IS SILENCE GOLD?

Mahinda Weerasinghe
21-05-07
Rep. of SPUR and member of WAPs Author of The Origin Of Species According To The Buddha

Silence is supposed to be gold, but as far as the news media is concerned such a golden silence can be pregnant in many ways. Curiously, the Norwegian media's news blackout of LTTE terrorists' activities is compatible with a carefully worked out strategy by the Royal Norwegian Foreign Ministry (MFA), and it looks as if it has sold its soul betraying the Norwegian nation. In fact, by maintaining a 'no news' stance, they implicitly have become partners to a hidden policy of ncouraging terrorism. Not that the global society is fooled by such a ploy. Agonising echoes of its silence can clearly be heard. This is Peculiar, given that Norwegian MFA pushed to get the facilitator job, now wishes to black out information from its employees?

Such selective 'un-reporting' by the Norwegian news media can be a short sighted policy of misplaced patriotism which is bound to backlash in time. Yet, its present nonchalance is a logical development. Since the new Government took control of the levers of power in Colombo, the Norwegian MFA has found it difficult to manipulate the Sri Lankan political process, unlike under the earlier Quislings. The present defence secretary Mr Gotabiya Rajapakse's massive drive to eliminate Jaffna Tiger- Catholic- terrorists has produced positive results to the Island nation.

Then on 19th of April, this studied silence was abruptly shuttered. That's when Rövik, a Norwegian national, arrived in Colombo to attend a peace conference and present his research, and findings. The Norwegian MFA did not take kindly to an open forum of free exchange of opinions, and reacted as if a 'bull in a china shop'. Even prior to the conference has sat, the Norwegian MFA, utilizing Norwegian editors as 'cats paws', targeted mercilessly the persona of Røvik. The slumbering media was woken up by the MFA bureaucrats and allocated the task of dismantling the personality of Røvik. I have never witnessed a more vicious character assassination than that what was carried out against Røvik on the 19th April by the media of this 'peace exporting' nation.

VG, a sensation seeking rag, quoting a Norwegian MFA source, pointed out that this Norwegian is preaching politically explosive stuff to the Lankan public, which may trigger a backlash in its wake. It would put the Norwegian 'peace industry' workers' in harms way. Norwegians being a 'chosen people' were more precious than all the brown natives exterminated by their terrorist friends we understood.

Dagbladet, not to be out done, reported that "Solheim has been accused repeatedly by extremist Sinhalese groups for supporting terror in Sri Lanka.

'Extremist Sinhalese'! What kind of 'extremist' is that nobody knows? 'Extremist' in plucking coconuts, or eating cajunuts? Through use of such subtle expressions the Norwegian MFA wished to discourage the Norwegian public from digesting information coming from its detractors.

In Sri Lanka, The MFA huge media barrage targeting Rövik had a reverse effect.
The seminar organized by the 'extremist' turned into a huge success thanks to the hate campaign directed at Røvik. Norwegian tabloids tactically ignored the conference as expected. And the Norwegian public assumed under the circumstances, that the conference must have died a natural death.
Though they 'killed the messenger bearing bad tidings', the vital questions posted at this conference never melted away. Indeed most people in Sri Lanka were now keen to know answers to specific questions, such as:

a.) Did over hundreds of passports fall into the hands of LTTE terrorist outfit? If so how?
b.) Was the UD funding LTTE terrorist through a secret account?
c.) Is it a fact that Ambassador Jon Westborg paid for the electronic equipment using Norwegian tax payer's money? Was then the Norwegian MFA in agreement with this action? And whose representative was Ambassador Jon Westborg any way, Norway's or terrorists'?
d.) Did Norway help built submarines etc., for terrorist in Thailand?

Then it dawned on me why Røvik's character needed a complete rubbing out. The Norwegian MFA was not trying to convince the Sinhalese Buddhist chauvinists, who were of no consequence to them. Indeed it was a pre-emptive strike in order to insulate the ignorant Norwegians from giving any consideration to Røvik's allegations. They in fact dismissed his information offhandedly. This dismantling the persona of Røvik was vital for the Norwegian MFA, for obvious reasons.

The Norwegian bureaucrats power base is generated by the Norwegian voters, and if the Norwegian public become enlightened it would be a threat to their activities and non-accountability. No wonder they brought all their weight to bear on the country's news media and got them to 'pull the chestnuts out of the fire'. In such a manner they avoided the blow back effect the conference might have had in inflicting the Norwegians. After executing the Norwegian MFA master's instructions the Norwegian media went back to bury its head in the sand again, without posing a single question 'what was that all about'.

