Opposition MPs protested in Parliament yesterday against the government’s move to reactivate the Press Council.

Their protest turned into a heated exchange of words as MPs on both sides of the Well kept on blaming and arousing each other. Opposition MPs charged that the government had no right to bring back the draconian laws to suppress the media.

This situation cropped up soon after opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe made a special statement accusing the government of re-activating the Press Council which had been de-activated in agreement with all parties in Parliament.

The government MPs shouted that there was more to talk about media rights when journalist Richard de Zoysa was killed.

The government had spent Rs. 209 million to maintain the Press Council and the Committee on Public Enterprises had recommended the immediate re-activation of the Press Council, Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said.

JVP Parliamentary Group leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that before implementing the recommendations of the COPE, its report carrying recommendations must be presented to Parliament. "The government cannot implement it just because it had been discussed by a committee. It has to be presented to the House," he said.

Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena requested the JVP not to make an issue out of the government’s attempt to infuse professionalism among journalists. "We want to increase their intellectual capacity."

Opposition leader: "Even if the Minister says they bring in an Act to increase the knowledge of journalists, what actually happens is vice versa. The journalists write to increase the wisdom and knowledge of politicians."

Minister Yapa: "Do not say that we are bringing this Act through the back door. It was not a secret. It was discussed in the COPE where all parties were represented. UNP MP Dayasiri Jayasekera was present in that committee."

MP Dayasiri Jayasekera: "We never agreed at the COPE to reactivate the Press Council. The UNP never agrees with such suppressive laws."