Media clash on sidelines of CHOGAM

A heated argument was said to have taken place between the Director General of the Presidents Media Division and Spokesperson for the President Bandula Jayasekera, Sri Lankan journalists and the producer of the Channel 4 documentary “Killing Fields” Callum Macrae at the Media Centre used for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Perth, Australia.

“Macrae was there lobbying against Sri Lanka. He was videotaping our materials such as the ‘Lies Agreed Upon’ documentary and other booklets that were distributed by our mission. I along with other local media confronted him,” Jayasekera told the Daily Mirror.

During this confrontation Macrae’s camera crew had begun to film those in the media centre focusing on the Sri Lankan media personnel. Agitated by this the Sri Lankan media responded by video taping those individuals, who had been video taping at first.

“Macrae’s people tried to stop us by complaining; however our media guys did not relent. Finally they had to stop videotaping us,” Jayasekera said. (DS)