Some media personnel living the high life

(from Lakbima News)

Inside sources from the Free Media Movement last week revealed to LAKBIMAnEWS new information pertaining to questionable financial transactions within media rights groups. According to sources, a few selected journalists have been receiving extravagant payments from foreign funding agencies.

It is learnt that two individuals - Sunanda Deshapriya and Fredrika Janz - were tasked with “looking after the safety of journalists.” They have been reportedly receiving a monthly salary of 750 Euros per person from the International News Safety Institute for the last four years. In addition to their expenses for travelling, fuel, purchase of mobile phone, mobile phone bill, laptop computer, cost, E-mail bill are also paid. The total salary amounts to around Rs. 200,000 per month. This is said to be not the sole income of the two officials.

Victor Ivan, Editor of Ravaya, in an article recently has pointed out that most journalists were not aware that there were two officials to look after the safety of journalist. “Even media organisations are not privy to it,” he notes.

LAKBIMAnEWS already reported few weeks ago about the controversial safety fund for journalists set up with grants from Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Created in 2007, the safety fund is administered by the SLPI but handled by a steering committee which approves the release of money for projects related to the security of journalists. The first steering committee comprised representatives of the Fojo Institute for Further Education of Journalists, International Media Support, SLPI, Sunanda Deshapriya as FMM convenor and Lionel Fernando from civil society.

Since the use of this subsidiary fund has given rise to controversy, the Press Institute has reportedly suspended its use and initiated an inquiry. Sunanda Deshapriya, former convener of the Free Media Movement resigned from the posts he held over these issues.

It is said that the five families of slain journalists were paid Rs. 5000 per month each by the safety fund. However, ironically, journalists who are alleged to be under threat are paid excessively higher amount of money than the family of the slain journalists.

Two houses have been rented for two journalists - the president and secretary of the Sri Lanka Working Journalist Association - for their safety. The rent for one is Rs. 230,000 while that for the other is Rs. 178,000.In addition those threatened are paid a monthly allowance of Rs. 10,000 to travel safely.

Five media organisations including the FMM annually conduct four big training projects on Public Service Journalism, Human Rights, Fraud and Corruption and on Security of Journalists. It is said that the Human Rights project has a grant of 199,000 Euros (Approx. Rs. 15 million) from the European Union. Statistics relating to other projects are not available at present.

It is learnt that the same individuals were employed as trainers in all four projects getting huge sums of payments. Apart from that, some of them were also reportedly appointed as Regional Coordinators.