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Thursday, August 27, 2009

Houses & Lands in Wattala , Nugegoda , Dehiwala

Lanka to lodge protest with UK over controversial video

The government today said that it would lodge a formal protest with the British government through the Foreign Ministry over the video footage aired by the British TV station Channel 4 allegedly showing images of a Sri Lankan soldier killing an unarmed man in the north in January.

Cabinet spokesman and Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa told journalists at the weekly news briefing that the Foreign Ministry would take up the matter through diplomatic channels

“The purpose of the telecast is no doubt to tarnish the image of Sri Lanka and the security forces at this critical time. The Sri Lankan government unequivocally and categorically dismisses it as a concerted attempt to tarnish the image of our country,” Minister Yapa said.

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Minister, the questios is now how they captured this video even the media is not access to the war zone???

Posted By: Mohd Imthiyas

Truth always hurts, we have done many BAD mistakes by denying them we are not going to correct it or solve the underling issues

Posted By: anton

If you are so clean then allow all journalists to visit the IDP camps and North-East providence. On the one hand you are trying to hide every illegal activity under the cover of the security reasons and emergency law. On another hand, you say we are clean guys and we didn’t do any wrong doing. Isn’t look awkward? On the whole I can see the nervous in his statements. They didn’t say that they will investigate to see whether it is true or not but straight away denying. Think about it!

Posted By: Mayu

Not only protest but take appropriate steps to stop this kind of harassment.

Posted By: Rupasinghe

Protest and Protect.

Posted By: Nihal Amarasekera

tarnish the 'image'!?

Posted By: Dayan

Thats the Way Minister.If it is a Lie,who ever done that must go to hell.Worse than Praba himself.People who are circulating false mails must be found and punished.I got so many LIE Mails regarding Gen.Fonseka.What a shame!!!!

Posted By: Thilak

What goes around comes around. We were not diplomatic enough in our speech/ statements during crisis time. The FM will not be able to convince British government, all we can do is DENY right or wrong! Anyhow FM must have some job to travel around!

Posted By: ME

It is a pathetic situation. LTTE propaganda machinery is still active. Foreign mediamen are paid by the LTTE for this propaganda. SL goverment also should initiate counter propaganda.

Posted By: amkoon

UK is not Sri Lanka. Govt has no say on public press or broadcasting in UK. Even when views aired against government MPs or Ministers. How it works here is that the Press & Broadcasters would lose their credibility with public if it steps out of line. Rating is the only thing that matters in UK for media. It is more powerful than any govt pressure , intimidation or assasination of editors. This makes them more responsible to check contents as far as possible to safeguard their integrity.

Posted By: Vijay UK

Dear minister, The media institution in this part of land got every rights to print or telecast what they want, govt.never gets involved.They have got indipendent authority to regulate them called ofcom. Iran, Libya, North Korea,Mayan mar woud be ok.

Posted By: rifai-london

This s not the first time and sri lankans should know that British MPs are all out to support tamil tiger terrorist supporters because of the votes. The tamil diaspora are still pushing the British Govt to get the GOSL to disrepute. If the footage cannot be verified, Channel 4 should not have blindly show this in their news item. Tamils have known that this type of behaviour happend in the Iraq War and who knows with technology anyone could do anything now that KP is caught. Tamils all over the world who supported terrorism should know whatever methods they try, to tarnish GOSL - they have lost anyway.

Posted By: C Perera

Well Vijay, we know UK is not Sri Lanka. You would see the footage and make your opinion if the contents had been checked. I live in London too and its high time you see what is been said on BBC and other channels and the news items on TV. There are many a times the broadcasters had stepped out of line - didn't you experience that living in UK? Speak the truth always and lies does not take long for people to realise the damn lies that has come out on television when the tamil tiger protesters were out on the streets of London.

