Hiru media network chief too comes under death threat from Rajapakse regime
(Lanka-e-News- 15.Oct.2014, 4.30PM) Hiru media chain chief Reno De Silva has been subjected to death threats by those in high places of the Rajapakse regime, according to reports reaching Lanka e news inside information division. The reason underlying this is the Hiru media chain during the last Uva provincial council elections carrying out its tasks unbiased and without fear or favor ( a virtue most abhorred by the vile Rajapakses in themselves and others)
When announcing the final results of the Uva elections , Hiru openly and sans bias revealed under news headlines ‘government votes decline, opposition votes grow ,’ ‘electorates of Ministers Nimal Siripala and Dilan Perera face defeat .’ Besides, Hiru comparing the results of polling of the government in Uva in the recent election and the previous one, and highlighting the government debacles have kindled the ire and fire of Rajapakses who have therefore entered into conflicts with Reno De Silva. Rajapakses have instructed Hiru chain to withdraw those news postings in its websites after they were published.
In addition , Hiru had to face charges mounted by Rajapakses because it carried advertisements of UNP’s luminous star Harin Fernando free of charge.
Reno is a UNP supporter out and out all along . The Hiru media license was revoked some time ago for publishing the news about the killings by the LTTE of groups of people in Ranmini thenne village in a jungle. During that period Hiru media chain had only a broadcasting channel. In truth the killings were done by a group affiliated to the Rajapakses in order to plunder lands taking cover under the war that was raging at that time, after frightening and intimidating the people.
Finally , the broadcasting license was validated later , only after Duminda Silva (a UNP M.P. at that time) the brother of Reno De Silva pole vaulted to the Rajapakse camp purportedly to strengthen the ‘two hands’ of Mahinda Rajapakse . Thereafter they became close pals of the Rajapakse regime. But by now , Reno had left the Rajapakses , and once again built his ties with his old party the UNP. Rajapakses who were provoked by this had held out death threats to Reno therefore.
In any case , the media personnel of the Hiru media revere and respect their chief Reno De Silva. This is because Reno does not interfere in their news postings or instructs them what should or should not be published unlike the chiefs of other electronic websites. The journalists of his say , Reno had given them full freedom but on one condition - not to attack his brother Duminda Silva. Nevertheless , with the latest murder threats directed at their chief , the journalistic staff of his are dismayed and disgruntled.
