Journalists and photographers invited to cover last week’s maiden national convention of the SLFP (M) faction were harassed, humiliated and ordered out by the security personnel of former President Chandrika Kumaratunga.

"They were nasty to us despite being specifically told that we were invited to cover the event by the organizers", our photographer Nishan S. Priyantha complained.

The chief in charge of the former President’s security detail virtually threw out the journalists, who were earlier allowed into the New Town Hall after going through a humiliating experience.

At one point, Kumaratunga who saw one of her security men obstructing a photographer intervened, saying "Let the media do its job".

Earlier, party stalwart Tiran Alles came to the rescue of the media and told the security to allow the media persons into the venue.

"They are here on our invitation", he said.

But, despite the intervention by Alles, the security personnel continued to harass and obstruct the journalists from carrying out their legitimate duties.

"We were treated like pickpockets", Priyantha asserted. "They were hounding us as if we had gate-crashed".

The media was invited to cover the convention by the SLFP (M) organizers and not by Kumaratunga, who herself was an invitee.