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The attack on the BBC Sandesaya correspondent, Elmo Fernando, by the National Movement Against Terrorism (NMAT), last Thursday, at a protest rally conducted by the Sangha Sabha, was denied, in a statement by the NMAT. According to sources, Fernando was allegedly assaulted by a group belonging to the NMAT, while covering the protest. The NMAT statement said , Fernando had obstructed the protest, even after he was asked to move, leading to the supporters pushing him away. " The correspondent was not assaulted, he was pushed aside because he was obstructing our path", they said. The NMAT branded the radio as the Voice of Tigers in the Sinhala medium and called upon the people to protest against what it sees as the BBC's LTTE propaganda campaign. "It is more important to safeguard the independence of the country than the independence of Mr.Fernando", they said. They also denied reports that Buddhist priests were involved in burning the Norwegian flag, but said that it was a Buddhist priest who removed a half burnt Norwegian flag from the roadside. Meanwhile, media institutions and the clergy have condemned the attack on Fernando and the act of burning the national flag of Norway. Media Minister, Mangala Samaraweera, in a statement issued on Friday said " Although the Peoples Alliance government and its leaders were criticised from time to time by reports concocted on baseless and false information by the 'Sandesaya' programmes broadcast by the BBC, our government never took any action against such false and baseless news, in accordance with the policy of the freedom of expression acknowledged by us." He also said that the assault on
journalist Elmo Fernando by this group of persons in the demonstration by
the NMAT is a great threat to the right to perform his duties freely as a
journalist.
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