SP pledges to promote media freedom

By Ashwin Hemmathagama

New Democratic Front (NDF) presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa promised more media freedom and development on par with international standards for journalists from the first day he assumes office if he is elected.

Premadasa, addressing a large gathering of media personnel yesterday at Waters Edge, said he will continue to uphold freedom of speech while increasing the freedom of expression gained during the last five years of the Unity Government. 

“Fourth pillar of democracy is the media, which helps the public in many ways. It is the responsibility of media to protect the freedom of speech and expression gained in 2015. Unless the media takes the correct decision, the entire country will suffer,” held presidential candidate Premadasa.

Assuring support to uphold media freedom in the country if he becomes the next President, Premadasa said: “During the Rajapaksa government, media was suppressed. I will not let that happen again. In fact, media will have more freedom to express. I also promise to establish an international centre for media development in Sri Lanka for the betterment of our journalists. This centre will help to improve the standard of our media personnel.”

Urging media personnel to think wisely and to support his campaign for presidency, Premadasa also held that during the next two days, he will address 154 rallies in different parts of the country.

Minister of Health and Indigenous Medicine Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, who was present at the occasion, read the long list of journalists killed or injured during the Rajapaksa era, and said: “All these attacks took place with the knowledge of the former President. He even went to the extent of taking the life of our friend Lasantha Wickrematunge.” 

“Under our Government, we never went against media. In fact some say we gave too much liberty. Since the day we took the Government, there were 3,000 protests staged against the current government in different parts of the country. Unlike the Rajapaksa Government, we continued to protect the media and the right to freedom of speech.”