Posted By: C Perera

Every person should by now at least know the media Tactics deployed by the LTTe to raise their profile in the international arena . How many soldiers shave they captured and killed . I am sure they must be having a pile of their Uniforms with them to carry out all the nefarious activities . No wonder the international media falls for their fairy tales all the time . About time the UK media woke up

Posted By: Kumudini

Mr. Minister, just protesting sounds very cowardly. If you are so sure, call for an INDEPENDENT source to verify the authenticity. There are experts who can tell the difference. Then the world will listen to you.

Posted By: SureshP

C Perera & Vijay UK. You both live in the UK, therefore you know that the investigative press is not controlled by the Government; Under the freedom of expression and other privileges enjoyed in Western countries. But if anyone could prove that a news item was false or erroneous, they would offer a retraction or an apology. It is useless lodging protests with the UK Governemnt, they have nothing to do with the Press or any control over the free press. Any protest lodged should be with Channel 4, which aired this segemnt.

Posted By: Faqi

all the so called dead are fair in complexion. do not resemble tamils. gun shot sound comes before or after the victim fallen to ground. No smoke from the gun. No jerk of the gun. Last victim fall on to the ground once cameraman asked him to do so. No damaged to the head from gun shots. fake blood use in movie making. this kind of camouflage uniform is worn by almost all the armies in the world. spoken words do not coincide with the action. What a stage drama. It deliberately highlight saying accent is from a Sinhalese village boy. Location???? Do you think it is in northern Srilanka? Bullshite. I think channel-4 should look for more capable persons in making movies.

Posted By: noman

We can make hundreds of fake clips like this dipicting UK soldiers killing people in afghanistan and even we can make UK troops killing LTTEs in London. These are kiddish work. Very unconvincing and unsuccessful. LTTE diasspora and proxy media like Channel 4 tried many media stunts to tarnish image of our heroic soldiers. Poor show! Come whatmay remember that Proba is killed, LTTE is over and Eelaam is not even in a dream. Peace loving srilankans expect much more media stunts from west in months to come. World is not gulliable anymore.

Posted By: Vipula Vishvanath

"News" is an export commodity by so called influential countries in order to change opinions of the world people. CNN, BBC leading this arena. If SL can bring about a regulatory code to this 'commodity' it can safely be consumed by the world people. But SL can care only 'comodities' directed at SL. What about China and India is doing to make this commodity a safe one for their people. or sub standard products 'commodities' can explode on the face. like a bad 'rice cooker' if not regulated.

Posted By: ban

Just lodging a protest to British Government is not going to stop Channel 4 prostituting the freedom of expression. The BG will say that they treaure the freedom of speech. What SL government should do is to file a case against Channel 4 and bring Channel 4 to courts thro our HC in London.

Posted By: Malin

Any one watch this footage can esily understand that it is true and taken by mobile phone . if you can not understand this , you are unlikely to understand anything else in sensitve way.

Posted By: anura

If all these barbaric information we hear are untrue, then the sinhalese will be a gifted population in the future. On the contrary, if these are true, then the sinhalese will be a damned population in the future.

Posted By: spark

I belive Allah.May Allah give punshment to all who involved in this masscar including lieing ministers. I am fasting today and go to Makkah to pray. Shan

Posted By: shan

About 18 years back during Maggi Thatcher era The Times in the UK published a major article alleging bribe taking by the former Malaysian Prime minister Mahathir Mohamed. The Malaysian government sent a stern protest to the UK gov and cancelled all the upcoming contracts with the Malaysian firms. The Uk gov as usual came up with the usual "story" about we have no control over media, our media is independant etc, but the very next week all major multinational British companies took a full page advert on all UK broad sheets and apologised to the Malaysian Government and to Mahathir. It took years before Malaysians let British into their country to do major business and nothing happend to them as a result. It was the British who were the losers. So Sri Lanka, when you are up there in the first world in 20/30 years time (Bcos you will have enough FOOD, WATER and MONEY to feed you), Remember who supported you to get their and who tried to drag you down.

