Is press freedom abused?

The Security Forces valiant battle against terrorism has reached a crucial stage. Having wiped out the Tigers from the Eastern Province, the Security Forces have made a significant breakthrough in marching towards Velupillai Prabhakaran’s jungle hideouts in Mullaitivu and the Wanni.

Last week, the Security Forces captured Munnagam, a major LTTE base in the Mullaitivu District. This was a massive blow to the LTTE which is hell bent to survive in their Wanni hideouts. It is deplorable that various people, groups, INGOs and NGOs, who have been greatly perturbed by the Security Forces’ progress, are exerting pressure to either halt or reduce the anti-terrorism operations of the Government.

Creditably, the think tank behind the success of the North-East liberation is none other than Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. With his first hand information as a dedicated Army officer, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has shattered Prabhakaran’s dream of a separate state.

Some INGO and NGO goons dance to the tune of the individuals who try to cripple military operations in a strategic manner. Even some of the so-called professional organisations, whose leaders’ are bent on organising protest marches and picketing campaigns, have teamed up against the current defence operations.

They exploit the so-called abductions and disappearances as an effective tool to achieve their goals and objectives. We do not wish to touch on the activities of some our fellow media personalities but we are constrained to do so as they continue to act in a highly irresponsible manner, becoming traitors to their motherland.

Certain radio and television stations seem to thrive on exploiting human rights and disappearances. Such news is blown out of proportion ad nauseum in their news bulletins.

Why does the Government tolerate such irresponsible news reporting? Will any other country, waging a relentless war against the deadliest terrorist outfit in the world such as the LTTE, tolerate this type of irresponsible conduct by the media?

Does this mean that some of our media personalities assume that they are super humans and above the law of the land. They are under a delusion that they could do anything and everything and get away because they have media freedom. This type of irresponsible reporting is not tolerated even in the so-called ‘big nations’ which often preach to us on democracy, human rights and media freedom.

Unfortunately in Sri Lanka, most professional bodies of media personalities are headed by those who engage in trade union work and dance to the tune of their international funding agents and organisations. There are journalist unions sans true journalists, editors’ organisations with retired or former editors and foreign-funded press organisations which act as toothless tigers.

Most of them are linked to political parties, their agents and INGOs. Any trivial incident is enough for them to conduct a protest march or picketing campaign opposite the Fort Railway Station or Lipton Circus.

We also see some ‘executive’ editors who style themselves as defence experts and distort information and paint a gloomy picture to suit their political agenda.

They often use their professional bodies to protest even over a minor argument with somebody or a personal or family problem, irrespective of their conduct or repercussions they faced due to personal reasons, such incidents are invariably credited to either the Government’s account or to that of the Security Forces.

This is an unfortunate situation that would have a serious impact on the progress of the Security Forces in their battle against terrorism.

Addressing media heads at Temple Trees last week, President Mahinda Rajapaksa reiterated that he would not stop the ongoing military operations, until Sri Lanka wipes out terrorism.

Perhaps, a few media ‘agents’ and NGO representatives would have been disillusioned by the fearless statement of the President, who challenged Prabhakaran to target him personally, instead of targeting innocent civilians by exploding bombs in public places.

Over the past two decades, the LTTE has wrought nothing but misery to innocent people, killing thousands of people as a result of bomb explosions. Of late, the LTTE has been taking on soft targets in utter desperation by exploding parcel bombs in buses and trains. Why are the so-called god fathers of human rights and press freedom keeping mum against such cruel terror acts targeted at civilians?

It will be only a matter of time for the Security Forces to take complete control of the Northern Province. No sooner our brave soldiers achieve that historic feat, the Government would spare no pains in establishing the Northern Provincial Council to decentralise power.

It is the duty of the media, especially the local press, to act in a responsible manner. Whatever said and done, the press in Sri Lanka enjoys a great deal of media freedom. Some ‘influential’ countries block military related news in a strategic manner, without imposing an official censorship.

Hence, the media here should think twice before they ‘attack’ our Security Forces, who are making immense sacrifices to usher in a safe future. Let the international media with vested interests play their own ‘games’ but we as Sri Lankans should think seriously before using a ‘venomous pen’.

Even at this late stage, all should sink petty political and personal differences and wholeheartedly back our valiant Security Forces, who would soon liberate the North. Once that is accomplished, the Government would conduct elections to the Northern Provincial Council and hand over regional administration to the people’s representatives.

People in the North too would enjoy the same freedom now enjoyed by people in the Eastern Province. This is not the type of liberation that Prabhakaran has been preaching over the years but true liberation which fulfils the people’s aspirations.

Let’s rally round our Security Forces and inspire them to achieve a resounding success in the battle against terrorism. That day is not far off.