NPP MP Lakmali Hemachandra has threatened to raise a privilege issue in Parliament over a BBC Sinhala article that reported on a Parliamentary Women MPs’ Caucus discussion of a child sexual abuse case, Newswire reported.
The BBC Sinhala article focused on the caucus discussion, in which concerns were raised about the conduct of the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) and the police investigation into the alleged sexual abuse of a minor girl.
According to the article, Hemachandra criticised the conduct of the NCPA during the discussion and defended the police, who have faced criticism from several quarters over their handling of the case. She is reported to have questioned statements made by NCPA officials in court regarding the police investigation, and to have challenged claims that authorities had to push the police into arresting the suspect.
Hemachandra has indicated she will use parliamentary privilege procedures to take the report before the Privileges Committee. The committee has the power to summon journalists and editors for evidence, and to recommend sanctions against parties found to have committed contempt of Parliament.
The move comes against a backdrop in which the NPP has faced media-management criticism on several fronts in recent weeks, including the UNP’s call for a parliamentary panel to examine the treatment of detained ex-SIS Director Suresh Sallay and ongoing disputes between the government and BBC Sinhala over the framing of child-protection and judicial-accountability stories. Privilege referrals against international broadcasters are rare in Sri Lankan parliamentary practice and tend to draw further media scrutiny rather than less.
Update — June 10: Formal letter to Speaker
Hemachandra has now formally written to Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne requesting that the BBC Sinhala article be referred to the Ethics and Privileges Committee under Sections 5, 6 and 7 of Part A of the Schedule of the Parliamentary (Powers and Privileges) Act, Newswire reported on June 10. In the letter she names BBC Sinhala journalist Sampath Dissanayake, who she said contacted her on June 8 and was told the caucus proceedings were confidential; she alleges the article published that day relied on unverified information from caucus participants who had been instructed not to disclose details. She also asks the Speaker to examine the conduct of the state officials who attended the June 5 meeting.
Update — June 10: FMM condemnation
The Free Media Movement (FMM) on June 10 publicly condemned Hemachandra’s reported attempt to identify the sources behind the BBC Sinhala report and to bring them before the Privileges Committee, Newswire reported. In a statement, the FMM described the move as “unacceptable” and said efforts to pressure journalists or expose confidential sources undermine media freedom and democratic principles.
The FMM also expressed concern over reports that discussions at the caucus meeting included suggestions to invoke existing online and social-media laws against those who shared information from the meeting with the media. The organisation urged elected representatives to uphold commitments to transparency, accountability and freedom of expression, and called on the media community and the public to oppose any attempt to identify confidential sources through parliamentary procedure.
