Gotabhaya points to other hatchet jobs by Channel 4 News
Posted on February 22nd, 2013
By Shamindra Ferdinando Courtesy TheƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Island
Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa yesterday said that Sri Lanka wasnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t the only country targeted by the British media outfitƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Channel-4 NewsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ over accountability issues.
The Defence Secretary was responding to the planned screening of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”No Fire ZoneƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, the third installment of the so-called documentary on ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Sri Lanka Killing FieldsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ series produced by Channel-4 News in the British parliamentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ onƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ WednesdayƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ (27)ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ alleging war crimes, with the focus on the alleged execution of LTTE leader PrabhakaranƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s son by the Sri Lankan army.
The war veteran pointed out that the much touted screening was taking place at an event organized by the LTTE rump to celebrate the third anniversary of the Global Tamil Forum (GTF). The documentary had been obviously produced at the behest of the UK based GTF and others still supporting the LTTEƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s macabre eelam project, the Defence Secretary said.
Responding to a query, Defence Secretary Rajapaksa recalled Channel-4 News screening an hour-long TV documentary titled ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”KashmirƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Torture TrailƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ last July. The documentary accused Indian security forces of thousands of disappearances, extra judicial executions as well as rape and murder. An influential section of the British print media, too, backed the TV documentary, the Defence Secretary pointed out, while emphasizing the need to examine the circumstances in which controversial documentaries were made.
The outspoken official recalled Indian media raising questions over the presence of the production team in the Kashmir valley at a time over 100 youths were killed in stone throwing incidents. “Questions are being asked whether Channel-4 News was tipped off by those who planned the demonstrations,” the Defence Secretary said.
The Defence Secretary said that India and Sri Lanka had been lambasted by some UK MPs during a debate, which dealt with the human rights situation in the Indian sub- continent. Recalling how India had reacted angrily to the criticism in UK parliament, the Defence Secretary said that Channel-4 News was acting at the behest of interested parties, “in our case, the LTTE rump”.
The Defence Secretary said that some UK and Australian MPs went to the extent of proposing Channel-4 News team for the last Nobel peace prize. The official said that the British media outfit couldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t be allowed to make a name for itself at Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s expense.
Answering another query, the Defence Secretary alleged that none of those attending the GTF event dared to advice the LTTE against leaving the negotiating table in April 2003 during Ranil WickremesingheƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s tenure as the Prime Minister. In fact, they remained silent as long as they felt the LTTE could achieve its military objectives, the Defence Secretary said. The GTF came into being only after the conclusion of the conflict in May 2009, he said. Had western powers been able to throw a lifeline to the sinking Tigers during the final phase of the offensive, there wouldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t have been GTF, hence no third-year anniversary celebrations in UK parliamentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ next Wednesday.
February 22nd, 2013 at 3:37 pm
GR, this is not good enough, The government must boycott british goods and business deals to send clear messages to these colonial master’s of the past just like the leaders of singapore and malaysia did in their early years only to see the PMs of UK come crawling to their shores!
February 22nd, 2013 at 4:03 pm
GR: Please take these channel-4 morons to court. If the Govt. is unwilling to pursue themself, please fund a Sri Lankan expatriate in England, to file on your behalf.
February 22nd, 2013 at 5:20 pm
This is one big problem with the sinhala. Why can’t the so called sri lankans in UK, group together and take legal action? Why ask GR or the govt?
February 23rd, 2013 at 2:17 am
“This is one big problem with the sinhala. Why can’t the so called sri lankans in UK, group together and take legal action? Why ask GR or the govt?”
– I second that. The people need to organise and take biased media organisations to court themselves because the GOSL will NEVER do it and the GOSL may not be the proper party to do so in the first place. We need to get some legal brains on this. Doesnt biased media reporting rouse any passion amongst Sri Lankan lawyers? Or are they more concerned about impeachments?
February 23rd, 2013 at 10:59 am
Vis8, Herman, Voice123.
It is absolutely useless going to British courts. Remember that LTTE supporter who went on a hunger strike costing the taxpayer some 1000s of pounds wasting police time while secretly having Macdonald takeaways? He bloody successfully sued the newspaper which exposed him as a fraud, the impotent judge ruling in his favour !!
February 23rd, 2013 at 4:02 pm
Herman,
Ben(Mervyn) Silva of UK has already has taken legal action agains Buddhism, which his hollow mind thinks promotes “suicide”, which is illegal.
February 23rd, 2013 at 6:13 pm
Wickrema said “It is absolutely useless going to British courts”
We cant give up that easily. We need to raise enough funds to callenge these organisations. Keep challenging. Even the free publicity given by a failed challenge cant be bad. The more funds, the easier it gets. LTTE has lots of funds. Thats why they get away with murder.
February 25th, 2013 at 9:40 am
Herman: This will cost aplenty. That is why patriotic Sri Lankans th the UK are hesitating to file a law suit. The Tamil terror-rump has $$$$$$$$$$$$ of terror money in the bank.
February 25th, 2013 at 1:24 pm
Well done GR!!
Some country should bring a resolution on Kashmir.
“Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa in an interview reminded India about telecast of a video by UK’s channel 4 last July about Indian atrocities in Kashmir. The video showed how hundreds of thousands of stone throwing teenagers took aim at heavily armed Indian forces who returned live fire killing 118 demonstrators. It was a shocking film uncovering a state sanctioned torture of the hapless Kashmiris.
The Sri Lankan Defence Secretary had to make this courageous statement to tell the Indian government of its own human rights record as New Delhi is being pressurised by Tamil Nadu MPs to vote for a resolution against Sri Lanka in March session of the UN Human Rights Council. The situation deteriorated further in Kashmir after the secret hanging of Afzal Guru and subsequent mass arrest of youth. Opposition leader Mehbooba Mufti had to say that the State has been turned into a pressure cooker without a safety valve. The entire Kashmiri leadership has been put either in jails or placed under house arrest and curfew imposed to pre-empt revolt in Kashmir against Guru’s hanging. This situation cannot be allowed to go on and we would urge the international human rights organisation and world powers to raise their voice and persuade India to accept the genuine demands of Kashmiri people.”
February 25th, 2013 at 2:48 pm
Vis8 says Vis8 Says: “Herman: This will cost aplenty. That is why patriotic Sri Lankans th the UK are hesitating to file a law suit. The Tamil terror-rump has $$$$$$$$$$$$ of terror money in the bank.”
– precisely. In a propoganda war, access to funds is vital. Instead of flapping our arms saying “no fund no funds” while LTTE diaspora and western officials flog us, we need to be asking how and where we, as private organisation of concerned Sri Lankans, can raise these funds. No use hoping for GOSL and MOD to do everything. They are already stretched to the limit. We, as private organisations should consider approaching well-resourced third party entities or philanthropists interested in SL cause. For instance, there is lots of talk among patriots about protecting Buddhism etc, so then are there NO multi millionaire Buddhists in East Asia for instance who would take an interest? Truth is, few expatriated have probably even bothered to do any such networking. Networking and bogus sob stories something the Tamils overseas excel in. Lorenzo, how about approaching some of the Israeli billionnaires and see if they will throw our cause a few millions in retirn for your loyalty to them?