A journalist who does not even have an identity card issued by the government’s Department of Information or from the foreign media organization has been granted permission to take photographs at the war heroes’ commemoration held under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on the orders of the head of the Presidential Media Division.

Although the media ID card issued by the government department was made mandatory for the press conference announcing cabinet decisions, only journalists who had obtained prior permission were allowed to report on events attended by the President. 

A group of journalists holding government media ID cards who had not obtained permission were present at the venue to report on the War Heroes’ Day ceremony that day, but they were not allowed to cover the event. If a journalist can be allowed to take photographs without a media ID card at events attended by the President, even without considering his security, then making government ID cards mandatory for the press conference announcing cabinet decisions reveals that the decision was taken because the Minister is unable to answer the questions raised by the journalists.

We are not revealing the name of the journalist because this news may cause him some prejudice. There is no wrongdoing on his part. A journalist works to provide information to the public in an ethical manner under any circumstances. Overcoming such obstacles is the skill of the journalist.

Providing the heads of the Presidential Media Division or the heads of the National People’s Power Government the opportunity to cover events, especially those attended by the President, without a media ID card, implies that the ID card has been made mandatory to hunt down journalists who criticize the government.