Ex-top House official says govt. move meant to suppress all media

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The main Opposition Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) and Jathika Jana Balavegaya (JJB) yesterday (18) condemned a government move to appoint a seven-member Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to inquire into the conduct of Siyatha television.The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) didn’t respond to The Island query pertaining to the issue at hand.

Former Director (Administration) Parliament, Lacille de Silva, has alleged that Parliament was making an attempt to suppress the media as part of the overall measures to counter growing opposition to its agenda.The civil society activist claimed that the move to appoint a Select Committee to investigate infringement of parliamentary privileges, as a result of criticism of decisions taken by the President and Parliament to meet representatives of all parties represented in parliament, was nothing but a warning to both print and electronic media.

The former Secretary to the Yahapalana anti-corruption Presidential Commission said so, addressing the media on behalf of civil society group ‘People’s Tomorrow’ at the Centre for Society and Religion (CSR) in Maradana on Saturday (17).President Ranil Wickremesinghe convened an All-Party Conference (APC) on national reconciliation on 13 Dec., at the Presidential Secretariat.

Declaring his readiness to represent Siyatha at Select Committee proceedings, Lacille de Silva urged the other media to take up the issue at hand or be prepared to face the consequences. Responding to another query, de Silva said that civil society groups should vigorously take up this issue. “They can’t keep quiet. Foreign governments, which meddle in domestic affairs constantl, should also be concerned about this move.”

Education Minister Susil Premajayantha, who is the leader of the House, on Dec. 12 declared the appointment of the PSC.The Education Minister proposed a Select Committee of Parliament to investigate incidents of infringement of privileges of the Members of Parliament and of the Parliament  and to make suitable recommendations in that

regard,— Whereas the President, the Prime Minister and the Members of Parliament agreed on 23 November 2022 on the floor of the House, to meet representatives of all parties and discuss the measures to  solve the ethnic problems so that the people of the country can live as children of one mother and it is to be investigated whether the privileges of the Members of Parliament and of the Parliament have been infringed by the comments made in the programmes telecast by the Siyatha television channel on the 24, 25 and 27 of November 2022 in relation to that;

And whereas if the privileges of the Members of Parliament and of the Parliament have been infringed, it should be investigated into and suitable recommendations in that regard should be made;This Parliament resolves that a Select Committee of Parliament be appointed to investigate into the infringement of privileges of the Members Parliament and of the Parliament and to make suitable recommendations in that regard.

Lawmaker Premjayantha proposed that the Chair and Members of the Committee shall be appointed by the Speaker and that in terms of the provisions of Standing Order 101 of Parliament, the Committee shall consist of seven (07) Members.

The minister also proposed that the Committee shall have the power to—(a) fix its quorum; (b) summon any person to appear before it, to require any person to procure any document or record, to procure and receive all such evidence, written or oral, as the Committee may think it necessary for the fullest consideration of the matters referred to above;(c) Obtain the services of specialists and experts in the relevant fields to assist the Committee; and (d) Make interim reports from time to time and to sit notwithstanding any adjournment or prorogation of Parliament.

The Committee shall present its report to Parliament within a period of one month (01) from the first meeting of the Committee or within such further period as Parliament may grant.

Thamil Makkal Thesiya Kutani (TMTK) leader C.V. Wigneswaran said that perhaps those in authority should have called for a meeting with the relevant Siyatha journalist and the management before the appointment of the Select Committee. The former Supreme Court judge said so when The Island sought his response to the announcement made by the Leader of the House. Jaffna District lawmaker Wigneswaran said that he was not consulted on the appointment of the Select Committee.

Lacille de Silva said that the declaration made by Leader of the House Premjayantha was meant to intimidate the entire media. Declaring that Premajayantha spoke on behalf of the government, the ex-House official asked political parties and groups other than the SLPP and UNP to state their position on this issue.

Would they join the proposed seven-member Select Committee, de Silva asked.In response to The Island query, SJB leader Sajith Premadasa issued the following statement: “We consider the move to investigate views expressed by Siyatha ‘telewakiya’ an attempt to suppress the media. We condemn the attempt to utilize the Select Committee process to suppress the media.”

JJB MP Vijitha Herath said that the government move was not unacceptable at all. Lawmaker Herath warned that this was part of the government strategy. “Telewekiya has attracted quite significant public attraction and the government seems obviously concerned about widespread criticism of its strategies,” the JVPer said.The JVP boycotted the APC. MP Herath said that the national issue couldn’t be addressed by such endeavors. Referring to past APCs, the MP said that the government realized consensus on port-war national reconciliation couldn’t be achieved though it felt such efforts served propaganda purposes.