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Without media freedom there cannot be democracy, says Karu Jayasuriya
Without media freedom there can be no democracy, former Speaker and National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) Chairman Karu Jayasuriya said recently at a programme to commemorate abducted, missing and murdered journalists.
“Certain rights in a democratic society may have limitations in some instances, but if there is no media freedom, there cannot be democracy in a country. Sri Lanka has had a progressive media culture, with a history of almost two centuries,” he said.
Jayasuriya added that Sri Lanka also has a dark history, full of very unpleasant tragedies, when it comes to media freedom. The last few decades have been a particularly dark period and, during that era, journalists were killed, abducted, and retaliated, through various atrocities,” he said.
These are some excerpts of his speech: “Its impact was experienced in every area, be it the North and South, or East. We are well aware that the number of journalists, who were killed and disappeared, is many. Among them are Lasantha Wickramatunga, Prageeth Eknaligoda, Taraki Dharmeratnam Sivaram and Mylvaganam Nimalarajan. Many other journalists, such as Keith Noir, Poddala Jayantha and Gnanasundaram Kuganathan, were subjected to brutal attacks, during this period.
“At that time, the media institutions also faced a serious dangerous situation. There were instances where bomb attacks were carried out on media institutions, while some were set on fire. Among them were media institutions like Sirasa, Udayan and Siyatha.
“We have been talking about these tragedies for many years, but justice has not been served to any of them, until today. Why is that happening? We see the reason for this is that we have failed to reach a consensus on many nationally important issues. As the NMSJ, we always try to bring people together to create that consensus.
“Not only on democracy, people’s freedom, and security, we still pay less attention in carrying out many political and economic reforms that are necessary to get out of the serious economic crisis which has emerged in the country, at present, which we see as a national weakness.
“In order to create a better future, with no such dark eras, we, as a country, have to act with a common goal. We have also fulfilled many responsibilities for this. The Right to Information Act was brought, in amid various obstacles. It was of great help for many investigative journalists. During my tenure as Speaker of the Parliament, meetings of the Committee on Public Enterprise and Committee on Public Finance were opened to the media. I would like to emphasise, once again, that we should build a joint exercise among the people of all areas of the South, North, and upcountry, for a common purpose.
“It is my belief that journalists, and media organisations, too, have a great responsibility. As journalists, you can turn a thief into a hero, and a humble person into a thief, or a murderer. It is very important to engage in responsible media use. That is because there is no democracy in an environment where there is no media freedom, and in a society, where there is no responsible media, the country will have to face its consequences. I say this as someone who has an understanding of the depth of the economic and political crisis that our country is facing, at present, and its possible consequences.
Therefore, today we would like to remember the journalists who sacrificed their lives for their profession and were subjected to various harassments. We would also make an appeal that we will rally together to serve justice for all of them.”
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
