Ajit Randeniya

The intensification of subterranean activities of the US embassy in Colombo and USAID in the north and east of Sri Lanka, especially following the defeat of their ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”trump cardƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, Sarath Fonseka, is such that the Sri Lankan government needs to declare it a spectator sport and collect some additional taxes!

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The latest news of a speech given by a woman by the name Valerie Fowler from the US embassy at the graduation day of the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”College of JournalismƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ is particularly revealing in terms of the extent to which they are engaging in undermining the stability and future prosperity of Sri Lanka.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The US strategy in Sri Lanka is clearly based on systematically targeting the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”weak spotsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ of the fabric of Sri Lankan society, and on devising methods of brain washing the people involved to create chaos: the media sector has been targeted due to its obvious usefulness for spreading subversive propaganda, like they did before the presidential election, together with ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”making friendsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ among the minorities with lingering dissatisfaction being the other am.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Looking at the structure that has ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”given birthƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ to this so-called School of Journalism, its financing and the close involvement of US agents who work in Colombo under diplomatic and aid worker cover reveals a disturbing level of intensification of US activities in Sri Lanka.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”CollegeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ is part of a triumvirate they have created, together with a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”parentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ body named the Sri Lanka ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Press InstituteƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, touted as Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s premier institution for ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”supporting the media throughout the countryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, and a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Press Complaints CommissionƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ purportedly designed for ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”effective and fairƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ arbitration of disputes.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”CollegeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Complaints CommissionƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ are the business end of the classic ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Trojan horseƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ approach the US is adopting in Sri Lanka; so much has been revealed by the US embassy when they announced that ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The Sri Lanka College of Journalism endeavors to change the media from within”. Funding for it comes from the usual sources of the governments of Norway, Sweden and Denmark while curriculum a University in Sweden. The shady and corrupt ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Free Media MovemenƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ of Sunanda Deshapriya and Frederica Jansz is also involved: had to be!

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”CollegeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ is touted as the body that is designed to provide journalists with the skills, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”while imparting the values and ethics that are essential elements for responsible journalismƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. The ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”complaints commissionƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ has been clearly devised, again, to bypass the countryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s legal system. The conspirators are fully aware that the character assassinations likely to be carried out by the gullible, brain washed sections of the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”journalistsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ trained here will attract legal action ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”as night follows dayƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. They are planting a structure designed to give a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”slap on the wristƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ to offending ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”journalistsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, rather than subjecting them to multi billion rupee defamation claims.

But the key question here is as to what, and whose, values and ethics are they teaching at theƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ CollegeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢? If they pass on the values and ethics of total dedication by Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s budding journalists to national development in the same manner Reuters, AP, AFP, BBC, CNN and Al Jazeera journalists are serving Zionism, Sri Lanka has nothing to worry about!

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ However, they will only plant the seeds of social destruction by teaching young Sri Lankans to act against their own interests by ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”waging warƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ against the government, without reasonable grounds as the charges during the presidential election campaign revealed.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ During her speech, Valerie Fowler, probably overexcited by the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”excellentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ opportunity the media training offers, has clearly overstepped the boundary of appropriate diplomatic behaviour: in saying that SLPI is a beacon of light in an environment where ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”media unfortunately remains under great pressure and intimidationƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, she has cast aspersions on the Sri Lankan people and their government. She deserves a call from the Department of Foreign Affairs for a reminder that she can ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”butt outƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ of any local debate on media freedoms.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Then we need to tear her cover off! Valerie Fowler is the archetypical American ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”career womanƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ who will not hesitate to do ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”anythingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ for the right money and ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”advancementƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ within the bureaucracy; even if it involves working in ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”hellholesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ under constant threat to life. The ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”workƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ people like Ms Fowler are engaged in all corners of the world is sold to the US tax payer as activities that bring great benefits to them, and they pay dearly for it, like they did on 11 September 2001.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Prior to her current assignment in Colombo, Ms. Fowler was Counselor, Sub-National Governance Office at the US Embassy in Kabul from 2008-2009. Previous to that, from 2005-2008, she was the Public Affairs Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Singapore. Obviously a trusted operator, she has also served in the Department of State’s ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Operations CenterƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ as a Senior Watch Officer and as Director of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Crisis ManagementƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ (2002-2004). If you need more convincing that Ms Fowler is a serious spy, she earned her spurs by proving her worth in China, in key centres such as Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai and Shenyang in the early nineties.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ But that is not all! They are ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”a familyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ dedicated to this kind of work: Ms FowlerƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s husband, Charles ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”ChipƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ Fowler held the rank of Captain in the US Navy ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Office of Naval ResearchƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…”the body that collects technical information through contacts with scientists and naval officers of other countries- until he retired in January 2010.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ There is something intriguing about Captain Chip FowlerƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s real work however: he takes a special interest in ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”mountain climbingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. There surely wouldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t be much naval traffic up in the clouds!

