By Basil Fernando –

Basil Fernando

In recent decades, one of the most significant developments in Sri Lanka has been the rise of political journalism. There may be many reasons for this. One key reason is the severe repression, brutality, and suffering inflicted on ordinary people during certain political developments over several decades. It took time for a reaction to emerge, but eventually, mature general media channels and a more mature form of journalism developed, along with enhanced communication capacities.

In any society, the development of social space is even more important than political space. Political space becomes essential when tensions are high and harsh political powers need to be replaced with softer approaches. But once those issues are resolved, the most difficult area to face is society itself, which contains many negative aspects that hold it back in its struggle for development. By “development,” I mean the growth of both society and individuals.

The origins of these negative vectors may be very old, rooted in a past shaped by the normal process of repetition. Societies develop in both good and bad ways through constant repetition. This is unavoidable: bad qualities get repeated and become entrenched in people’s minds, souls, and actions.

Discovering these internal factors that hold society back requires inquiry. Some of this inquiry can be done through academic work. But even more important is journalistic discovery of a society’s negative factors.

The value of identifying negative factors is that many people know these factors exist, but they do not know how to speak about them, how to expel them from their inner selves, or how to communicate them in a way that makes self-criticism a normal practice. Self-criticism is not a negative thing; it is one of the most positive aspects of human life. Almost all great philosophies speak of the capacity to look at oneself. For example, a great Indian social reformer from the independence period – a contemporary of Gandhi – introduced the idea of placing a huge mirror in the center of a temple as the divine image. People who came to pray or meditate would sit in front of the mirror, so they could look at themselves. By looking at all aspects of oneself – what is good and what is bad – we develop the ability to see, and even to laugh at, our own weaknesses. A society that knows its weaknesses is stronger than one that only boasts of its successes and strengths. The capacity to understand weakness is a permanent and essential aspect of social development.

From this perspective, we have not yet developed societal journalism in any significant way. But it could be developed. Today, with YouTube channels and other popular methods in Sri Lanka, what is needed is orientation on the part of the journalist – certain trainings and ways of thinking. This could make a huge difference in the coming years, leading to a society with the internal strength to deal with its problems, where speech replaces violence. That could also reduce criminality and other violent tendencies within the people themselves.

This reminds me of some conversations I had with the late Victor Ivan, one of Sri Lanka’s prominent journalists in recent decades. When JR Jayewardene’s government was in power, officials complained about Victor’s publication, which was developing criticisms of the government at the time. One day, the President summoned Victor to meet him. Victor went. He was told that some ministers were advising the President to attack his journal’s office. Victor explained his position and showed all the past copies of the journal, pointing out various criticisms he had made. Just before he left, Victor asked the President for permission to say something. The President said, “Yes, say whatever you want.” Victor spoke: “You know what I am trying to do? Here, everybody is at everybody’s throat; they are killing each other. I want to help transform this into speech, so that they will not fight with guns and knives, but with words. They will just talk.” Victor later told me that he heard the President agreed with this line of thinking, and that may have been one of the reasons he was allowed to continue his journalism.

People clearly understand bona fide criticism made without malice, but with good understanding and rationality. Now is the time to turn toward that kind of development in socially critical journalism.