In the midst of the heated controversy over the allegation that the Sri Lanka Press Institute had sent eight Tigers masquerading as journalists to Norway, some real issues seem to have been overlooked.
The SLPI has threatened legal action against the Lake House for publishing the unsubstantiated report. Nevertheless it is intriguing to know whether the persons in question actually returned to Sri Lanka after participating in the Media Democracy Program in Copenhagen. If the Immigration Department records show that they have come back and are now working in media organizations in Sri Lanka that is all the proof required to knock the bottom out of the Lake House Dinamina news story.
Denmark where these journalists attended the media training program is not a country that is sympathetic to the LTTE. So if the media personnel - who supposedly went to Norway - themselves can challenge the Dinamina to prove its allegation that will be even more effective.
But has the SLPI got them via the media to disprove the Lake House allegation?
We know that even some of those engaged in professions other than journalism often do not return to Sri Lanka after participating in events or programs abroad. It however does not necessarily mean that the organizations that sent them are responsible for their vanishing acts. The same argument perhaps applies to the SLPI although it is not known whether the institute was aware of or concerned about the political agendas of some of these journalists.
So the most important issue here is whether the journalists concerned actually went to Norway from Denmark with or without the SLPI's knowledge. And why select Norway which is notorious for her Tigers sympathies?
Tigers have no need to pose off as journalists to attend media training programs when there are enough journalists with LTTE sympathies. The latter are very vociferous about instances of violation of media rights and freedom of expression in State-controlled areas but never in the Wanni.
There are at least a couple of them who - while serving in State-controlled media organizations - continue to lambaste the government for suppressing media freedom. One 'free media' champion told Al Jazeera Television recently that Sri Lankan journalists have no choice, but get out of the country if they want to report the truth. (But he is still here and his statements were given wide publicity in privately-owned newspapers that are freely published here)
Another – attached to a State media organization - told the same TV channel that they operate from 'safe houses' in Colombo. Who found these safe houses for them and who pays for these houses is another question.
The irony is that all these journalists who operate from 'safe houses,' on and off come to the streets to demonstrate against the government in the full glare of local and foreign television cameras.
No doubt Sri Lankan democracy is imperfect and many are the problems facing journalists. But it is definitely not an environment that needs so-called safe houses unless the journalists in question are deliberately working against the national interest. It is only in totalitarian states where no opposition or criticism of any kind is tolerated that journalists need safe houses to publish underground newspapers and operate clandestine radio stations. Nazi Germany and the former Soviet Union under Stalin are two good examples.
Janaka Perera - Asian Tribune
The SLPI has threatened legal action against the Lake House for publishing the unsubstantiated report. Nevertheless it is intriguing to know whether the persons in question actually returned to Sri Lanka after participating in the Media Democracy Program in Copenhagen. If the Immigration Department records show that they have come back and are now working in media organizations in Sri Lanka that is all the proof required to knock the bottom out of the Lake House Dinamina news story.
Denmark where these journalists attended the media training program is not a country that is sympathetic to the LTTE. So if the media personnel - who supposedly went to Norway - themselves can challenge the Dinamina to prove its allegation that will be even more effective.
But has the SLPI got them via the media to disprove the Lake House allegation?
We know that even some of those engaged in professions other than journalism often do not return to Sri Lanka after participating in events or programs abroad. It however does not necessarily mean that the organizations that sent them are responsible for their vanishing acts. The same argument perhaps applies to the SLPI although it is not known whether the institute was aware of or concerned about the political agendas of some of these journalists.
So the most important issue here is whether the journalists concerned actually went to Norway from Denmark with or without the SLPI's knowledge. And why select Norway which is notorious for her Tigers sympathies?
Tigers have no need to pose off as journalists to attend media training programs when there are enough journalists with LTTE sympathies. The latter are very vociferous about instances of violation of media rights and freedom of expression in State-controlled areas but never in the Wanni.
There are at least a couple of them who - while serving in State-controlled media organizations - continue to lambaste the government for suppressing media freedom. One 'free media' champion told Al Jazeera Television recently that Sri Lankan journalists have no choice, but get out of the country if they want to report the truth. (But he is still here and his statements were given wide publicity in privately-owned newspapers that are freely published here)
Another – attached to a State media organization - told the same TV channel that they operate from 'safe houses' in Colombo. Who found these safe houses for them and who pays for these houses is another question.
The irony is that all these journalists who operate from 'safe houses,' on and off come to the streets to demonstrate against the government in the full glare of local and foreign television cameras.
No doubt Sri Lankan democracy is imperfect and many are the problems facing journalists. But it is definitely not an environment that needs so-called safe houses unless the journalists in question are deliberately working against the national interest. It is only in totalitarian states where no opposition or criticism of any kind is tolerated that journalists need safe houses to publish underground newspapers and operate clandestine radio stations. Nazi Germany and the former Soviet Union under Stalin are two good examples.
Janaka Perera - Asian Tribune
