No democracy without free media:
Bishop warns - is a respected issue.
But media influenced by distortion and falsehood is not FREE MEDIA.
Noor Nizam.
Communication Science Teaching Professional, Communication Scientist.
Hamilton,Canada. (Sri Lanka Peace Activist).
The editor of Outreachsl website, Thissanayagam who is also a columnist
of Sunday Times, is held under 90-day detention order of the Defense
Secretary without any charge should be of deep concern to all peace
loving people. Mr. Thissanayagam was arrested more than 10 day ago by
the TID (Terrorist Investigating Department). This is a real threat
to Democracy and the Freedom of the Press or Free Media. This action
against the Free Media has to be condoned not only locally, but also
by those NGO's and advocacy groups who defend democracy and Freedom
of Media all over the world. It is reported that an editor of a website
was also taken into custody for the first time in the history of Sri
Lanka on March 06.
Yet, it has been carefully noted that, the media organizations had
maintained silence about this so-called violation of Human Rights and
that perturbs the crust of the news item.
Why did the security forces make these arrests and why have they
been detained for so long a time?
Local Media Watch advocacy groups have also not moved in the matter
of any recourse, to have them released, except by the Media Watch dog,
Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières) who have
their International Secretariat in Paris, France which has published
an article dated March the 12th., in their website, expressing their
concerns.
While Reporters Without Borders make a "punching headline"
"Tamil Journalist arrested and beaten
by police acting on wrong information".
The RWB has failed to highlight the fact that a Sinhalese reporter
- Kithsiri Wijeysinghe and a Sinhalese Photographer Gayan Lasantha Ranga
were also arrested on March the 7th., for whatever reason Mr. Tissanayagm
was arrested and detained.
So, does this not amount to Media influenced by distortion and falsehood"?
Then how can this media in Sri lanka be a FREE MEDIA?
When one looks at the history of Reporters without Borders, this is
what they say themselves:
Repoters Without Borders was founded in Montpellier in France in 1985.
At first, the association was aimed at promoting alternative journalism,
but before the failure of their project, the three founders stumbled
on disagreements between themselves. Finally, only Robert Ménard
stayed and became its Secretary General. Ménard changed the NGO's
aim from alternative journalism towards freedom of press.
Was not a French citizen, doing this for his petty individual benefits
( take a look at this guy's background on the internet), rather than
for a very NOBLE cause of the Freedom of the Press.
Academic Researcher - Salim Lamrani at the Center
for Research for Globalization (CRG), Montreal, Canada (www.globalresearch.ca)
has presented a research paper on Reporters Without Borders published
on November 7, 2007 under the heading:
"The deceit of Reporters Without
Borders"
This is what Researcher Salim Lamrani writes in the opening paragraph.
"Reporters Without Borders (RSF) published
its "Worldwide Press Freedoms Index 2007." RSF claims to be
neutral, objective and solely interested in press freedoms. But this
claim does not hold up to scrutiny. In reality the 2007 index, laden
with contradictions, is nothing more than a fraud and demonstrates,
toOn October 16, 2007, the Paris based organization Reporters Without
B the contrary, that the association directed by Robert Ménard
since 1985 defends a very specific interest and political agenda".
Then, what right has Reporters Without Borders got to list Sri Lanka
as a violator of the FREEDOM OF PRESS/MEDIA FREEDOM in their "Yearly
worldwide press freedom ranking of countries".
President Mahinda Rajapaksa is quite correct when he made the statement
at an awards ceremony Saturday 15th., March 2008, that Sri Lanka has
the media freedom at the highest level despite the claims of certain
media watchdogs.
Researcher Salim Lamrani of the Center for Center for Research for
Globalization (CRG), Montreal, Canada (www.globalresearch.ca) as an
intellectual and academic proves and supports what HE. Mahinda Rajapaksa
the President of Sri Lanka says about the NGO "Reporters Without
Borders".
"....Using these standards, RSF establishes
their annual index that includes 169 countries. According to the organization's
figures, 105 journalists were murdered over the year. Iraq were at least
62 were killed was the most dangerous place, followed by Mexico (8),
Somalia (7), Pakistan (4), Afghanistan (4), Sri Lanka (2) y Eritrea
(2). It would be no surprise if these countries ended up with the lowest
scores. However, with the exception of Eritrea ranking 169th, this is
not the case. In the end, Robert Ménard's political and ideological
criterion overshadowed the rest.
How is it that Eritrea, where only two journalists were murdered, ended
up ranked below Iraq (157), Mexico (136), Somalia (159), Pakistan (152),
Afghanistan (142) and Sri Lanka (156)? Perhaps because that nation is
on Washington's black list and RSF receives funding from the CIA front
National Endowment for Democracy, NED? (more information on Z magazine
and Znet or Z.com)
Does this not express a view that Reporters Without Borders has
other ideas when listing Sri Lanka as the 156th in their list of Yearly
worldwide press freedom ranking of countries.
Was the President of Sri Lanka also not correct when you critically
analyze the events that had lead to the arrest of Mr. Tissanayagam,
Sinhalese reporter - Kithsiri Wijeysinghe and a Sinhalese Photographer
Gayan Lasantha Ranga on March the 7th. The media reports that Outreachsl
website was funded from donations made from outside the country and
by the GTZ is a clear indication of th freedom given to NOG's in Sri
Lanka. Reporters Without Borders claim that the websites of two government
institutions -- the Ministry of Constitutional Affairs and National
Integration and the Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process --
have openly backed the many projects launched under the FLICT initiative.
Therefore, according to RWB there has been no violation of any "RIGHTS"
issues.
The issue then is a matter of "SECURITY CONCERNS" and violation
of declaration of receiving foreign funds that cannot be accounted for.
If the Security establishment has enough reasons under this category
of "law and order" then it is a matter for the government
to resolve within the "Rule of Law".
It cannot be made into a "Human Rights drama" or a "scenario
of Violation of Media Freedom or Freedom of the Press".
Reporters Without Borders should leave Sri Lanka alone and not fuel
the fire of vengeance, discontent, falsehood and misrepresentation about
the "reality" in Sri Lanka to the International Community.
Further, RWB should not engage damaging any PEACE INITIATIVES under
the pretext of participating in Crisis Prevention or CONFLICT transformation
issues via the FREE MEDIA/PRESS.
My advice to RWB is - Please "back off" from Sri Lanka. Let
the Sri Lanka resolve their National Problem by themselves. Sri Lanka
has a rich history of tolerance, be it the Tamils, Sinhalese or the
Muslims and have lived in harmony even after the invasion of the West
since 1609 to 1815 and obtaining independence without shedding a drop
of blood. Sri Lanka cannot afford to shed any more blood by the deception
and misguidance of International elements whose ultimate goal is to
make the Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims and other Minority communities
to destroy their Peace and harmony.
The art of colonization has now taken the form of deception of information
and the
destruction of Peace and Democracy in Sri Lanka by a so-called FREE
MEDIA which really is "not" FREE MEDIA, but a Media of Deception
and falsehood.
REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS SHOULD JUST BACK OFF FROM SRI LANKA.
Noor Nizam.
Communication Science Teaching Professional, Communication Scientist.
Hamilton,Canada. (Sri Lanka Peace Activist).
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