By Laksiri Fernando –
Dr. Laksiri Fernando
A.S. Panneerselvan ran a story this morning in The Hindu (00.00am, 22 October 2018) titled “Don’t blame the messenger,” referring to the controversial front page report of the same newspaper five days ago by Meera Sirinivasan on “Sri Lankan President Sirisena alleges that RAW is plotting his assassination,” with the pretentious claim “for a responsible media organisation, telling the truth is imperative even if it means reporting tactless utterances.”
The Hindu or Meera Sirinivasan is the messenger. What is the message?
Reporting a news is perfectly acceptable or even imperative, after reasonable verification that the initial journalist had done. However to claim that report is the absolute truth, or nothing but the truth, is farfetched and unwarranted. Subjectively of course the journalist who reported the news or even the whole newspaper establishment may consider the story is the truth. But that claim is questionable, unless they are Gods, because the information has particularly emerged under questionable circumstances which the newspaper and the journalist/s are quite privy to.
Questionable Circumstances?
What are these questionable circumstances?
First, there had been reportedly a heated argument between the President and the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka surrounding proposed development projects with the partnership of India.
Second, there had been reportedly some accusations and exchange between the President and some Ministers belonging to the other party of the coalition, the UNP, on the ongoing CID investigations on the alleged assassination conspiracy against the President and the former Defence Secretary.
It is well known that the Minister of Finance and Media, Mangala Samaraweera, publicly dismissed the conspiracy allegations, whether it has had any impact on the ongoing investigations or not. Therefore, the information coming under such circumstances should be circumspect, not to take the news as the final truth.
Panneerselvan has sufficiently defended the colleague journalist under a separate section of the article (“The act of verification”) and there is no issue of that defence except his questioning of ‘the President’s incredible statement,’ as if he not only believes that the President made such a statement, but also implying the accusation is not credible. The second implication is the most questionable.
The following is what the Indian Prime Minister’s office has stated in nutshell after President Sirisena’s telephone call on the matter.
“The Prime Minister appreciated the prompt steps taken by the President and his Government to firmly refute the malicious reports by publicly clarifying the matters. He also reiterated India’s emphasis on ‘neighbourhood first’ policy and the priority the Government of India and he personally attach to developing even stronger all-round cooperation between the two countries.”
It should be noted that the statement names “the malicious reports” not only referring to The Hindu, but also to many other news reports in Sri Lanka, apparently emerging from the same sources.
What is the Message?
It is a mindboggling question why Panneerselvan is appealing in his today’s article “Don’t blame the messenger?” The reason is not clear or ambiguous. There can be two implications.
First, don’t blame the messenger for exposing the ‘incredible statement’ of the President.
Second, don’t blame the messenger for exposing a possible RAW involvement in the alleged conspiracy.
Of course the second does not emerge from the initial report of Meera Sirinivasan, but from Panneerselvan’s report today. He says:
“It has never been easy for reporters covering neighbourhood politics to report on the roles of agencies like the Research and Analysis Wing [RAW] and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence. As a reporter who has covered most of India’s neighbouring countries for nearly three decades, I can safely say that these agencies are named in most of the covert and overt operations — sometimes based on facts, sometimes based on pure hypothesis, and sometimes to suit domestic political realities.”
Is the above passage an indication that the President’s ‘incredible statement’ may be ‘credible’ under circumstances of, if not fact, but based on hypothesis? Or is it to ‘suit the domestic political realities’ that the report is made. However, it appears that it is the way at least Panneerselvan is operating or writing, as he says.
Under these circumstances, his initial claim that “responsible media organisations tell the truth” is questionable. I might be a last person to condemned media freedom, even if they tell lies, knowingly or unknowingly. I am an author of the “Lima Declaration of Academic Freedom” acclaimed by UNESCO, and academic freedom is not dissimilar to media freedom.
Therefore, this is a friendly spat to remind the ‘colleagues’ not to claim for ‘truth’ instantly, but to find, report and interpret facts and allow the law enforcement and particularly the judiciary to find the reasonable ‘truth’ in this type of a case. Or allow the truth to emerge through a process, without jumping on a hurried ‘truth.’
N. Ram’s Tweet
I am not a person searching or getting involved in the social media. It appears they have absolute freedom, I mean the social media, even Donald Trump tweeting and tweeting on all matters on earth.
But I was simply appalled when N. Ram’s quick tweet on this raw matter (reported in Colombo Telegraph, 19 October), not only defending The Hindu correspondent, but also accusing the government or the President of falsehood. The question is not about the President or the government, but again N. Ram’s claim about the ‘truth.’ This is what I am particularly questioning. There were two tweets on the same day on the 19th.
