Colombo: Sarath Fonseka, who is seeking to unseat President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the presidential elections, promised a new legislation for the protection of mediapersons, as he prepared to file his nomination papers for next month`s polls.
"If elected I will bring in a law for the welfare and
protection of the media," said Fonseka, who retired from the
army last month to challenge Rajapaksa as the common candidate
of the main opposition parties. He promised full media freedom
if elected to the top post.
Fonseka, who today signed his nomination papers to be
submitted on December 17, said the law for the protection and
welfare of the media would be introduced in Parliament for
approval.
"I am promising necessary action and safeguards will
be taken to ensure security and protection of mediapersons,"
Fonseka told a group of mediapersons last evening.
Meanwhile, Fonseka who will lock horns with the
incumbent President for the January 26 polls, signed his
nominations papers this morning here.
Fonseka will be contesting under the symbol of `Swan`
of the New Democratic Front and would be submitting his
nomination papers on December 17.
Fonseka yesterday filed three fundamental rights
applications against some state media institutions for the
alleged misuse of public media.
He accused some state run electronic media
institutions of using the media for supporting President
Rajapaksa at the forthcoming election and defaming the
opposition.
PTI
