GOING AFTER CHANNEL 4
Posted on August 3rd, 2011
by hela puwath
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We must be serious and realistic in planning to go after Channel 4 for defamation, that is not to say we shouldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t or couldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Let us tread carefully and exert every effort to protect our only home.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ As some have written it is not easy to go after powerful western media organization like the CH-4 or the BBC. This is especially true when it involves the WestƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s sacrosanct ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-free speechƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-press freedomƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, and the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-(in)human rightsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ cabals. Those are the latest arsenal of the colonial plunderers and oppressors of all freedoms of the powerless.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The latest revelations from BritainƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s political scene has shown us how even the Prime Ministers use the so called ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-free pressƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, the Scotland Yard, cronyism, and bribery in turning the wheels of government.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Mind you, this is just domestic politics in Westminster.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ How do you think their system work when dealing with poor, small nations, which they want to bully, dominate and plunder?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Is it about the human rights of those poor buggers in a far away land?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ If the highest office in the UK government resorts to influence peddling with the powerful so-called ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-freeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ press, and while some in the chain resort to bribing the legal apparatus – the police ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” this is just for domestic power.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ What wouldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t they resort to when the issue is foreign power?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In short, donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t expect a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-cake-walkƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ when going after their government-owned propaganda apparatuses, CH-4 and BBC.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Just think, where is the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-free mediaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-freedom of informationƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-human rightsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-war crimesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-International Criminal CourtƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ etc, etc, in Iraq, Afganistan, Libya etc, etc?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The BBC and CH-4 are the British governmentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s primary propaganda machines.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The claim that the BBC is ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-independentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ is simply bogus propaganda.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Therefore, it is in the British governmentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s interest to safeguard its investment.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ CH-4 is UK governmentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-trashy tabloidƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, partly funded by UK taxpayers, and partly by terrorists.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ [Wikipedia – Channel 4 is a British public-service state owned television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned [government controlled]; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA), the station is now owned and operated by the Channel Four Television Corporation, a public body established in 1990, coming into operation in 1993. With the conversion of the Wenvoe transmitter in Wales to digital on 31 March 2010, Channel 4 became a UK-wide TV channel for the first time. The channel was established to provide a fourth television service to the United Kingdom in addition to the television licence-funded BBC’s two services and the single commercial broadcasting network, ITV.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The preamble of the remit as per the Communications Act 2003 states that:
“The public service remit for Channel 4 is the provision of a broad range of high quality and diverse programming which, in particular:
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ demonstrates innovation [doctored terrorist movies], experiment and creativity [pornography, terrorist violence & creative financing by terrorists] in the form and content of programmes;]ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ [emphasis ours]
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ UK authorities cannot be unaware ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ LTTEƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s funding of Channel 4, and UK politicians ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” may be they are looking for LTTE endorsed cheques!
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Further, look at LTTE operatives, banned as terrorists in UK and USA, openly maintain close, regular contact with governments of UK and USA. US State Department holds regular pow-wows, with the assistant secretary of state Robert Blake in federal government buildings. While, in UK, LTTE operatives appear as honored guest speakers in West Minster parliament.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ So, the bottom line, we must tread resolutely but cautiously.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ If this UK group is serious they must realize that they would need considerable financial resources to make a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-water tight caseƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ They, or some other organization with integrity must put out a call for help/donations. There are hundreds of thousands of able and willing Sri Lankans around the world to support this effort.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Please put out the word!
August 3rd, 2011 at 3:26 pm
I agree with hela puwath, one has to be serious and realistic going after C4.
Contrary to what you say, the UK Courts and the UK Public have proved they show no favours to the “High and Mighty” like the recent Murdoch hacking scandal. With all of Murdoch’s muscle the truth prevailed. Politicians and Law Enforcement officers were held accountable to this scandal. I’m not sure why you think a “small poor nation” like SL will not prevail against a powerful media organisation like C4. Truth prevails in the end in a just society. (Incidentally C4 is not funded by the British Tax payer but relies on advertising revenue). I would go so far as saying Murdoch and his News Corporation is possibly 5 times larger in influence/power than Sri Lanka and they still came to heal for the rule of law and justice.
One is better off to find evidence of LTTE funding C4 journalist/news readers/presenters and producers than a legal claim against C4 for defamation.
Financial resources are an issue to build a “water tight” case. Without being cynical, it wouldn’t surprise me the LTTE Diaspora will even fund it just for C4 defense to call GR, SS,MR SF to appear as witnesses and be cross examined in a UK court.
Think the conclusion from Leading Counsel was such that they would have to appear in court for a “water tight” case.
C4 has naturally taken full advantage of that weakness by obtaining clearance from Ofcom and Leading Counsel.
August 3rd, 2011 at 4:21 pm
Ofcom consists mainly of former “channel4” people. So obvioulsy, Ofcom will not act against channle4. We need to act now, even if the SL govt does not want to do so.
August 3rd, 2011 at 7:00 pm
Remember the days when LTTE was supposedly ‘invincible’; as such could not be militarily defeated by puny Sri Lanka? We now know the truth. In the same manner mighty BBC and Channel 4 can be defeated. To that end we must not discourage people who express a will to take these outfits to court. A lot of comments on this start with “if the UK group is serious about this……”; what a negative attitude!? Why do we think this UK group is not serious? Why do we think that this group is unaware of the difficulty level involved in taking Channel 4 to task? Please let this group go ahead with their mission and let us provide al the support needed.
August 4th, 2011 at 6:48 am
If we want to survive, stop our decline, then we must have the will to fight, survive and win.
August 5th, 2011 at 8:52 am
I agree with Ramanie. I am sure the UK group know what they are doing. Every SL on earth should support them financially and otherwise, as much as they can ,to fight against this FRAUD against our nation.
August 5th, 2011 at 10:41 am
marco, vis8, ramanie, ben, chintha and others,
I respond to you tonight. please check latter.