Belittling victories, government's image

by Wijitha NAKKAWITA

There was a clear attempt to tarnish the popular image of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Government at a time when the people were rejoicing the victories of the armed forces and voicing their support though some elements were trying to indict the Government for the attack on the MTV/Sirasa TV station and for the murder of Sunday Leader Editor Lasantha Wickramatunga, Minister of Media Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said.

He said some of the Opposition political parties had already decided that the Government was responsible for both these criminal acts while the investigations by the police were not over and no conclusive evidence had been found.

The truth of the matter was that people from all walks of life and supporters of all parties came out on the streets in their thousands to celebrate the conquest of the LTTE bastion Kilinochchi as well as the capture of Elephant Pass and praised President Rajapaksa for leading the forces successfully as the Commander-in-Chief.

But at a time when the Government was popular it would only be a lunatic who would perpetrate crimes tarnishing its own image and there were no lunatics in the Government ranks.

The obvious was that some group of persons were conspiring to tarnish the image of the Government and were behind both attacks.

The Government was clearly aware that such acts would not be in its own interests and there was no reason why the Government should attempt such crimes, he noted.

Strangely during the two important victories of the armed forces the attacks on the MTV/Sirasa as well as Lasantha Wickramatunga were reported and certain elements in the Opposition immediately claimed that the Government was behind both incidents even before the investigations had begun properly, he said.

Apart from the few State run media institutions there were scores of print and electronic media institutions that also were critical if not unfriendly to the Government but the Mahinda Rajapaksa Government had not attempted to suppress or threaten any media institutions or journalists that number over 5,000. Only the Opposition political parties or elements who were trying to subvert the policies of the Government for salvaging the LTTE would gain political mileage from attacks on the media by blaming the Government but it would become clear soon who was responsible for these acts when the investigations were concluded, he said.