Censorship would not work in a digital era

We have to appreciate that the  contents of a given book  might incite people towards hate and violence, though no such problems are specifically pointed out in Theepachelvan’s books

One can hardly contest the argument by  leaders of the ruling National People’s Power (NPP) that system change cannot be brought in overnight. Yes, it is a change expected to be realised within a degenerate society,  utilising  components of the very same society which would inevitably take time. System change is not a singe act but a long process.
Yet, that does not mean that people have to wait years for the government to keep all its promises. There are things in which the masses have the right to expect expeditious execution. For instance, one cannot understand why the leaders of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) are dragging their feet in repealing the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) which they insisted on for over four decades, pledging to replace it with a new law in par with international standards, as they have been compelled to do now.
Similarly, the authorities have failed to justify the inordinate delay in holding  provincial council elections. Seventeen months that have elapsed since the new government assumed office is long enough for them to bring in changes in the relevant law, if necessary. 
Censorship is something that even the worst adversary of the NPP  never expected to see under a government led by the NPP/JVP as the JVP has fought tooth and nail against any kind of censorship since its formation in early sixties. Yet, a serious allegation is being levelled now that the Sri Lanka Customs has detained a consignment of books written by a Sri Lankan Tamil writer on the ground of contentious contents.
However, the writer, Theepachelvan Piratheepan,  and those who stand for the universally accepted freedom of expression argue that the books – copies of four literary works – do not contain anything harmful to  national security or national harmony. Twenty days after the books were detained,  the Cultural Ministry had invited the writer for a discussion on the matter to be held in Colombo on April 17. The meeting where Buddha Sasana and Cultural Minister Hiniduma Sunil Senevi,  officials of the Sri Lanka Customs and members of the Arts Council of Sri Lanka attended ended without any conclusion. Theepachelvan who came to Colombo all the way from Kilinochchi had to return empty handed. 
Previously,  during the former government’s tenure,  the Customs Department had also detained a consignment of Holy Qurans which have not been released yet. 
Theepachelvan has just been informed that the members of the Arts Council of Sri Lanka would submit a report on the contentious issues in  detained books, and releasing them would be considered only after that. Also,  Minister Sunil Senevi stated that he would assign several Tamil writers to check if the book’s contents are harmful. Does this mean the authorities are not sure as to why the books were  detained?
There is a serious debate going on in social media on this matter where many southern journalists and writers question the morality of the NPP government. The apologists for  detaining these  books argue that no literary work should harm the air of reconciliation prevailing between the communities, but without pointing out specific harmful content purported to be contained in the books in question. On the other hand, those who champion freedom of expression seems to be of the view that there cannot be any restriction on the freedom of a writer, no matter what the contents are. 
From an abstract point of view, that has to be accepted. But at the same time, we have to appreciate that the  contents of a given book  might incite people towards hate and violence, though no such problems are specifically pointed out in Theepachelvan’s books.   
Most literary works by Sri Lankan Tamil writers are inevitably based on their horrific experience during the war between the armed forces and the LTTE. These narrations, despite being the reality, may arguably be deemed as allegations against the state and the armed forces. Such points may be considered as those against national security or national reconciliation. However, the same could happen the other way around in a book written by a soldier on his experience during the war. His narrations might hurt the sentiments of Tamils, though they are not treated in the same way. 
This is a complex issue, but censorship is impractical in a digital era. Any book proscribed might circulate in PDF form in social media within days, attracting more curious readers.

‘Your Thought’ is a space, a right of the readers to support or contradict and discuss the issues highlighted in the editorial and other articles in the editorial and op-ed pages. Designed as the reader’s editorial; our readers can send in their writings, with a word count not exceeding 200, to ‘Your Thought’, Daily Mirror Political Features Desk, No 8, Hunupitiya Cross Road, Colombo 2 or email to [email protected]