The minister made these remarks during a visit to several media institutions in Jaffna. The visit is to promote friendship among journalists in the North and South.

He said following the 2015 Presidential Election and General Election, the government ensured media freedom in the country under the leadership of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. He also urged Jaffna journalists to participate in a goodwill visit to the South.

A group of journalists from the South visited Jaffna on Saturday under a programme organised by the Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media Ministry.

Deputy Minister Karunarathne Paranavithana who also participated in the tour, looked into difficulties faced by Northern journalists.

The media minister, deputy minister and a group of journalists visited Valampuri, Uthayan and Thinakkural newspaper offices yesterday, and looked into problems faced by journalists in the North.

Meanwhile, they also worshiped the historical Nagadeepa Rajamaha Viharaya.

The journalists who visited Jaffna by train were welcomed by journalists from the North on Saturday evening. The programme was under the theme 'Palmyrah leaf and reconciliation between journalists and media organisations in the North.'