Towards media excellence

South Asian Free Media Association

(SAFMA) Sri Lanka Chapter
107, Obeysekara Town, Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka
Tel/Fax: 0094 11 2872849 Email: safmasrilanka@gmail.com Website: www.southasianmedia.net

June 19, 2014
SAFMA Sri Lanka appeals for balanced news media coverage
The South Asian Free Media Association, with national chapters in all SAARC countries, is a grouping of
journalists with a social commitment to devote their profession towards full democracy and development.
On the basis of our concern for our own Sri Lankan society we have noted the relatively low coverage of
the recent social-religious clashes and the on-going tension in the country among our various
communities.
As senior media professionals, we are aware that most media houses had sent reporting teams to the riot-
hit areas very early as the violence began to escalate. The new expressway enabled quick deployment of
media teams to the affected area thereby ensuring coverage of incidents from an early stage of the unrest.
Despite the availability of the information gathered by the media personnel, there has been a stark paucity
of news coverage of what is the single most significant and newsworthy situation in the country today.
We find that there is a public perception, both locally and internationally, that the Sri Lankan news media
are under-reporting the current anti-Muslim social unrest. There are also reports of pressure applied by the
Government on local media managements not to report the violent incidents in Aluthgma and Beruwala
areas. Due to these circumstances we fear it can lead to spreading of untruthful and biased information
through means of social media networks.
It is possible that informal political pressures as well as the general atmosphere of long-time political
intimidation of the media have contributed to the low-key publication and broadcast of reports on this
communal unrest. Nevertheless, the journalistic community both here and internationally, has a long and
proud tradition of bravely resisting pressures and daring to report every socially important incident,
especially situations of injustice.
SAFMA Sri Lanka thus calls on all Sri Lankan journalists and media houses to fulfil their patriotic duty
and social responsibility by observing the highest standards of socially responsible and non-sensationalist
reporting of the current situation of communal tensions. At the same time the Sri Lankan news media is
challenged ensure accurate and balanced coverage of events and incidents relating to the current social
clashes and thereby help create better public awareness of actual issues which, in turn, will counter the
rumours and deliberate allegations by unpatriotic elements to provoke suspicion and hostility between
socio-religious communities.
SAFMA-SL extends it fullest co-operation in all efforts by the Ministry of Mass Media and also by
relevant civil society groups to manage a comprehensive flow of information to the public in a manner
that would ensure maximum awareness and minimum mis-perception and provocation among the general
public.