FCA denies government claim

     The Foreign Correspondents Association (FCA) in Sri Lanka has denied the claim made by the government that foreign correspondents working in the country have a limit on the visas issued to them.

The FCA has said that it was unaware of any time limits on visas issued to foreign journalists posted to Sri Lanka.

The Association had made this statement after the BBC Correspondent in Colombo Charles Haviland was refused a one-year visa extension.
“The FCA is unaware of any time limits on visas issued to foreign journalists posted to Sri Lanka. However, we have noted remarks by the authorities that the Media Ministry will articulate in the coming week their policy on visas for foreign correspondents, and we look forward to seeing it. The policy adopted by Sri Lankan authorities is available on the External Affairs Ministry website (http://www.mea.gov.lk/index.php/en/media/guidlines-for-foreign-media), but it makes no reference to how long a foreign journalist can work in Sri Lanka,” the Association  said.