Govt’s move to deflect dissent – FMM

The Free Media Movement of Sri Lanka (FMM) says that it did not campaign against the European Union’s Generalised System of Preferences plus (GSP+) facility to Sri Lanka.
It said that FMM only campaigned for retaining GSP+ by urging Sri Lanka government to respect human rights obligations.

Public opposition

The Convenor of FMM, Sunil Jayasekera told Sandesaya that recent allegations levelled against FMM by the government is to counter the growing public opposition on government attacks on media freedom.

The Sri Lankan government Information Department website on Tuesday accused the FMM of carying out a campaign requesting the termination of the GSP+ tariff concession to Sri Lanka.

The government said FMM personnel who have fled the country had sent petitions to EU against Sri Lanka.

FMM convenor, Sunil Jayasekera answering to a question by Sandesaya about the activities of exiled journalists named by the website; Sunanda Desapriya, Poddala Jayantha and Uvidu Kurukulasuriya have put Sri Lanka government to difficulties by their work said that anyone with a free mind and thinking can express their ideas freely.

Human rights

“Free Media Movement made its observations about the GSP + when they are not in Sri Lanka. We wanted the government to respect human rights conventions that are agreed to by the Sri Lankan authorities” convener Jayasekera said.

Sri Lanka government has accused former conveners of FMM Sunanda Desapriya and Uvidu Kurukulasuriya and former President of Working Journalists Association of Sri Lanka, Poddala Jayantha saying that they have used financial resources of FMM to carry out the campaign against Sri Lanka.

Convenor Sunil Jayasekera rejected these allegations

BBC Sinhala