The local media corps had a rotten time covering the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping this week. Wherever they went, a posse of Chinese journalists elbowed them out of the picture.

pic via: facebook.com/PresidentRajapaksa/

It started at the airport where local journalists were bundled onto two trucks from which they could take pictures and video footage for TV and newspapers. But not everyone was on the truck.

As President Xi met President Mahinda Rajapaksa on the red carpet, a group of Chinese cameramen at ground level obscured the view, clicking furiously.

They did this persistently until those on the trucks shouted for them to move. It was President Rajapaksa who saw the distress of Sri Lanka’s media personnel. He cleared the way and posed with his Chinese counterpart for them to take some photos. This happened twice that day.

The situation was worse at the inauguration of the Colombo Port City project the next day. Chinese cameramen crowded around the two Presidents on the red carpet, jostling furiously with local journalists. Even President Rajapaksa’s official photographer was shoved out of the way.

The two Presidents and other officials climbed a stage to cut a ribbon. Again, Chinese journalists and others covered them entirely. Local media personnel, who had been positioned on another stage some distance away, could see little or nothing.

They shouted themselves hoarse. Once again, it was President Rajapaksa who came to their rescue. He cleared the way and took the Chinese President forward (facing the local journalists) so that they could take pictures and footage.

Back on the red carpet while exiting the venue, the situation was no better. Local journalists finally told the President, who was within hearing range, “Sir, apita pinthura nehe ney” (“Sir, we don’t have photos”).

Is this a sign of things to come?

Courtesy: Sunday Times