Chathura De Alwis Chairman National movement for web journalists.

National Movement for Web Journalists shows their strong displeasure for summoning the co editor of Rivira Newspaper Tissa Ravindra Perera to the terrorist investigating department and urging him to disclose the source of information of the articl published in the Sunday Rivira newspaper on the 24th of last month under the caption “අලූත්ම බිල්ලකට කොටි යළි නැගිටී”

The letter forwarded by the TID D/TID/OUT/8742/18 collecting information of the investigation” indicates the reason to summon journalist Tissa Ravindra is to obtain a statement statement relevant report he gave to the newspaper about the investigation he conducted”අලූත්ම බිල්ලකට කොටි යළි නැගිටී”

When co editor Tissa Ravindra visited the TID last 20th he was continually questioned for about five hours about how the source of information obtained. Tissa in many occasions before, has revealed informations about terror activities risking the national security and the latter bears an ability to gather information from responsible parties.From the caption of the newspaper it was revealed, few terrorists who were taken into custody with the possession of explosives and claymore mines in the Oddusudan area last July 22nd.

From nonstop questioning by the TID regarding the source of information obtained it is clear the intention of the government is not to prevent the rising of the terrorists but to prevent the embarrassment the current government facing regarding the exposure.

We never challenge the rights of the security forces of the country about the investigations into alleged incidents risking the national security and about corruptions and crimes carried out by the politicians. But however by trying to reveal the source of information, if the government under the pretext is trying to risk the lives of the journalists, the movement of web journalist would defeat such attempts and will stand against those.

During the past few days various groups within the government has influenced journalists about the source of information’s obtained. The government mechanism has also started to intimidate the journalists.

Recently Kollupitiya police called Neth FM and collected contact numbers of listeners who gave calls and summoned them to the police. Further the CID collected information of journalists Lasantha Weerakulasuirya and Gayathri Ginganarachchi for the news published in Dinamina and Lakbima newspapers on the 25th of May 2018 about thesteps taken by the security forces for the commemoration of fallen heroes in the north and south during last May. Above are examples of

the state suppressing mechanism against media.

Therefore the campaign for the web journalists strongly emphasize the president, prime minister and the relevant sources of the government who came to power pledging to protect journalists to stop jeopardizing the lives of journalists under the pretext of national security.

Thank You,

Chathura De Alwis

Chairman

National movement for web journalists.