Shantha Wijesuriya, Editor-in-Chief of Lanka Sky News, who went to the Government Information Department this morning (08) to cover the press conference to inform the Cabinet decisions, was not allowed to participate in the press conference as he did not have an identity card issued by the Government Information Department. This order was made by the Director General of the Department.

Wijesuriya was turned away for not having a government ID card despite having confirmed his identity as a journalist. 

At the previous cabinet decision briefing, Minister of Mass Media and Health Nalin de Jayatissa said that a newspaper had issued a media identity card to a person who had been involved in underworld activities in the past. If that is sp issuing media identity card to the members of the state intelligence by the government information department is also wrong. From this devious attempt it appears the government is trying to silence the politically hostile journalists who questions the governments undemocratic conducts. 

 He said that the government, especially the cabinet decision briefing, would make it mandatory for journalists to have a media ID card issued by the government’s Information Department.

Although Wijesuriya is known throughout the country as a journalist, and despite having an identity card issued by the Sri Lanka Professional Journalists Association and the International Federation of Journalists, Wijesuriya was not allowed to participate in today’s press conference to announce cabinet decisions, claiming that his media identity could not be verified.

While coming out from the Government Information centre, Journalist Wijesuriya, has met the media minister face to face at the gate and said  “Come on Minister, your democracy is wonderful, let’s go on” 

The ban on journalist Shantha Wijesuriya from the cabinet decision briefing due to the fact that he does not have a government ID card is not his problem but it is curtailing the people’s right to information and democracy.

The National People’s Power government, having failed to fulfill the promises made to the working-class and oppressed people of this country under any circumstances and having lost in the local government elections, is set to resort to brutal measures in the future to sustain power. The government can only prevent the government from turning into a police state by rallying the oppressed people under the leadership of the working class.