'No cause for journalists and media to fear Government'

President Mahinda Rajapaksa urged media institutions to act with the most blame in reporting events at a time when there is considerable public notice haggard to the physical attack on the MTV/Sirasa TV station and the killing of the Editor of The Sunday Leader Lasantha Wickremetunga, as well as the success of the security forces in the fight to eradicate terrorism, when he met the heads of secret and state media institutions at put of worship Trees this evening (14).
The President said he invited the media heads to discuss the current state of affairs particularly in view of the in order he had conventional of the irresponsible nature of the reporting into the new attack on MTV/Sirasa and the killing of Mr. Wickremetunga.
He said that while politicians were gratis to make any statement about matters of community notice, the media had to make sure that they were not reported in a manner that would divert the study that were being conducted into other directions, and not give the police a option to carry out good investigations.
He regretted that some media institutions had mentioned the name of a sure officer of the skill Services in the current background, which had resulted in threats to this officer, and said the media should be worried about such sentence of their reports.
He recalled how approximately the entirety of the Military cleverness Corps of the country had been killed after a media report had exposed their names in a most reckless manner.
One take into care had already been made with regard to the MTV /Sirisa attack, and it was most likely that others would follow soon. opposing to some media reports the Government therapist had still not submitted the account on this attack.
When asked about the administration put on threats to journalists, President Rajapaksa said he would give the pledge that no journalist or media friendship had cause to fear any intimidation or attacks by the Government.
The President said that at a time when the government was at the very tallness of its popularity due to the success of the offensive against terrorism, it had no interest in behind this public receiving by even an iota, by attacks on the media as had taken place. The Government had no interest whatever in seeking disgrace through any attacks on the media, he said. He certain the media heads that the culprits would be captured and brought to justice.
When asked what the policy of the Government was with look upon to the Tamil people, President Rajapaksa said the Government was not against the Tamil people. We want peace. We are not against the Tamil people.
We are next to terrorists. You [the media] have all the freedom and the right to hold up the Tamil people, and any parties or organizations of the Tamils, but satisfy do not support terrorists, the President urged.
He said it was essential to prevent collectivism whether it came from Tamils, Sinhalese or Muslims, as it was always damaging to the unity of the country.
We must appreciate that this country belongs to he Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims and all communities, who have equivalent human rights as citizens of this country, and we will work to defend these rights. The media should be accountable in not fanning collectivism from what source it came, the President said.