Seeking to dispel apprehensions about restricted access to Tamil refugee camps, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has invited Sri Lankan Editors to visit these welfare centres for a first hand account of the situation, but warned them against "provocative" writing that could give rise to "another terrorist movement" post-LTTE.
During an interactive session with the owners and Chief Editors of the print and electronic media yesterday, the President urged them "not to use the media to disturb communal harmony in the new era that has begun with the defeat of LTTE terrorism and the unification of the motherland."
"My earnest appeal to you is not to write or broadcast anything that would create unnecessary divisions in society," he was quoted as saying by the state-run 'Daily News'.
"There is a danger that even a small incident could be blown up by provocative elements to cause much damage," Rajapaksa cautioned. "Do not write anything to arouse hatred, do not let another terrorist movement to emerge."
He also requested the Editors not to defame anyone or use the media to settle personal vendetta, which could lead to incidents that may implicate the government for no fault of it, the newspaper said.
The President requested the Editors to visit the welfare villages in the North to see for themselves the conditions there, it said.
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The visit to the refugee camps would also enable the media heads to understand the colossal tasks that the government has undertaken for a large number of civilians, who fled from the clutches of the LTTE, Rajapaksa said.
He said the need of the hour is to forge national unity and develop reconciliation and friendship among different communities that were earlier estranged.
The government has drawn up a 180-day plan for resettlement of the Internally Displaced Persons after completing de-mining and providing infrastructure and basic necessities, the President told the Editors.