Professional Analyst ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Canada.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

What right has this journalist to pen that, Sri Lanka is a country notorious for its lack of press freedom, and even a story about a puppy can draw a veiled death threat from the government.

The Toronto Star journalist, a staff reporter has published an article in the Toronto Star dated Friday the 13^th., stating that in Sri Lanka, a country notorious for its lack of press freedom, even a story about a puppy can draw a veiled death threat from the government.

Reporting is a commodity, but journalism is not says American media commentator George Snell.

JOURNALISMƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is the practice of investigating and reporting events, issues and trends to the mass audiences of print, broadcast and online media such as newspapers, magazines and books, radio and television stations and networks, blogs and social and mobile media. The product generated by such activity is called journalism.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Toronto Star reporter has just failed in bringing out a piece of content that is Journalism, rather put out a report that is a commodity. What right has this journalist to pen that,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lanka is a country notorious for its lack of press freedom, and even a story about a puppy can draw a veiled death threat from the government

The journalistic presentation of the episodes of 2 telephone discussions between the Editor of Sunday Leader, a weekend English publication http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2012/07/08/gota-goes-berserk/ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and the Secretary Defence, government of Sri Lanka leading to an interview with one of the reporters of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The NationƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ an English publication that too http://www.nation.lk/edition/news-online/item/she-threatened-me/defence-secy.html , thus need to be presented with more clarity to the Canadian and Sri Lanka readers readers.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In his interview Gotabaya Rajapaksa is a gentleman to have told the Nation Newspaper Journalist that he did swear during the exchange but claimed he was not directly using those words at Janz. The Defence Secretary had stated ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-I was using the words in general terms, on people who betray the country. However, I let my emotions get the better of me and I regret that,ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ he had said.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ And if this was the situation of Gotabaya RajapaksaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s mind as stated to the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Nation newspaper journalistƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, at that point, then there is no crime under the scrutiny of law ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Actus reus ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” The Latin phrase translated into modern English is ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”guilty actƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and “Mens reus which refers to the mental element of the act”.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ On the contrary, what is coming out much deeper from this episode and reading all the comments, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-pro & conƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ in both the international media and the local media is that, there is much more to the questionƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  of the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-puppyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ rather it is to create an international media scenario and support the unscluprous agents of the West who are supported by the international NGOƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s and LTTE lobbyists both white and brown, who are hell bound in using all avenues of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-democratic meansƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ to corner the top most civil servant in Sri Lanka. Under ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Provocative LawƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. – The democratic cry is ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-they want him out of officeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Is not the Staff reporter of Toronto Star an accomplice to this guilt in the manner he has reported the Sunday Leader News item in the Toronto Star to his readers in Canada.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Gotabaya Rajapaksa who took the greater risk of being eliminated once by a suicide bomber in December 2006, but lived to lead the security forces to win the war against the LTTE on the May the 19^th., 2009, is the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-DavidƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ that the Western ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-GoliathƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and ant-Sri Lanka LTTE lobbying forces of the pro-LTTE diasporas want ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-as the killƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. It is very clear now that the mind blogging jargons of the media from,ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ Gota orders civilians to be killed during the last stages of the brutal war in the North, Gota grabs lands in the North using the army, Gota builds army camps in the North and East against the will of the Tamil people, Gota grabs land in Colombo chasing away poor shanty dwellers under the disguise of making Colombo a beautiful city, Gota operates white vans for abduction, Gota peddles influence to get his things doneƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ has changed course to the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-alleged foul-mouthed tirade he launched against the Editor of Leader.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Gotabaya Rajapaksa said he ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-regrettedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ losing his temper on the occasion, but claimed he was provoked due to what Janz told him the second time she called. Under ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Provocative LawƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ the Editor Sunday Leader can be subjected to judicial review. In accordance with the Sri Lankan code of Ethics for journalist Section 30(i) (a) of the Sri Lanka Press Council Law, No.5 of 1973, and approved by Parliament under Section 30 (3) of the said Law.1 a) and the Press Council of India 2010 edition of the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Norms of Journalistic Conduct ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” 2010 Edition ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” as published by Justice G.N. Ray, Chairman Press Council of India ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” reference sections:

8. Recording interviews and phone conversation.

i) The Press shall not tape-record anyoneƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s conversation without that persons knowledge or consent, except where the recording is necessary to protect the journalist in a legal action, or for other compelling good reasons.

ii) The Press shall prior to publication, delete offensive epithets used during such conversation.

9. Conjecture, comments and fact.

i)ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Newspaper should not pass on or elevate conjecture, speculation or comment as a statement of fact. All these categories should be distinctly identified.

26. Investigative journalism, its norms and parameters.

(f) The reporter must not approach the matter or the issue under investigation, in a manner as though ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ he/she were the prosecutor or counsel for the prosecution.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Nation journalist Sandun Jayawardene has to be commended for his approach of presenting ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-factsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ which has now opened a window that shows the conspiracy howƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Gotabaya Rajapaksa will be ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-put on dockƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ in the coming days ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” the allegation being ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-on the alleged foul-mouthed tirade he launched against the Leader editorƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. TNA MP Sumanthiran, Karu Jayassuriya MP, Mangala Samaraweera and Dr Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu have called for the removal of the Secretary of Defence on this platform. Many a HR organizations. Journalist and Media Freedom Institutions and INGO,s will join the bandwagon by supporting this call on the supposed allegations Mr. Sandun Jayawardene has made it possible to become public.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ If Gotabaya Rajapaksa pointed out that there was a court order against the Sunday Leader not to harass him and said in that sense, the Sunday Leader editor may well be in contempt of court, and also when he claims Janz had no respect for media ethics and had used her power as a journalist to harass and threaten him which is proven beyond doubt that it is true, will the Secretary Defence not move court for justice under the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Law of ProvocationƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and contempt of court and ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-seek for ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-LibelƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. At least this will make Federica Janaz to apologize for her arrogance and unethical journalistic conduct. The humble Gotabaya, who he is, should pardon her then.