1st of December -World AIDS Day
World AIDS Day is observed on 1st of December every year to raise awareness and knowledge about HIV and call to move toward ending the HIV epidemic.
It was first celebrated in 1988. The theme of 2019 is “Ending the HIV/AIDS Epidemic: Community by Community”. And according to UNAIDS, the theme of this year is “Communities make the difference”.
On the morning of November 28, 2021, journalist Vishwalingam Vishwachandran was subject to a brutal attack in Mullaitivu while engaging in media reporting. The barbaric attack was carried out with a palm stick wrapped in barbed wire while the victim was taking photographs of the Mullivaikkala name board. Eyewitnesses said that the attack was carried out by a group of army soldiers who were stationed at the scene. It is reported that journalist Vishwalingam Vishwachandran, who is also the treasurer of the Mullaitivu Media Club, has been admitted to the Mullaitivu District Hospital with serious injuries and is receiving treatment.
Mullaitivu journalists have lodged a complaint with the Mullaitivu Police with photographic evidence of the attackers. When inquired about this, the Mullaitivu Police Headquarters Inspector said that investigations have been initiated into the incident. He further said that steps will be taken to send the relevant details of the attack to the Police Media Spokesman and further details should be sought from the Police Media Spokesman. Journalists in the North and East, in particular, have been subjected to constant harassment and it is unfortunate that they have not been brought to the attention of government officials, including the IGP, from time to time.
The Federation of Media Employees Trade Unions (FMETU), a member organization of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), strongly condemns the brutal attack on journalist Vishwalingam Vishwachandran. We consider this attack as an attack on the right of all journalists to report freely. We urge all government officials, including the IGP, to bring those responsible for the attack under the law immediately and to take all possible measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
” Journalism is a Public Service! Wake up! stand up! Protect the media Industry!” – FMETU 8th Delegates Conference:
The Federation of Media Employees Trade Unions, FMETU held its 8th delegates’ convention online on October 30. The programme was supported by the International Federation of Journalists, IFJ, through the “IFJ-Union to Union, 2021 programme”.
The FMETU convention theme this year was, “Journalism is a Public Service! Wake up! Stand up! protect the Media Industry!”.
I am delighted to participate in IFJ’s regional online organising conference – FUTURE POWER: Organising media in challenging times. I am representing the Federation of Media Employees Trade Unions –FMETU Sri Lanka.
It is also very important that this event is focusing on impunity to mark the International Day to End Impunity.
Filipino and Russian journalists, Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov, were today announced as the winners of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize for “their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace”. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) welcomes the news and warmly congratulates the winners, saying that this award is a recognition of the crucial role of journalists around the globe, many of whom are faced with tremendous challenges to serve the public in their countries and the world.
n a far-flung village in the District of Kandy, a village of drum-makers holds fast to old traditions and an ancient craft
Through a tree-lined road one cool misty morning, we made our way to a tiny village that is still the heart and soul of one of Sri Lanka’s most unique cultural traditions. The village of Kooragala, in the Udunuwara Divisional Secretariat of the Kandy District, is nestled upon a small mountain range.
By Indunil Usgoda Arachchi
After nearly 200 years after the arrival in Sri Lanka, estate workers can still be considered as a community which does not possess the rights and privileges of other ordinary citizens of the country, forcing them to live a miserable life which can only be compared to the conditions of the pre-Independence era. In fact, their grievances are heard only upon signing collective agreements once in two years while their struggle for life is not something which arises only once in two years. The system of delaying collective agreements by years and offering paltry salary increments has to be changed and a proper program should be carried out by the authorities to uplift these people but in which the country has continuously failed.
Text and Pix: Indunil Usgoda Arachchi
Widowed or badly affected during the decades of conflict, the fisher community in Anthoniyarpuram, Mannar has new heroes. Groups of women have formed fisheries cooperative societies, and often spend the night at sea, diving for sea cucumbers and crustaceans in the waters of the Lagoon to keep their families alive and reconstruct lives torn apart by war
“Media Organizations Collective” is a joint organization between the Free Media Movement, Sri Lanka Working Journalists’ Association, Federation of Media Employees Trade Unions, Tamil Media Alliance, Muslim Media Forum, and the Young Journalists’ Association.
An online discussion on the future joint activities of this organization was held on 18 September 2021. The discussion was also joined by Jane Verhington, International Federation of Journalists Regional Director, Asia Pacific, and Umesh Prockwell, Program Coordinator.
This joint meeting was organized under the “IFJ – Union-to-Union” 2021 program.
A media training program for the Federation of Media Employees Trade Unions Federation’s website fmetu.org was held on October 16, 2016. This web training program was conducted by renowned web trainer Mr. Sajith Saranga. This training program for journalists was organized under the “IFJ – Union-to-Union” 2021 program
