‘Orchestrated campaign against Sri Lanka’:

FM rejects Channel 4 video footage in toto

by a special correspondent

Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama reiterated the Government’s strong and unequivocal rejection of the contents of the video footage telecast on Channel 4 on the grounds that there was absolutely no truth in its concocted story.

Minister Bogollagama in a statement released by his Ministry over the Channel 4 issue, said that despite the Government of Sri Lanka refuting the Channel 4 allegation, some sections of the international community are repeating these allegations which appear to be an orchestrated campaign against Sri Lanka.

The Foreign Minister’s statement is as follows: “The Government of Sri Lanka is concerned over an increasing number of comments from some sections of the international community, on an unauthenticated video footage telecast on Channel 4 Television in the UK on August 25, 2009, which contains alleged atrocities being committed against Tamils by the Sri Lankan Forces.

This diabolical video footage is reported to have been filmed in January in an unidentified location. In Sri Lanka during that time, there was a substantial presence of the international community, especially in the areas of conflict. At that time, the LTTE was also an active, fighting force. If such atrocities had taken place as claimed, then it is highly unlikely that the international community would have remained silent and continued to remain so, for over eight months.

Considering the fact that the LTTE was finally eliminated only during the latter part of May, it is surprising that no attempt was made by the LTTE or its front organisations to bring these alleged atrocities or this video to light at the time they remained active.

The authenticity of the Channel 4 news report being in question is evident, as the presenter himself has stated that the footage “claimed to show Sri Lankan Forces executing Tamils” and that it “appears to show a number of men being shot in the head by forces speaking Sinhala.” The presenter further stated that the “video footage has emerged apparently showing Government troops summarily executing Tamils”. The news reporter categorically pointed out that it was not possible to “verify the authenticity of the pictures”. This commentary in the Channel 4 telecast in itself clearly demonstrates the fact that the footage is of a dubious nature.

In this context, attention is drawn to a subsequent BBC World News report telecast on August 26, 2009 at 1730 hours. BST where Thirumalai Manivannan from the BBC Tamil Service responding to a question on the assessment of the genuiness of the pictures stated that “the video footage does not give the dates when it was shot though the people who have distributed it to the media say the footage was taken in January this year. The pictures themselves don’t tell you anything nor do the pictures tell you anything about the location where it was shot.”

Doctoring of videos in this day and age of modern technology is a common occurrence. The credentials of the group, ‘Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka’ which supplied the video footage are also in question, by the fact that Manivannan in the same BBC World News Report stated that he “spoke to one of their organisers in Germany, and he would not go on record though he gave some background in full which cannot be used.” Manivannan had also made the point that until recently, there was no awareness of the existence of this group that had supplied the footage except that it had been established in July.

Despite the telecast of this video by Channel 4 and various other media thereafter, those who produced this video have also so far failed to answer many of the queries which have emerged on the genuineness of this video from various quarters.

In spite of Channel 4 on its own accord being unable to confirm the authenticity of the footage, it is a matter of grave concern that it continues to repeat these allegations and that some sections of the international community seem to be giving undue credence to this doctored video thereby attempting to bring discredit to Sri Lanka.

The international community should not be misled by these fabricated stories which could culminate in erroneous judgements thereby sullying relations. Instead, they must recognise the efforts taken by the Government of Sri Lanka to ensure durable peace for its people in all parts of the country.”