Deputy Chairman of the Southern Provincial
Council asked the police to come into the council meeting
yesterday (12) complaining that journalists were photographing
the incidents of the council yesterday. Police prevented
journalists from leaving the venue of the meeting, Town for
nearly one hour.
Journalists Ajith Niroshan and a number of other
journalists covering the council meeting videoed the JVP member
carrying the mace out of the meeting when the Deputy Chairman
summoned the Police..
However, JVP members said that the people of the
Southern Province had a right to know what was happening at the
council meeting and told the Chair that the police coming to
stop the journalists from performing their legitimate duty was
an interference.
Finally the journalists who were detained were
allowed to go but one of the journalists who had videoed the
incident was asked to come to the Galle police station and make
a statement. The journalist made the statement and left the
police station afterwards.
