Media should help unite people - Bishops

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 July 2003, 01:59 GMT]
Bishops of Trincomalee-Batticaloa and Badulla Dioceses Rt Rev Fr Dr.Kingsely Swampillai and Rt Rev Winston Fernando Wednesday made a plea to the media to work for the unity of all communities and not to create tension among them. Both made this appeal in their inaugural speeches made at the one day workshop on the "Today's impact of social communication in the society" held at the Pastoral House located in Uppuveli area in Trincomalee, sources said.

The workshop in Tamil and Sinhala was organized by the Trincomalee Batticaloa Communication Centre under the supervision of Rev Fr J.A.G.Ratnakumar who is the head of the centre, sources said.

Rt Rev Winston Fernando said media institutions should use latest information technology for social, political and technical education of our society and not to disrupt harmony among various communities.


National Director of Catholic bnational Commission for Social Communication Rev Fr Cyril Gamini seen conducting the Sinhala medium workshop

Bishop Rt Rev Dr.Kingsely Swampillai said wheras in the early days people went behind media, now the media has entered into every one's house.

Trincomalee-Batticaloa Bishop advised media personnel that they should not use the print and electronic media to create tension within people of different communities. They should prepare programmes that could develop the minds of every citizen to work for the peaceful future of the country.

The National Director of the Catholic National Commission for Social Communication Rev Cyril Gamini who conducted the workshop in Sinhala said media institutions should work for the well being of the masses. They should be answerable to the people. Media should give more importance to the views of the ordinary masses. Media should not impose its stand on the people, he said


students and youths who participated in the tamil medium media wiorkshop is seen with Rev C.P.Rajendran, Kalapooshanam Sithy marasingham, District Press Officer Mr.G.V.S.Jeevananthan and leading Tamil author Mr.T.F.Subramaniam

Mr. Ananda A.G.Rajendran conducted the Tamil workshop.

The head of the mass Communication department in the Trincomalee campus of the east University Rev. C.P.Rajendram, Mr.T.P.Subramaniam and Mr.T.Sithy Amarasingham also spoke.


(L-R) Bishop of Badulla Diocese Rt Eev Winston Fernando and Bishop of Trincomalee-Batticaloa Dicocese Rt.Rev Dr.Kingsley Swampillai