Media Reformation bill tabled by opposition

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 August 2000, 18:39 GMT]
A motion on Media Reformation tabled by the Leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) and eight others was taken for discussion Tuesday afternoon in the parliament.

Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, opening the debate, said that the present government had failed to fulfil its promise given during the 1994 general election that media freedom in the country would be safeguarded.

While the present government was elected to power in 1994 on the promise that they would safeguard the media freedom, it has yet to succeeded in its endeavour, said Mr. Wickremasinghe.

Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera participating in the discussion said that within six months of the new Parliament taking office, the government would introduce a National Media Policy.

He stressed that the new Constitution tabled in Parliament recently has clauses safeguarding media freedom in the country. For the last six years the government was trying its best to provide better protection and other benefits to journalists in the country, he said.

Meanwhile the UNP decided Tuesday to discuss the new constitution with political parties and people's organisations. This decision was taken at UNP's parliamentary group meeting held at Parliamentary Complex.

Several UNP members also wanted the party to participate in the demonstration scheduled to be held this week, opposing the new Constitution Bill tabled in parliament by the People's Alliance government.