First: “Our Sri Lanka Correspondent verified what she had learnt with multiple independent sources before publishing her report. Let them issue their lame denials, try to wriggle out of what was said — but we stand by our Correspondent’s meticulously fact-checked story.”
This is fairly ok, as I have already stated, defending The Hindu correspondent. N. Ram is not only the former Editor in Chief of The Hindu but also the Chairman of the Kasturi & Sons Limited, the publisher of The Hindu. Therefore, the concern is understandable. However, the second tweet is more questionable about the alleged truth.
Second: “Another case of saying something wild & bizarre, expecting it to remain within a closed room, and then blaming the media for the furore caused. The Hindu did its job — truth-telling.”
What is this ‘closed room’? The Cabinet meeting of a friendly neighbouring country which is supposed to have collective responsibility according to the democratic parliamentary norms, both India and Sri Lanka are supposed to follow.
Apart from The Hindu’s so quick jumping on ‘truth-telling,’ there is an apparent defence of RAW of any wrong doing, in Ram’s second tweet, by saying the alleged accusation is “wild and bizarre.” How does he know or so sure? This is not merely about a matter of fact, but of principle.
*Laksiri Fernando is former Professor of Political Science and Public Policy, University of Colombo
Native Vedda / October 22, 2018
Laksiri Fernando
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“How does he know or so sure?”
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As one who claimed to analyse nuts and bolts of political issues you should have known Hindu N Ram is part of the Delhi Establishment, usually has access to sensitive information. He has been in the business for more than 40 years.
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His media empire actively investigated Bofors scandal though he was close to Rajiv.
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Rather than investigating Hindian side of dishing out information and disinformation one should start squeezing one’s own side which does not usually adhere to Media Dharma.
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I believe I need not to disclose my real identity.
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Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities. – Voltaire
This is what happening in this island for the past 100 or so years.
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old codger / October 22, 2018
DR Laksisri,
“It should be noted that the statement names “the malicious reports” not only referring to The Hindu, but also to many other news reports”
It could be that the report was released maliciously, with ulterior motives. But it does not mean that it was false. Given Sirisena’s past record, it is quite possible that he did say what is reported.
What governments say is not always true. We all know about Saddam’s chemical weapons, don’t we?
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Native Vedda / October 22, 2018
old codger
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I am warning you.
“Ambassador Dayan Jayatilleka visits Russia’s Academic and Policy community”
-dailymirror.lk
Wait for the next name dropping session.
Do you think visiting Russia’s Academic and Policy community would absolve him from being a public racist?
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Assuming you are the present Ambassador to Russia, if Namal visits the country, will you meet him at the airport, carry his luggages to the car, put him up in your room, polish his boots, wipe his nose, …………..?
Please let me have your straightforward and honest answer.
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Will you recommend the Russians to pay a substantial commission to Sirisena on the sale of their floating metal wreck that he is determined to buy for $150 millions? Will you also demand a share of the commission?
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Natasha Perera / October 22, 2018
In April it was about PM no confidence motion
In May it was about Floods
In June it was about The IGP
In July it was about Wimal Weerawansa
In August it was New York Times Bribe to MR
In September it was Milk Packets contaminated with Poison and Namal Kumara Tele drama.
In October it was about RAW involvement, MS meeting MR after dark.
In November ………………….
In Jan 2020 thugs and murderers rapists fraudsters will be back.
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Native Vedda / October 22, 2018
old codger
–
I am warning you.
“Ambassador Dayan Jayatilleka visits Russia’s Academic and Policy community”
-dailymirror.lk
Wait for the next name dropping session.
Do you think visiting Russia’s Academic and Policy community would absolve him from being a public racist?
–
Assuming you are the present Ambassador to Russia, if Namal visits the country, will you meet him at the airport, carry his luggages to the car, put him up in your room, polish his boots, wipe his nose, …………..?
Please let me have your straightforward and honest answer.
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Will you recommend the Russians to pay a substantial commission to Sirisena on the sale of their floating metal wreck that he is determined to buy for $150 millions? Will you also demand a share of the commission?
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chiv / October 22, 2018
In Lanka news is plenty but fact checking is never heard of. So it will be up to readers and freelance journalist to do so. My way of viewing is starting from the basics. The source, reliability,credibility, past patterns , any hidden gains, impact of spin …..etc…etc. Sri lanka just did not dispute Hindu alone. . They dispute anyone who tried to shed some light on their nefarious activities. For example New York Times, Aljazeera , channel 4, Lasantha, all the murdered journalist,Uthayan …..etc. The word Hypocrisy was defined after Mr. Ram who is Indian version of Murdoch.Who will say anything for his own gains where as faux pas was defined after MS as in case of Dick Joy. Who gains out of this saga is MS and not ram. For the rest (reliability/credibility…etc) readers may know the answer.
