Al Jazeera denied visa

12 November 2010 04:39 pm - 67 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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The Government rejected the visa applications of the news crew of the international news network Al-Jazeera attempting to enter the country. The Foreign Ministry confirmed that the visa applications of the news crew were rejected but declined to give reasons.

Public communications Director General and Foreign Ministry spokesman Bandula Jayasekera told Daily Mirror that the government had rejected the visa applications of the news crew but declined to give reasons for the visa denial.

On Wednesday Al-Jazeera telecast photographs showing piles of bodies of those allegedly executed during the final stages of the war in the North.

The government rejected these photographs with Media Minister Keheliya Rabukwella saying the images were nothing new but a repeat telecast of the channel-4 video footage.

The government has questioned the authenticity of these photographs obtained from a number of unverified sources, depicting war crimes and torture during the final stages of the war. The government claimed that hese were malicious attempts to discredit the victory of the Sri Lankan forces. (DS)

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Comments - 67

Yehiya-Doha Saturday, 13 November 2010 02:05 AM

Al jazeera is one of the world class media organization. If wrong govt. must clear the statement rather rejecting visa. What they going to do with BBC. BBc also same way dealing with us.

yikes Saturday, 13 November 2010 03:31 AM

if the story is only onsided how will you now which is the truth?
integrity does not come by suppressing opposing views. it comes in inteligent engagment which such views.

yikes Saturday, 13 November 2010 03:29 AM

lying is also a freedom of expressions.
it's been a year since GoSL said that they would prove these footage false. what happened?

Thomas Saturday, 13 November 2010 02:56 AM

Why only deny visas for Al Jazeera based in Qatar, also put an EMBARGO on workers from serving in Qatar, good for the economy, as S/L is super rich country

pissu balla Saturday, 13 November 2010 02:46 AM

Now Keheliya will say "This is another lie from International media. We have given them visa and they didn't want to come."

Ranjith Saturday, 13 November 2010 02:20 AM

Government is doing for our interest, and they have a duty to protect our image for you!. Can you go to any country and abuse the country at your will!. Think first.

MIKE Saturday, 13 November 2010 02:16 AM

WHEN IS WIMAL GOING TO DO HIS SHOW

tamilan Saturday, 13 November 2010 02:08 AM

its means that government is accpeting that images..
if not why can't they allow to do a free investiagation on it?

ranjith Saturday, 13 November 2010 02:06 AM

we know that Al jaseera is nothing but a pro LTTE like BBC, Channel 4
Well done Sri Lankan Government you have guts to refuse visa, we backing you
Other wise they will fabricate another lie

Manjula Saturday, 13 November 2010 03:33 AM

Now the government has given permission, I think they dont have interest on us now.Please don's justify stupid actions of the government as it bounces back on you.

tamilan Saturday, 13 November 2010 02:05 AM

than what you think about those images?

Meera Saturday, 13 November 2010 01:47 AM

where is free media movement?

Cobra Saturday, 13 November 2010 01:40 AM

There is a saying that 'the more your try to hide something, the more it tries to come out' and the govt. is not aware of it. Whatever they say and whatever they do, the truth will come out some day!

Anver Saturday, 13 November 2010 01:17 AM

AJ telecasted the images with denials from a govt rep. Now it may resort to telecasting more pics with obvious remarks which can cause more damage to our country.

Jif Saturday, 13 November 2010 01:17 AM

Rejecting these Visa without any reason translates how the GOSL operates. Hence what makes u think the pictures of Al-JAzzera and Channel 4 is not true.

Faqi Saturday, 13 November 2010 01:10 AM

Amal Perera - We are not talking about other countries we are talking about what happened in Sri Lanka. There have been enough international probes into drone attacks Iraq etc. by the the investigative US media alone, they do not hide anything, Your figures are incorrect about 1.5 million dead. Most of the killing in Iraq was sectarian between rival militias etc. The drones do not target civilians but known terrorists hideouts. The terrorists have to be taken out.

harbi Saturday, 13 November 2010 12:59 AM

A defeat of a terrorist group ( LTTE) in their point of view is a threat to their long term interests. They want the world to believe terrorism is untouchable and they cannot be defeated by conventional military force. If other nations who are under the threat of Terrorism could be courageous, have the will to fight and audacious like us, the terrorist they sponsor will have to vanish in to nowhere. So they want the world to believe terrorism is untouchable! My foot to Al Jazeera!