Posted By: Deepal, UK

Channel 4 itself was not too sure of the authenticity of what they were airing. That is why they had to stress this before start of the programme. The rest is left to one's imagination as to what they are up to. If a TV station has to state that they are not too sure as to the authenticity of a programme they are about to show, then where does this leave the viewers/audience? Are they to believe or disbelieve what they just saw. Shows the credibility and calibre of Channel 4.

Posted By: Louisa

LTTE propaganda at its best.

Posted By: Mayu

GoSL should delve deep into this and if it could be proven as false and misleading, perhaps sue Channel 4 for defaming and tarnishing image of Sri Lanka.

Posted By: rifai-london

People of Sri Lanka dont get upset over this. In the next few months and probably years we will see a lot of this propaganda from LTTE lap dogs and by that time you will all have got used to it. So dont fret especially when you know they are not true. LTTE lap dogs have been trained well to gain sympathy from entire world by lying through their teeth (although movement is now toothless).

Posted By: spark

Without talking of the merits and demerits of lodging protests with foreign governments over their independent media; it would do a lot of good for the Media Minister to ponder how much trash is dished out to the general public of Sri Lanka by way of cheap political propaganda through the so-called public-owned Television channels and government controlled newspapers. Sometimes, one cannot see the rafter in one's eye, when searching for a speck in the other man's eye.

Posted By: Calistus Jayatilleke

Who are we kidding? Preachers here will not say the same if they had one their loved ones die due to a bomb set by a terrorist who lived a normal life in Colombo. Unfortunately terrorists will not divulge any information over a cup of tea & a Hindi movie. They have to be tortured to get information out. THAT made us defeat the LTTE scum. It is not pretty, but it works. In the end there are results. So called free media countries follow the same tactics. Recently they were showing similar footage in the middle east where UK/US soldiers doing the same thing. My advice to the government is, simply ignore this. Just do your best in getting IDPs settled. I know that’s what you are doing. None of the other SL governments had back born such as this has! Good luck!

Posted By: UK-Kiri Peni

Truth always hurt us. Each and every fact in the future will lead to the same reaction from Sri Lanak. I would suggest our politicians and top civil administrators to lodge their protest in advance. Now itself they can declare that any future evidence are fabricated in order to tarnish Sri Lankan image (if exist?) internationally. It is sad to see 90% of this country with population of 20million refused to let their brain think and joined to gather to prove the right as wrong and proving the wrong as right.

Posted By: nizam

What was happent to J V P and singales Boys in 1987-1989 ?

Posted By: Gamesh

Are we civilised enough to call LTTE as terrorsit?

Posted By: mani

Every action has a reaction!

Posted By: Sapumal

I suggest, Sri Lankans to write/email channel 4 in protest against showing images that have been doctored.

Posted By: max

IF THIS IS TRUE,FINALLY,RUTHLESS LTTE ANIMALS DESERVE THIS TYPE OF PUNISHMENT FOR WHAT THEY DID FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS.

Posted By: ANACONDA

I truly believe many of these incidents happened during the final days of the war. It is hard to recognise the face of the Sri Lankan soldiers. I think there is nothing the Sri Lankan can do, other than apologising to the Tamil community. Also it is difficult to understand who the people who got killed. Are they Singhaleese or Tamils? I don't have any doubts about the genuineness of the Tape. Yapa don't lie. Lets accept the brutality of the soldiers in the video with grace.

Posted By: Rayan Hasalaka

"TIT FOR TAT!" SL deported Channel4 Correspondent and Channel 4 takes revenge!

Posted By: Mushi

Yeah. Send the thick SL govt ministers to protest in person. Especially the former 7/11 store clerk who is the Minister for Everything in SL. Citizens of SL - you are nothing. You mean nothing in todays world. You have nothing. Get that through your heads.

Posted By: Bandaranayake

Deepal, UK - The boycott did not work, I distinctly remember this. It was disastrous for the Malaysian economy which is export oriented, their own exports of Palm oil, soya products, Timber, electronics, clothing etc., all suffered very badly. Not the UK. What one has to remember is that boycotts work both ways and in a export oriented economy, the buyers go elsewhere and buy the same products. Its like Sri Lankan tea or any other products, if S/L would not export these items, they they could get the same from India, Kenya, Russia or China.

