Mangala condemns threats against local journalists of NYT article

Finance and Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera yesterday condemned alleged threats levelled at two Sri Lankan journalists who contributed to a New York Times report and called for an immediate investigation into the issue. 

Given below are excerpts of  the statement released by Minister Samaraweera.

I was alarmed by recent attacks on two Sri Lankan journalists who contributed to the New York Times report on massive financial misappropriation linked to the former regime in Sri Lanka.

 These allegations must be immediately investigated by the relevant authorities, and action must be taken against perpetrators without fear or favour. But, I am also disturbed with the virulent personal attacks by individuals linked to the JO and the SLPP in a bid to intimidate journalists who worked on the NYT report, attacking them for doing their job in reporting hugely questionable transactions amounting to billions of rupees that occurred under the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime.  As Media Minister, I vehemently condemn such practices where journalists are attacked for doing their job. There must be an immediate halt to these practices. Further, the SLPP leadership must take full responsibility for these attacks and ensure that there is no repetition of this behaviour.  This Government came into power with the promise of media freedom and to break away from the violent tendencies of the previous Government. The dark years of the Mahinda Rajapaksa Presidency witnessed the highest number of journalists killed, disappeared, attacked and threatened, and of media house attacks. We will not return to those dark years where individuals were targeted for unveiling the truth and reporting facts. We now have a government that respects fundamental freedoms and civil liberties and upholds media freedom. This Government reiterates its commitment to ensure that all journalists are safe to do their work.