Sundaram Saturday, 13 November 2010 04:05 AM

World Class media !! my foot. That is why they are banned by the US.

podiman Sunday, 14 November 2010 02:49 AM

terrible consequences of white flag incident

Poor But Rich Saturday, 13 November 2010 06:46 PM

I think Al Jazeera wasting it's time in SL. The rule of law is fully in place in SL with blessings of MR. No body is in the jail, IDPs re-settled, Tamil ethnic issues solved with political settlement. every citizen given due respect including SF, Karuna, Pilliayan etc.

pini bindu Saturday, 13 November 2010 12:31 PM

if we havent done anything wrong why fear.. let us open to the world then they will accept us better coem on srilanka let us be brave

Simpson Saturday, 13 November 2010 08:13 AM

Recently, Morocco threw Al-Jazeera out; now, Sri Lanka! Before airing their pics, they should have given an opportunity to SL to defend it. As a patriotic Lankan I say this is a good move. Let Al-jazeera concentrate on the wikileaks!

roger francis herft Saturday, 13 November 2010 07:11 AM

channel 4 ur the most partial media in the world.ur poking ur fingers to other countries.why cant u investigate the killings which ar been done and still doing by the USA and British army's in the Afghanistan an.d Iraq.channel 4 u fools and jokers the world know that ur doing every thing for dollars.idiots

malkanthi Saturday, 13 November 2010 07:02 AM

Sri Lankans think it is like one of our state channels.

Nimal Saturday, 13 November 2010 05:08 AM

This is the so called "media freedom" as defined in MR's Chinthanaya..

Sundaram Saturday, 13 November 2010 04:07 AM

Please do not mix apples and oranges.

david Saturday, 13 November 2010 12:55 AM

Not allowing them is accepting the crime.
Allow them and take them on a tour and show them what good things you had done to the nation. Other wise we are getting far more in the corner of the ring.

sxhabeeb Saturday, 13 November 2010 03:46 AM

They did not/ THey said even they are not about the Authenticiy of the Photos. they were clear on their views...

yikes Saturday, 13 November 2010 03:44 AM

they wont' - Al-Jazeera is not a state channel. it is private.

sri lankans are unable to distinguish the difference.

yikes Saturday, 13 November 2010 03:43 AM

should we worry about who telecast this or who is at the other end of the camera? who is the criminal, the video grapher or the perpetrators doing the execution?

yikes Saturday, 13 November 2010 03:41 AM

yes. and when they report news aginst the USA then we will also say that this is a good news agency reporting the truth.

yikes Saturday, 13 November 2010 03:40 AM

will you be first in line?

yikes Saturday, 13 November 2010 03:40 AM

except when we want to procure weapons and development aid. then these are our best buddies.

yikes Saturday, 13 November 2010 03:35 AM

yeah! isn't that all you so called patriots claimed last year?

Amal Perera Friday, 12 November 2010 05:29 PM

Unfortunately all the international media are turning their eyes towards us despite the US drone attacks are targeting both rebels and civilians indiscriminately. During the war in Iraq alone more than 1.5 million people were killed and in the Afgan war the victims are countless, but neither the UN nor the international media seem to be questioning them regarding the war crimes they have committed in violation of all international agreements. In such a background what the GOSL is doing may seem correct and justified.

dutugamunu Friday, 12 November 2010 07:10 PM

good move ! ...

cholan Friday, 12 November 2010 06:23 PM

Rule makers should not to be a rule breakers

SAtha! Friday, 12 November 2010 06:01 PM

Owa nam ithin Boru!!

NADARAJAH SETHURUPAN Friday, 12 November 2010 05:59 PM

Mr.`Undiyalan`, LTTE terrorist's undercover agent in London behind this telecast photographs.

Siri Lanka Friday, 12 November 2010 05:35 PM

Baya Wela Wagei.....

m rifai nazim Friday, 12 November 2010 05:34 PM

Well done GOSL. Let them be the permanent mouth piece of ruthless Al-Qaeeda who are on a killing spree in the name of Islam.

Dammika Friday, 12 November 2010 05:31 PM

Enemies of our country should be dealt with severely.

Pottuvil putha Friday, 12 November 2010 05:31 PM

They are nothing but scavengers - funded by terrorists around the globe to broadcast their propaganda. A sinister TV channel. Do not let then anywhere even close to our territorial waters.

