Tamil Media Alliance condemns Minister for insulting journalist

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 July 2005, 16:13 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance has condemned Deputy Minister of Labour Relations and Foreign Employment, Mr. Mervyn Silva for verbally abusing and nearly assaulting the Veerakesari photographer Mr. S. Surenthiran who went to cover a court case where the Deputy Minister's son was involved.

The Deputy Minister who arrived at the Colombo Fort court premises abused the MTV and Sirasa TV journalists and several other media men who were at the scene.

The SLTMA said that the behavior of Deputy Minister Mervyn Silva was "uncivilised and a threat to the media freedom."

The SLTMA urged Sri Lanka's President to take proper action against the behavior of the Deputy Minister mervyn Silva.

The Minister's son Mr. M. Malaka and a person believed to be a bodyguard pulled out pistols during a raid by the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) on Taj Samudra Saturday night, according to Police sources.

Mervyn Silva denied that his son was involved in any fight with the raiding Police. He accused the Police of targeting his son.