SL Defence Ministry blocks international media persons visiting North

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 May 2010, 16:23 GMT]
Sri Lanka Defence Ministry has blocked ‘Life Line’ resident advisor of ‘Internews’ Fiona Partol from coming to Jaffna to participate in a five-day training course for local media persons, media sources in Jaffna said. The Defence Ministry does not allow international media persons who are not supportive of the government to visit Jaffna and other areas in the North, the sources added. Recently a French journalist had been arrested and deported from Sri Lanka on the orders of Defence Ministry.

The five-day training course had been postponed indefinitely.

Lifeline resident advisor has informed the organizers of the course that he will try again to get permission from the Defence Ministry and come to Jaffna by air.

US backed Internews has been working in Sri Lanka since 2005, providing information services to vulnerable communities and delivering training to both established journalists and young trainees. Internews works closely with local organizations and the Government to harness the power of media and information to help people develop a peaceful and prosperous Sri Lanka.