Fair n Square Friday, 12 November 2010 07:13 PM

Hope the Quatari govt wont stop the issuance of visas for Sri-Lankan workers on a tit for tat basis.

demon Friday, 12 November 2010 05:18 PM

Guess who the losers are?the government or the Al Jazeera...

Faqi Friday, 12 November 2010 05:09 PM

What are we trying to hide? I thought Al-Jazeera was the network that was against all western news networks?

HIDEOUT Friday, 12 November 2010 05:07 PM

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA BAYA GULLO

Kadira Friday, 12 November 2010 05:05 PM

The Sri Lanka government has nothing to hid. We fought a humanitarian war. No civilians were killed. What are we trying to hid?

steve Friday, 12 November 2010 05:04 PM

what on earth would you go and do that for. If we have nothing to hide why not let them come and see. the more you deny people the more they will write and keep doing it till it becomes a headache.

AF Friday, 12 November 2010 05:02 PM

superb.

Walter Friday, 12 November 2010 04:52 PM

Complicity of the govt proven beyond any reasonable means of doubt by this act. Murder is murder whoever does it.

josh Friday, 12 November 2010 04:42 PM

is the government scared???

if those photos were false why not allow these guys to come down to SL and verify it themselves!!!

faumi Friday, 12 November 2010 07:22 PM

rejecting visa for staff of a international news net work too will not bring any credit to the country. This activity will bring discredit to the country

Neomal Friday, 12 November 2010 07:31 PM

We have not done anything wrong. Why should the Govt deny visas to these guys. Is it an action of guilt?

pj Friday, 12 November 2010 07:44 PM

Who expect reasons for deniel....it's public secret !!

Ruhunu Puthra Friday, 12 November 2010 08:24 PM

A responsible government must investigate the matter before taking such a mesure. Government should remember that Al Jazira is not a nother lake house.

anura Friday, 12 November 2010 09:25 PM

nothing to hide , nothing to worry , WAKE up all! keep protest against no media freedom...

vat hora Friday, 12 November 2010 10:30 PM

Thats good. they fabricate story.

Keerthi Vijayabahu Friday, 12 November 2010 11:08 PM

There may be number of civilian deaths by the hands of security forces during the war. But they were not intentional killings as LTTE did by purposely attacking Sinhala villages and blasting civilian buses. Western allies haven't any interest about the fate of innocent Tamil civilians who died during the war. Their only worry is the "defeat of LTTE"...
Pro LTTE diaspore and their western allies trying to punish us because we destroyed their KILLER PETS and we did not worry whether it was legal or illegal. We know that they will use every possible ways tof trapping us. We are ready to face them. But the most painfull thing is, that a section of our own civil society who got blinded by political hyporacy trying to get undue political advantage from this issue.

MagodisThuma Saturday, 13 November 2010 12:19 AM

Limiting the freedom of news 'just a little bit' is in the same category with the classic example 'a little bit pregnant'.

Saradiel Saturday, 13 November 2010 12:23 AM

Indeed it is. Now we are announcing to the whole wide world about our Media Freedom and Transparency. What is it that our government is trying desperately to hide from the masses, both locally and internationally? IS this the reason for imprisoning SF, to ensure he keeps his mouth also shut, for as long as the GOSL can? All these highs in life will someday be followed with lows. That's the way with life. So be careful. At least try to make amends when you can.

Z Fernando Saturday, 13 November 2010 12:24 AM

Government of Sri Lanka, please let these jokers in and let them see the truth, let them speak to the people in the country.

MagodisThuma Saturday, 13 November 2010 12:26 AM

You can cage the singer but not the song !.

MagodisThuma Saturday, 13 November 2010 12:30 AM

Media won't stay banned - Ideas won't go to jail.

MagodisThuma Saturday, 13 November 2010 12:38 AM

If you don't have this freedom of the press, then all these little fellows are weaseling around and doing their monkey business and they never get caught !.

pinki Saturday, 13 November 2010 12:45 AM

Al Jazeera is nothing but a hand of the Western Powers. These fake telecasters must be hung when enter the country.

dam Saturday, 13 November 2010 12:47 AM

Josh, Gov is not scared. But why we should entertain those who have been lied in the name of freedom of expression.

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Al Jazeera denied visa

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