National Advocacy Campaign for the Right to Information

Two half-day workshops were held in March 2003 for media personnel - one in Colombo and one in Vavuniya.

The Colombo workshop drew media personnel from television, print, and radio, as well as editors of alternative media and civil society publications. A research associate presented the draft Freedom of Information Bill, prepared by the Editors Guild with the technical assistance of the CPA, seeking input from participants on how to use some of the tenets of the proposed bill to bring about greater transparency and accountability in government. Participants discussed related topics, including: how such a legislative enactment could help in procuring vital information, the culture of governance in the country, the importance of animating any legislative framework on the ground, awareness-building among officials of public institutions on the right to information, the culture of secrecy in Sri Lanka, the lack of time and resources to provide information to the public (even if necessary legislative structures were in place), and the protection of those who share information about wrongdoing (whistleblowers).

The workshop for journalists in Vavuniya was held in collaboration with the Vanni Journalists Association and the Tamil Journalists Association. Media personnel - both Tamil and Sinhala - shared many of the perspectives articulated by those in the Colombo workshop. However, many felt that the problem of a lack of access to information was far more acute in the North-East. When compared to journalists in the South, they said that the protracted conflict had disproportionately impaired the work and skills of journalists in their region. Many participants spoke of the need for training in ICT and electronic media.

In general, participants in both workshops articulated a need for increased knowledge of international standards regarding the freedom of information and the freedom of expression. They also seek increased awareness of tools that one can use to advocate the right to information. Finally, they support open government that makes provisions for informing the public about their access rights. As a minimum, they say, such a government should make provisions for the dissemination of information regarding the right to access information, the scope of information available, and the manner in which the right can be exercised.

Rights.

According to organisers, denial of the right to freedom of expression has been the norm in Sri Lanka for decades. Media freedom, the public's right to know, and the individual's fundamental right to freely hold and express opinions, they say, have all been compromised. Specifically, they claim that governments of Sri Lanka have used a wide range of methods - both formal and informal - to impose censorship. Emergency regulations, for example, have been used to justify the closing of newspapers, the sealing of printing presses, the imprisoning of political opponents without charge or trial, and the destruction on the part of security forces of evidence of possible extrajudicial executions. Informal methods, organisers claim, have in recent years included widespread threats and attacks - sometimes lethal - upon journalists, other media workers, and writers for expressing views or publishing material which the authorities preferred to repress.