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ State Department sources inform that back in July 2009, Capt Fowler was in an ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”expeditionƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ of the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan, the ranges bordering Kabul and Parwan Provinces to be exact, around the time three American ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”hikersƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ were arrested while secretly entering Iran through its border with Iraq.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The three, Shane M. Bauer, 27, Joshua F. Fattal, 27 and Sarah E. Shourd (noted the surnames?) claimed they were ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”freelance journalists conducting research on sustainable-livingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ trekking through the Kurdistan region of Iraq and simply ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”strayedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ in to Iranian territory. The Iranian authorities thought otherwise and charged the three with spying. The reader is free to draw own conclusions.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ But let us dwell for a few moments on the self-righteous sounding filth this woman has dumped on this young and impressionable group of Sri Lankans. Even before we pay attention to her preachings, it needs to be noted that an American establishment agent teaching a developing country journalist how to promote democracy is equivalent to a bank robber advising banks on security arrangements!

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Fowler has pontificated that it is their shared responsibility to be purveyors of the truth, watchdog of the public interest, and defenders of democratic rights and principles. She has also reminded the graduates that as journalists, they are duty bound to be defenders, a fourth branch of democratic rights and values: of the American type, of the nominally separated legislative, judicial, and executive arms of government.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Fowler has clearly failed to mention that the so-called ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”separation of powersƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ only exist theoretically in her own country, and all the branches of government she mentioned have been, since their very inception, under the control of the global Zionist movement.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ She has failed to mention that the two party ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”democracyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ in her country does not offer real alternatives to US citizens, and the presidential election process from the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”unearthingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ of candidates to their progress through the so-called ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”primariesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ is a process corrupted to its core by Zionist money.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Fowler has forgotten to mention that US citizens are kept in the dark by their political masters about the atrocious criminal activities they carry out overseas, all in their name, and the US and western corporate media owned by the same money bags who control their governments do precious little to expose such crimes: their control of the journalistic profession including recruitment, training, placements and promotions see to it that different opinions or interpretations are not presented or published.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ One can go on: what is crucial however is to inform our young minds that we in Sri Lanka donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t need foreign money or advice, especially from America, on how to nurture good journalists with commitment to national advancement and sensibility to public needs.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lankan journalists of the calibre of Tarzi Vittachchi, D.B.Dhanapala, David Karunaratne, H.A. J. Hulugalle, Denzil Peiris, Mervyn de Silva and Ajith Samaranayake were not ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”trainedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ by these thieves, though some of them fell in to their traps later in their careers. We alo acknowledge that we also have had exceptions to this tradition, such as Frederica Jansz and Lasantha Wickrematunga!

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ But ,warts and all, we have a sound tradition of quality, fearless journalism that is continuing in Sri Lanka. That should not be compromised by the self-serving ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”adviceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ of these thieves.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Valerie Fowler, go home!