Destructive Fake Posts being circulated. Is the JVP responsible?.
Posted on March 19th, 2021
By Raj Gonsalkorale
Following are some posts that are being circulated depicting what are labelled as Fake Posts and Original Posts. Looking at these, it does appear there is a deliberate campaign to discredit the government by interested parties who are resorting to unprofessional, unethical anti-national tactics. This needs to be investigated as a matter of priority by the government.
The JVP has been linked to this campaign although there is no evidence to justify such a linkage if indeed there is one. A link to the JVP is indicated on the Fake posters.
Highlighting any attempts made by political supporters of the government, and generally any politician or any other person in authority or business men and women, to destroy Sri Lanka’s valuable forests for short term gain has to be exposed. However, it needs to be done truthfully, ethically and based on fact. If any person or an entity, political or otherwise, is engaging in campaigns that are unlawful as well, then such persons and/or entities have to be taken to courts and charged under the relevant laws of the country.
It is also well for the government, and the country at large, for current laws to be studied, and if the punishment for anti-national acts of this nature needs to be revamped, then, that too needs to be done.
The truth about destruction has to be known and wanton carnage that some suspect is going on under the guise of development has to be exposed. These sources say that a recent gazette notification permitting Provincial Secretaries to permit the use of what is called unproductive land which are is not protected land, such as forests and wild life protected sanctuaries and which, villagers say could be used by them for minor crop agriculture or cattle grazing, is being misused and provincial Secretaries are being pressured by politicians to allow these lands to be used for larger scale agriculture and other projects. In the process, even protected land and valuable forest cover is being affected as encroachment is occurring into protected land.
The government has to investigate whether some of these alleged activities in fact are occurring, and take those responsible to task if indeed they happening. The government perhaps should hire an independent entity to investigate, video record any instances where this has happened so that action could be taken against persons responsible for them.
On the one hand, it is a crime to destroy the country’s forests, but it is also a crime to spread fake news and mislead the public. Those who are doing this are then on an equal footing to the ones who are allegedly destroying the forests. Both are criminals.
March 22nd, 2021 at 2:30 am
Countering slander and opposition propaganda!
Pohottuwa Administration, just like the previous Rajapakse Administration 2005 – 2015 is hopelessly weak on taking the opposition propaganda head on. During 2005 -2015 period the slogan was that the Rajapakses were ‘ thieves’ and the people believed. This time the slogan is “Sir Fail” and by how things go they might even convince the idiotic nation that the Gotabhaya Administration is failing.
At this rate we should not be surprised that the nincompoop Sajith might even become the next President of Lalaland that is Sri Lanka. Pohottuwa need to take the ‘fight’ directly into the Sajith Camp.
At least for the sake of the nation and people they must be proactive in countering the genuine propaganda and be proactive in correcting where they falter. This is not happening. The feeble noises that the President makes on his visits to the ‘bush’ is not sufficient to sway the public opinion. This administration need to know that there are powerful forces inside and outside Sri Lanka who will spend big money to get rid of them. They are masters at the game of psychological warfare and propaganda.
Looking closely it is easy to see that currently they are working on several fronts. These are government corruption, the environment and the economy. The obvious ones the Sugar issue the government is too slow in attending to the matter and bringing culprits to book. They had to wait till the Opposition goes to the Bribery Commission. This matter should be resolved without delay unless Pohottuwa want to go the previous Rajapakse Administration 2010-15, way!
Elsewhere people are protesting about a solution to the Elephant – People confrontation. It is obvious as the Minister Chamal Rajapakse mentioned they are working out a solution. However it would have been best to keep the the people who are out taking part in a Satyagraha informed. The issue is real and people need a solution for it is a day to day life and death situation. There must be a comprehensive solution for this issue worked out in consultation with all stake holders.
There are so many fronts on which Gotabhaya Administration have done well. These must be kept in front of the people lest they forget and do a ‘harakiri’ the same as they did in 2105! Otherwise it looks as if Gotabhaya has already thrown in the towel!