Ranil exposes his true colours

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe showed his true colours when he took on the Editor of the Daily Mirror, Miss Champika Liyanarachchi over some comments in the newspaper last week.

The UNP and Opposition leader had told a media briefing on Monday that the Daily Mirror Deputy Editor Kesara Abeywardena had called him a weak leader in his column. The UNP leader said that he knew the motives behind such articles and added that the Editor of the Daily Mirror should not 'play games' with him.

The Opposition leader castigated the newspaper and alleged that it was virtually pro-government and publishes news which is more favourable to the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU). He took his 'media operation' a step forward, giving his own judgement that Miss Liyanarachchi and the Editor of the Sunday Divaina Gamini Sumanasekera were not suitable in the media arena.

Addressing the media at the Parliamentary Complex on Friday, Wickremesinghe branded the two respected editors as racists and ruled that they are unsuitable to hold their posts.

It was only the previous day at the UNP headquarters that Wickremesinghe said that there was no other political party in Sri Lanka other than the UNP which championed for media freedom.

Wickremesinghe told the media briefing at Sirikotha on Thursday, that his party was currently fighting not only for freedom but also for a code of ethics for the media. He claimed that the editors assume that they don't have a code of ethics and that they can write any thing and every thing while the media watchdog groups think they are the kings.

The UNP leader has always portrayed himself as a champion of the media freedom but all this seems to be only when he is in the Opposition. Though he has been shedding crocodile tears for media personalities, Wickremesinghe's true colours were exposed when he lost his cool and took to task the columnist and the editor of the Daily Mirror.

The UNP Leader, who has been a Parliamentarian since 1977 and hails from a respectable family which pioneered the newspaper business, should realise that it was only an opinion column. The opinion page reflects the views of a particular writer and not necessarily the views of the editor or the newspaper. Why can't a veteran politician of the calibre of Wickremesinghe come to terms with this simple fact?

Until last week, Wickremesinghe did not see anything amiss in the Daily Mirror, owned by none other than his uncle. But when an isolated article or two spotlights some constructive criticism on his shaky leadership, the true nature of Wickremesinghe surfaces. When the privately owned print and electronic media criticises the Government and affords direct and indirect support for Wickremesinghe and his Opposition, they employ all the superlatives to praise the role of what he calls the 'free media'.

However, when the same media is slightly critical, Wickremesinghe is unable to take it in good spirit. What status does Wickremesinghe hold to judge the suitability of editors?

We know only too well how the 1977-1994 UNP regime, of which Wickremesinghe was a key Cabinet Minister, treated the media. They not only destroyed media freedom but also demolished the free thinking of the masses and restricted their freedom of expression.

It is no secret how some of the independent journalists and media personalities were brutally killed during that gloomy period. The masses are well aware who operated the infamous Batalanda torture houses. The same people later emerged as media Ombudsmen and saviours of the media.

But these god fathers of media freedom in Sri Lanka wittingly or unwittingly showed their innermost feelings.

If Wickremesinghe could threaten editors in this manner, especially when he has been in the Opposition for such a long period of time losing a record 19 successive elections under his shaky leadership, one could visualise the dictatorship that could emerge if he becomes the Executive President in the future.

The masses have in no uncertain terms rejected Wickremesinghe at two Presidential elections. Any political leader with even an iota of self-respect would not wait to contest a third Presidential election. With the current trend, he could achieve that rare feat of losing three successive Presidential elections by 2011. Before trying to educate editors and journalists on their conduct and what they ought to write and vice versa, Wickremesinghe must set an example to his party, the UNP, and asses how suitable he is to remain as the leader.

Though many party seniors have demanded reforms and the restoration of democracy within the party, Wickremesinghe is blind to reason and seems to be acting as a dictator.

Little wonder then, why the party has lost almost half of its Parliamentarians. Even of the 40-odd remaining MPs, the majority still demands a change in the party leadership. But Wickremesinghe is adept and holds on to the top seat.

He is not bothered about the future of the party and is only interested in holding on to the top slot. Wickremesinghe seems to be greatly perturbed by the overwhelming media support for the Security Forces in their relentless battle against terrorism.

Overall, the media has extended its fullest support to the Forces, leaving no room for opportunist politicians in the Opposition.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his Government have given the media a free hand. Even when some extreme publications maliciously attacked the Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, he sought justice only from the District Court. This is in contrast to the theory practised by successive UNP Governments in the past.

It is pathetic that Wickremesinghe is conducting himself in a degrading manner and taking on editors. This would only extend the period of the UNP in the Opposition.