A call has been made by Prajathanthra, an organisation which describes itself as a "Foundation for Freedom of Expression'', for an explanation on why the editor of the Daily News was suddenly removed from this position on August 14.

"We believe that the public deserve to be told the reason for this sudden change,'' a statement issued on Friday by Lucien Rajakarunanayake, the convenor of the organisation, said.

It said that their organisation did not challenge the right of the proprietors of a media organisation to make changes with regard to appointments and duties of journalists.

"However, it is our view that such changes should ot affect the editorial freedom of the journalist/s involved. It is in this context that we believe that the government, the media minister or the chiarman of Lake House should make a clear public statement giving the reason for this change,'' the statement said.

It further said that with regard to Lake House, "there is all the more reason for good and valid reasons to be given, because the majority of the shares of Lake House are held by the ublic Trustee. These shares are held in trust for the public and therefore the public deserve a good explanation.

"It is also necessary to emphasise that state-controlled or managed media institutions should demonstrate a greater degree of accountability and transparency because they are managed with public funds, unlike private media institutions.

"We hope the authorities would explain to the public the need for this sudden change and even the need for the earlier sudden changes in the same post.''

(following is the text of the statement)

Why was editor changed....
Statement by Prajathanthra

A few weeks ago when Ms. Ishini Wickremasinghe Perera, News Director of TNL Television, was relieved of some of her duties, which later led to her resignation, our organization was among the very few to state that it was a matter that involved Editorial Freedom, which is an integral aspect of Media Freedom. The "Daily News" and Lake House, were at that time the biggest champions of Ms. Wickremasinghe's cause.

However, last weekend we read of the sudden change in the chair of the Editor of the "Daily News." Although this is the third change in the post of Editor of the "Daily News" since this government assumed control and management of Lake House, we believe this matter deserves comment on the same premise of Editorial Freedom of the journalist.

With no reflection whatever on the experience or competence of the two journalists involved, the one who was removed from and the one who has been appointed to the post of Editor of the "Daily News", we think the public deserve to be told the reasons for this sudden change. We believe that the silence on this matter of most media institutions and organizations which are concerned with media freedom, is similar to the silence of the UNP on the most recent issue involving Ms. Ishini Wickremasinghe.

Our organization does not challenge the right of the proprietors of a media organization to make changes with regard to the appointments and duties of journalists. However, it is our view that such changes should not affect the Editorial Freedom of the journalists involved. It is in this context that we believe that the Government, the Media Minister or the Chairman of Lake House should make a clear public statement giving the reasons for this change.

With regard to such changes in Lake House, there is all the more reason for good and valid reasons to be given, because the majority of the shares of Lake House are held by the Public Trustee. These shares are held in trust for the public, and therefore the public deserve a good explanation. It is also necessary to emphasize that State controlled or managed media institutions should demonstrate a greater degree of accountability and transparency because they are managed with public funds, unlike private media institutions.

We hope the authorities would explain to the public the need for this sudden change, and even the need for the earlier sudden changes in the same post. We wish to recall that the undersigned made a similar request at the time when Mr. Manik de Silva was equally suddenly removed from his post as Editor of the "Daily News". It is also good to recall that the post of Editor, "Daily News" has in the past been held by such eminent journalists as H. A. J. Hulugalle, Jayantha Padmanabha and Fred Silva to mention just three.