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Dhaka Day by Day

Regional Co-operation Is The Basic Issue

by Masud H. Khan
’ HU) Mahindapala Is an editor, a publisher, a one-time radio broadcaster, a poet and a would-be novelist. Ilia visiting card lists as many as 28 dailies, weeklies, cvenlngcrs. v/eek-enders and annuals. published in Sinhalese, Tamil and English.
A Melbourne University graduate, Mahindapala is also the president of Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association, and lately he was elected the General Secretary of the South Asian Media Association (SAMA). Mahindapala stayed for five days tn Dhaka in connection with a workshop on legislative reporting held on December. He joined the workshop as a resource person.
On December 17. Mahindapala briefly visited The Dally Star" office and discussed issues like separatist campaigns in Srl Lanka and problems and prospects of journalism in the South Asian states.
Mahindapala believes that regional cooperation on the basic issuer like security, and development was the only beacon of hope for some 116 crore
people of the SAARC countries.
"Separatism, as against regionalism, is posing a threat to the South Asian countries." He said. "Separatist activities in the SAARC countries — a force destroying civilised norms — arc threatening not only the old world order but also the. new.'
The editor of Colombo Observer Mahindapala says that the Tamil guerilla campaign in Srl Lanka, an Instance of destructive force mooted from separatist Ideas, resulted Into drug trafficking throughout the world and assassination of international figures like Rajiv Gandhi.
Mahindapala. a visitor :o Bangladesh for the first time, was all praise of Bangladesh's support to Sri Lanka on various common Issues. He says "Bangladesh's support and cooperation to Colombo on many occasions has drawn large appreciation from the Sri Lankan."
"Particularly, Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia's visit to Colombo, during the crisis hours immediately before the last SAARC summit, was praised as a courageous act," he said. "Infact, it is the strength and support of a leader like her that saved SAARC " he added.
A former Sri Lankan ambassador to Australia, ■Mr. Mahindapala said that it Is not enough for the heads of states routinely meet to strengthen cooperation between the SAARC countries. "People to people link," he said, is In great need for Installing harmony In the region. "It is like building a bridge of understanding to bring the pcoplc in the SAARC region closer so that they get to know each other, know more about tradition and culture and understand each others problems,” he commented.
The newly elected General Secretary of SAMA
says mat me platform of the South Aslan newsmen was floated with the same objective.
He hoped that SAMA would be able to build a network through mediamen of the SAARC region by-bringing together the professionals, university teachers, advertisers and even the proprietors of both the print and electronic media.
When asked if the separatist campaign could destabilise democratic atmosphere in Sri Lanka. Mr. Mahindapala said that Sri Lanka, the oldest voting nation in the South Aslan region, got universal suffrage In 1931. Since independence In 1948 in Sri Lanka, rival political organisations, ranging from ultra-left to the right wing, took the centre stage and played a dominant role in consolidating the democratic fra-
mework of Sri Lanka. He added that there were occasional threats against democratic practices from both the right wing groups of the armed forces and from the ultra-Marxist youth movements. Despite attacks against the parliamentary institutions, from the right and left, democratic institutions in Sri Lanka survived.
Speaking on the problems of downward standard of journalism in Sri l.anka and other SAARC states. Mr Mahindapala said there is a severe problem developing the standard of journalism in Srl Lanka. The talents that used to pour tn to the English medium has dried up. Those with excellent language skill now prefer other lucrative jobs. There Is an attempt to recruit talents and to give them training. The Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association is working to Improve the conditions available for the the journalists. It has established a welfare organisation which gives loan to the journalists and promote housing scheme.
"We have a press council which looks Into complaints against the media. Errant journalists are often given ramp In the knuckles but some consider the council to be a Toothless tiger." said Mr. Mahindapala.
There Is a rising debate going on if there is freedom of pecss or not In Sri Lanka ... by and large, the pattern of press freedom In Sri Lanka is that the print media Is comparatively free from the government control. But the electronic media are controlled by the state." was the Srl Lankan editor's final observation.