28 March, 2011 - Published 14:27 GMT

President questions blocking media from north

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has questioned the director general of Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) on preventing foreign journalists visiting northern Sri Lanka.

Lakshman Hulugalle, has been hurriedly summoned by the president to 'Temple Trees' where he was having a breakfast meeting with foreign journalists on Monday.

Following the questioning of the MCNS director general requested foreign journalists to contact him personally if permission to the north is denied in the future.

"There should be no problem for you to go to the north and report freely. I will make sure that you will be able to go there in future."

Libya

The president made this request after a journalist revealed that she was recently denied to permission to visit Kachchtivu island.

Mr Rajapaksa was also informed by the BBC correspondent in Colombo, Charles Haviland, that he did not get permission to visit Jaffna to cover the US-sponsored musical festival in Jaffna during the weekend.

With regard to the air attacks by the Western coalition on Libya, the president has also said that Sri Lanka cannot accept the violation of the sovereignty of any country.

“I always believe that the people are right, but no one should harm innocent citizens,” he was quoted by the government’s official website.