He added that steps were being taken to raise the professional standards of journalists and a media training institiute was to be established for this purpose. Ten years ago, in 1991, journalists who met in South Africa's Windoek City drafted an extensive declaration on media freedom. The Declaration focussed on the need for a free, independent and pluralistic media and on the contribution such a media can make towards strengthening democracy. When this Declaration was made in South Africa in 1991 Sri Lanka's media freedom was facing the most serious threat in its history.
Media freedom is a fundamental right that is included in the right of free expression.
The People's Alliance which came to power in 1994, ending the dark era, introduced a media culture that paved the way for dialogue between the people and the Government by guaranteeing media freedom. We are fully aware that a totally free and independent media cannot be found anywhere in the world, though the term free media is an extremely attractive one on the face of it. Those who speak on free media's behalf believe that the state media should be free from Government pressure. But they forget that a democratically-elected Government is one that is accountable to the people. It is no secret that some those who represent so-called media freedom today have imposed their will on the media for the sake of their private and business objectives.