Home Truths of Sri Lanka's Media Freedom

Freedom of expression and the peoples' right to access information are indeed essential features of democracy. Media freedom is therefore a sacrosanct, and must be preserved at all times to ensure the features of democracy in a society. Sri Lanka's Constitution upholds freedom of expression, speech and publication as fundamental rights of all citizens. Like all other democratic rights, freedom of expression is granted to all the citizens equally and not only for those who engaged in the media industry. Apropos of Sri Lanka's media freedom or "free media" as some claim, this seems to have been meant otherwise.

Some of the vested interests of the local media industry and a few self-assumed crŠme de la crŠme of the media seem to act with a belief that media freedom and the freedom of expressions likewise, are something earmarked for them to engage in politicking, propaganda and to profit from mendacity. Any person or institute that does not toe their line or follow in their decadence becomes quick targets of an implacable mud slinging campaign until such party dare not to utter a word against those who have set themselves up as media hooligans. This was the case with regard to the unceasing mud slinging campaign directed at Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa by few newspapers and tabloids following his recent interview with one of the local newspapers. During this interview the Defence Secretary underscored what he saw as the decadence of the Sri Lanka's media in the context of reporting defence matters.

Even weeks after the publishing of his interview on the "Irida Lankadeepa", a Sinhalese Sunday, attempts are still being made to show the Defence Secretary as the number one enemy of media freedom in Sri Lanka. Cartoons are published regularly in some newspapers showing the Defence Secretary seeking to vilify him as a hound, a dog, a vulture, a parrot, etc. Other than his bold action against LTTE terrorists that made him the bˆte noir to those LTTE lackeys in the media, no other reason could be found for these sleazy attempts at character assassination.

 
A cartoon published in  "Lankadeepa" on 01st February, 2008
 
When Defence.lk inquired from Defence Secretary Rajapaksa on the recent media attacks at him, he expressed his indifference over the issue calling it a trivial matter, as anybody has the right to criticise him. Besides, he said that he does not have to respond to the people who do dirty work like mud slinging and character assassination for a living.

When inquired further on why he is being posed as an enemy of media freedom, he said it is probably his sincere expression of ideas during the last newspaper interview he had, where he said that media censorship and laws against malicious libel and defamation are required for countries in situations such as Sri Lanka, today. He said that he too has the right to exercise his freedom of expression and he would continue to stand by his views.

Asked whether such a media censorship would pose a threat to media freedom or the peoples' right to know and be informed, he said such censorship is needed at situations where democracy has been threatened but not otherwise.

Explaining further he said that it would be an absurd idea if somebody argues that media censorship can prevent the truth in the battlefront reaching the public.

"If we try to do that, we will lose our credibility and also the moral support of the people. The people must know what is happening in the battlefront, that is why we have setup the defence website and the MCNS, to provide news updates as the events unfold in the battlefront", he said.

"Media censorship on defence matters is necessary not to curb information reaching the public but to prevent them being distorted and misused. In a way, such censorship protects media freedom itself, at a time when democracy is under threat, by preventing it being misused against the democracy" he added.

Asked about his view on the law of malicious libel or defamation, Mr. Rajapaksa said, that it is needed to protect individuals against character assassinations. "It is like any other law in the country; nobody has to worry about it unless he or she has a tendency to breach it".

Explaining further, he said propaganda, psychological warfare and character assassinations are instrument of power politics as well as the military, but should not be misunderstood with media freedom or freedom of expression.

"This is the reality; it was why successive government failed to maintain a stiff resistance against terrorism and also why the bloodbath is continuing in this country" added.

Asked whether he could not stand criticism he said it is not him but certain egoistic media people who cannot stand criticism. "If you speak to them with regard to their work they quickly start complaining that they were threatened and fill their papers with a lot of hokum on media freedom", he said.

"The Media must have the right to criticize the government if they want to, but to be anti- government does not mean that they have to be pro-terrorists, this is where the problem lies", he concluded.

Voltaire, the renowned French writer, essayist, philosopher and defender of civil liberties, has said "I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend with my life, your right to say it". Defence.lk requests all the discernible people in this country to ask from themselves whether the media freedom in this country is protected or not.

Perhaps Sri Lanka is the only country in the world that has people in the media who degrade the sacrifices of the soldiers, who try to tarnish the image of their own motherland by propagating falsehoods, and support a group of terrorists that routinely kill their own brethren. The greatest irony is that these media people have not only been able make money out of the sufferings of the people but also to project themselves before the public as the guardians of media freedom.

 
Cartoon published in "Lankadeepa" on 31st January, 2008
 
Also, we request our viewers to consider whether these media "freedom fighters" represent the public interest or not. For instance, they can simply have a look at the cartoons drawn for the papers dominated by these "freedom fighters" for the last two or three days. Even after LTTE massacred over 90 people, including a large number of schoolchildren, the themes of caricature were limited to "threat to media freedom" and "cost of living". When at a time the parents of the dead are pleading to eliminate terrorism, when the nation is in grief and emboldened to fight against terrorism; these newspapers have even omitted to use the word terrorism to describe the LTTE.

It should be noted that the propaganda is not bad in itself if it is used tell the truth. The golden rule followed by professional propagandists is "the truth is the best propaganda". Thus, it is the purpose that the propaganda is being used that makes it good or bad. For instance, Joseph Goebbels in Germany, before World War II, developed propaganda machinery into a dangerous weapon that instilled Nazi ideologies among Germans. Likewise, LTTE terrorists have been using its media acolytes to gain propaganda mileage by propagating themes like "Tamils are being annihilated, their rights are being violated", etc to bring international pressure on government's military action against terrorism.

Finally, we would like to highlight that this vicious campaign against our nation, is no longer effective or gaining strength despite its incessant clamour. Those sociopaths in the media have become horse de combat like their terrorists counterparts in the LTTE, in the face of the genuine commitment of the security forces to eradicate terrorism. Let them think that they have won the day, because it is their right to think so. Yet, let's be cautious to keep an eye of their behaviour and get used to take their work with a pinch of salt.

Source: Defence.lk