Posted By: Faqi

I TRULY BELIVE THAT THE GOSL & THE BRUTAL SOLDIERS SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE. IF THIS IS FAKE, WHY NOT HAVE THE BALLS TO LET AN INDEPENDENT INQUIRY. ONE DAY THEY WILL BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE AND SHAMED !

Posted By: Trudy

may be the soilder who captured the killings in mobile become a millionare overnight. how many clips still there? more millionares to come....

Posted By: paramu

Either the clowns at Channel 4 have still not reached the Digital Age or they are absolutely dishonest. A white skin, by itself, does not make an honest man/woman. Colonial Native

Posted By: Native

The mere fact that after almost three months our powers that be are not permitting any independent or foreign journalists or even elected member of S L Parliament anywhere close to that area. For fear of what? War is dirty and ugly and it is silly of us to deny that our army definitely was trigger happy and "enjoyed" what perhaps they were asked or expected to do. Some day people with a concience when they want to free themselves of the guilt to commiting these horrible atrocities will come out with the truth. It will take time for the Government to get rid of the tell tale facts left behind.

Posted By: Puran Apppu

minister you can protest but UK is not going to accept your statment, well advance countries they knew brutality of the soldiers.and liers of the cabinet ministers,

Posted By: dpl

Minister...If you hold a clean record of your government then proof that to the world...Your government did hide lot of things happend in the Vanni..that's why you still not allowing NGOs and the foregin journalists. We do not have any more trust on your words...

Posted By: Uditha

Investigate the video before denying it as a fake. That itself proves the integrity of this administration. This whole government is moronic and badly needs the citizens to think like them too. Please think before you vote next time. There is no war now so all buffoons supporting murderous governments must be voted out.

Posted By: Tony

SRI LANKA ‘S ABU GRAVE THIS WAS TAKEN BY AN SOLDER AND FOR FEW GRAND SOLD TO INDEPENDENT ORGANISATION KNOWN AS EXCEL. END OF THE DAY THIS HAS HAPPENED IN OUR SOIL BY A GROUP OF SOLDERS . GOVT SHOULD HAVE TAKEN MORE RESPONSIBLE OF HANDLING THESE TERRORISTS IN A CIVILISED MANNER.

Posted By: JAIN SAMARASINGHE -LONDON

Chanel 4 has taken that video from the YouTube. They have been slinging mud on Sri-Lanka for sometimes. They should learn what responsible journalism is; before televising an un-authenticated video. In a war anything is possible to happen!

Posted By: Lalith

It is well known that many are actively at work particularly in some western capitals to tarnish the image of Sri Lanka and revive the possibility of human rights indictments against her. This British Channel 4 saga is clelarly just one manifestation of such endevours being perpetrated by desperate sympathisers of the LTTE and other frustrated elements.It is most unfortunate that Channel 4 thought it fit to telecast video footage of exploslive nature as involved in this instance when they themselves do not have the slightest idea as to its authenticity, going by their their own admission. This is most irresponsible behaviour and journalism on their part and calls for unreserved condemnation by all right thinking people. Don't they realise that any interested party bent on embarrassing Sri Lanka could have resorted to doctoring this sort of video footage using modern technology? (Remember that infamous doctored photograph of a smiling Prabhakaran reading a Sri Lankan newspaper carrying news about his own death!)If British Channel 4 are practising responsible reporting, they should have verified the accuracy of the video footage with the source before accepting same for telecasting. Clearly, they have failed to do so. In the final analysis, this is just a mischievous attempt to discredit Sri Lanka. That said, it is just a waste of time for the government to seek any redress in this regard from the British Government through diplomatic channels. Nothing will be forthcoming out of such attempts. It may be a better idea to explore the possibility of suing British TV Channel 4 in this regard. If not, jut forget it.

Posted By: Ari

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