Indeed due this 'golden silence' of its news media, the MFA bureaucrats successfully sustained a 'good terrorists' bad terrorists' policy for years.

Though the Norwegian people were taken for a ride the Sri Lankan's obviously were not. Sadly the Norwegian people failed to recognise the bizarre situation staring in their eyes. If it was fine for a Norwegian Foreign Minister, Jan Petersen, and a high profile entourage to journey to the Sri Lankan bush and enjoy a private audience with a psychopathic murderer named Velupillai Prabhakaran who is wanted by the international police, why shouldn't Sri Lankan's listen to Rövik, a man acquitted from criminal charges by their own courts. While the assassin of Rajiv Gandhi was good to greet, embrace and negotiate with, Rovik a harmless individual was declared a danger to public. Do these bureaucrats truly believe that the global society is lacking any analytical skills? Rövik was cleared of his transgressions; but their terrorist friend, is still to be brought to an International court of justice for genocide and ethnic cleansing.

It's natural that the Norwegian and Sri Lankan public be confused. In the 80s and 90s their was a massive propaganda drive to brainwash the Norwegians by giving a clean bill of health for these racist terrorists. They were hipped as freedom fighters struggling to be free from Sinhalese Buddhist chauvinists. Hence, media reporting and analysis was selective and slanted. Sinhalese were never provided with an opportunity of airing their views in the Norsk media.
The Norwegian MFA interest in aiding the terrorist did not materialise with their involvement as facilitators. I saw it coming during the early 80ties.

The (Norwegian) Aftenposten, (a daily with the largest circulation) Editorial of the 8th August 1985 makes its intentions crystal clear, and I quote:

RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE TAMILS
The western nations and Norway must take responsibility for the present developments in Sri Lanka before more bloody civil war and mass slaughter of the minority Tamils' occur. There are good indications that outside pressure could be quite effective, in the case of this country. The new measures taken by the Norwegian government, we understand, are a recognition that it is possible to reverse the present trend in Sri Lanka, and if need be, stronger measures may be taken, so that they in Colombo understand our message clearly.

After many years of jostling, we find all elements in place by 1998 to aid the LTTE terrorist by their shadowy promoters. That's when the then Deputy Foreign Minister of Norway, Mr. Vidar Helgesen journeying to Lanka on a vital mission. In the 24th Jan.1999 issue of Sunday Observer he outlined Norway's mission. He offered Norway's help to settle our conflict, for he proclaimed that they were 'living experts at conflict resolution'.

Being aware of the situation and knowing the Norwegian MFA ulterior motives, I reacted with horror. Hence I countered this 'milk and honey' statement with an article of my own to the Sunday Observer, which I termed 'Are you ready to be taken for another ride!' And ended it in the following manner 'Owning a history of partisanship to this conflict; asking Norway (MFA) to negotiate is like asking "a fox to mind the chicken coop".

As the Catholic Church is and was controlling the Sri Lankan media, I came up against a blank wall when I tried to get this piece printed. Luckily thanks to a forward thinking editor of Sunday Island I got it finally in print in Feb. the same year.

What the Sri Lankans should now realise is, most of the strategic and vital information never gets printed in the English dailies including the Daily News. The Catholic Church is controlling the new media in Sri Lanka. My articles are taboo, though I have given the right information at the right time. As the Catholic action is the instigator of our terror problem it strives to keep the Sri Lankans totally ignorant. Sri Lankans are in their present dilemma thanks to Catholic Action, just like Norwegians are kept ignorant in their news media through the machinations of the Norwegian MFA .

Though the said article was published in 1999 prior to Norway took over the facilitator's role, everything was in place to hoodwink the Sinhalese Buddhist "chauvinists". Indeed by that time a Quisling woman was at the helm of the country to be joined shortly by the other Quisling Prime Minster Ranil. And a terrorist representative was occupying the facilitator's embassy. And be sure, all of the strategic bureaucrats of Lanka were in their pockets. In a nut shell the stage was set to out wit the Sri Lankans.

Ending the piece on Røvik, the 'nettavisen' poses an intriguing question. It queries 'what this man's (Rövik's) interest in Sri Lanka'? In fact the Sri Lankans are posing a similar question to the Norwegian MFA. What is their interest in supporting terror in Sri Lanka and why do they own a dual policy on terrorism? After all Sri Lanka has in no way harmed Norway.