They said in separate statements that a complaint had been lodged with the police over the visit by soldiers to the SLPI on May 27 and called on the army to inquire into the matter.
They said armed persons dressed in uniforms of the Sri Lanka Army arrived at the headquarters of the SLPI and subsequently made inquiries pertaining to the individuals working for the institute, including its directorate.
"The armed men were not permitted to enter the premises by the Institute's security guards.
"Thereupon, a lone Corporal, unarmed, proceeded to the Administration section of the office and began asking for the names of the individuals working for the Institute, including those in its directorate.
"When asked to show his identification, he stated that he was from the Army's Intelligence unit, and refused to produce any ID."
The SLPI and FMM statements said the Corporal was informed by members of the staff to make a formal request for such information from an official authorised to make such a request from the Sri Lanka Army and that he withdrew thereafter.
"(The) issue gained serious proportion when the Institute was informed that the Sri Lanka Army had not authorised any member of its force to make any such inquiries, and that, in any event, the Intelligence unit will not seek information in such a manner."
They said that if it was an un-authorised visit by members of the Sri Lanka Army, or any persons not authorised to wear the uniform of the Army, they would expect the Military Police to initiate an immediate inquiry into this matter.
"The Institute is concerned that the timing of this 'visit' comes in the immediate aftermath of the abduction, assault and consequent hospitalisation of the Associate Editor of The Nation, Keith Noyarh last week.
"The Institute has reason to believe that there is a nexus in the aforementioned incidents, and thereby expresses its concern – and dismay, at the developments."
It was the latest in a series of attacks and intimidation of journalists in the island.
The Sri Lanka Press Institute is the umbrella organisation of the Sri Lanka College of Journalism and the Press Complaints Commission of Sri Lanka and is managed by its four constituent partners: the Newspaper Society of Sri Lanka, The Editors' Guild of Sri Lanka, the Free Media Movement and the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association.
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