has to be within the frameworks set out in the Blue Book,” he told media.
He stressed that the Sri Lankan Government would not change any of the stipulations and would consider every application.
“We are not going to change anything nor are we going to add anything. We are constantly in touch with the (Commonwealth) Secretariat. There are guidelines set out and we will stick to the criteria laid out by the Commonwealth as a tradition and practice,” he added.
The British High Commission had earlier called for unrestricted media access from the Sri Lankan Government.
CHOGM, which is the highest decision making body of the Commonwealth, will meet in Sri Lanka in November.
This will be the most high profile event hosted by the island since the end of a three-decade war in 2009.
