No cause for alarm or panic reassures President

[November 6, 2003 - 11.00 GMT]

The President’s Office in a communiqué today assured the public there was no cause for alarm or panic and that the President has only exercised her responsibility as the constitutional head of state in the greater interest of the sovereignty and the security of the nation.

The President further guaranteed freedom of expression, “The first obligation of these media institutions will be to inform the country the facts and events without prejudice or conscious partisanship”, the communiqué said.

[Full release]

The President taking charge of certain areas of governance on Tuesday 4th November has given rise to uneasiness in the country. In situations such as this there will be rumours and untruths doing their rounds. The President assures the people of Sri Lanka that there is no cause for alarm or panic. The President has only exercised her responsibility as the constitutional head of state in the greater interest of the sovereignty and the security of the nation.

The President has appointed two new secretaries to the Ministries of Defence and Mass Communications while the incumbent secretary to the Ministry of the Interior continues in office. The boards of directors in the four media institutions, which now come under the purview of the President, have been reconstituted. The chairpersons to these boards have assumed office.

The President has ensured the Media full freedom of expression. The first obligation of these media institutions will be to inform the country the facts and events without prejudice or conscious partisanship. The news and information disseminated will not violate the laws of the land, offend common cannons of decency and imperil social well-being or place national security in jeopardy.

The business community is concerned largely due to rumours, the President assures leaders of industry, her recent decision was taken after careful thought, to ensure national security and thereby increase investor confidence.

The President is committed to the continuity of the ceasefire agreement and to keep open the channel of communication with the LTTE and to a negotiated settlement within a united country. She wishes to assure the people of this country there will be no return to hostilities. The UNF government will continue to negotiate with the LTTE and will be guided and supported in its quest for a negotiated settlement of the ethnic crisis and usher in a peace with dignity for all the communities in Sri Lanka.

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Last Updated Date: November 6, 2003  -11.00 GMT.