The journalists associations are contemplating to form a broader alliance in the near future to meet the challenges faced by the Media as a single front.
Free Media Movement has summoned a meeting on Wednesday to discuss forging a common understanding in regard to this endeavor and to discuss what action should be taken in regard to the verdict on Journalist J.S.T issanayagam. Five media organizations – namely the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association, Muslim Media Forum, Tamil Media Alliance, and the Sri Lanka Media Employees Trade Union are being invited.
According to Sunil Jayasekara, Secretary of the Free Media Movement, they will invite the Editors Guild, Newspaper Owners Association and South Asian Free Media Association too to take part in the discussion.
“Today journalists are facing a very torrid and uncertain future. This cannot be allowed to go on. No journalist association or union can face this threat as a single unit. For this we should be united and rally as a common front” the Secretary said.
“All media associations want to work as a team. But differences between us hamper this becoming a reality. Our main aim is to provide an opportunity for everyone to shed their differences and come to a common understanding in facing the challenges.”
“In this meeting we will discuss the issues relating to Tissanayagam verdict also. Already we have met senior Lawyers and got their comments too” Jayasekara further added.
J. S. Tissainayagam, 45, was convicted under Sri Lanka’s Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) for writing two articles in the North Eastern Monthly magazine in 2006.