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K.Pillai / October 22, 2018
“The Hindu” is not noted for impartial reporting. The paper is not taken seriously in Tamil Nadu – its land of birth.
In May 2009, the civil war ended. There were nearly 300,000 emaciated Tamils held in (what is now known as) Vanni internment camps without a roof but with razor sharp fences. The inmates were emaciated, some injured, most searching for their near ones 24/7. Today both sides will agree that the inmates were in a traumatised state.
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In July 2009 (barely six weeks into the establishment of the camps), the then Editor of “The Hindu”, N Ram visited the camps in a helicopter supplied by MR. On 04 July 2009 he wrote the now infamous “Vavuniya IDP camps: An Uplifting Experience”. The article had photos of neat tents, girls in uniform attending classes, preparing for exams and so on. Except for the Dr Subramanian Swamy ilk, most found the article insensitive. In March 2012, the Students’ Federation of India organised a teach-in on “Paid news and media ethics” at the Jawaharlal University, Delhi. Ram was shouted down as a ‘media fascist’ and ‘MR stooge’.
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In short: “The Hindu” has squandered its credibility rating.
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SJ / October 22, 2018
KP
The Hindu is much resented by extreme Tamil nationalists. It has its biases that hurt them. The Hindu did not owe much to the LTTE either. Then, others have other worse biases.
The Hindu is the most read English newspaper in Tamilnadu (ahead of its nearest rival by a factor of two) and the second most circulated English-language newspaper in India, after The Times of India.
As for Ram, he has his prejudices. He was a promoter of the Indo-Sri Lanka accord.
He has one foot in the CPI(M) and the other in the family business.
Unlike him, Swamy was a great LTTE fan, and felt bitter when the LTTE role in a certain murder was exposed and his credibility and that of RAW who swore by LTTE’s innocence then were shattered.
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Rohan / October 23, 2018
Here comes the self hating Tamil , again trying to justify anti Tamil activities. How can all this justify the obvious lie and false propaganda that Hindu wrote regarding the concentration camps in Vanni ? I read this and felt like vomiting with the obvious lies and propaganda. He stated that they were wonderful holiday camps and he wished he could have been an intimate there. Well he should have. No one stopped him. No wonder the students in Delhi booed at him. Only a self hating Tamil like you will support these anti Tamils, as you are one of them, so probably understands these people , so called Tamils who hate Tamils , as you are one of them. Tamils are wicked the LTTE is evil and wicked but Sinhalese racism , state sponsored Sinhalese war crimes and genocide on the Tamils is not. disgusting creature.
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Uthungan / October 24, 2018
“Swamy was a great LTTE fan, and felt bitter when the LTTE role in a certain murder was exposed and ….LTTE’s innocence was shattered”.
It was LTTE main advisor Balasingham, who a short period before his death finally confessed in a talk show by a popular Delhi based TV that the said murder was a “monumental blunder”.
That begs the question, who actually benefited by that foul deed is.
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SJ / October 25, 2018
Uthungan
My references was to switching of sides by Swamy. He was the ‘bridge’ between the LTTE and RAW.
RAW accepted Swamy’s version that the LTTE was innocent. The South Wing, always at loggerheads with RAW, thought otherwise.
As it became clear that the LTTE had a hand, RAW’s prestige took a beating and they turned on Swamy, who had swallowed the LTTE’s story hook-line-and-sinker.
Swamy never forgave the LTTE, and is still bitter against LTTE, and Tamils as well.
Ram is a more complex player driven by more serious considerations. his position is based on an analysis with which you and I may disagree.
*
Who benefited, like who paid for the job, is anybody’s guess.
Had the LTTE not got cornered, they may have been among beneficiaries, who would certainly have shed a few more tears for the slain.
*
The likes of dear old Rohan who sulk to hear that that Ram’s is a widely read newspaper, remind me of the disciple of Paramarthaguru (Mahadanamuttha in Sinhala tradition) who cursed the wayfarer who warned him that he will fall if he lopped of the branch on which he was perched.
(The fool fell, and chased after the wayfarer thinking that he was a great soothsayer. I doubt if I will be as lucky with telling obvious truths.)
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Thanga / October 22, 2018
There is a saying that there is no fire without smoke. Knowing the mindset of President Sirisena it is very likely he did accuse the RAW of plotting to kill him. Remember Mahinda Rajapaksa blamed RAW for his electoral defeat in 2015 presidential elections. Is the RAW that powerful to swing votes against Mahinda and in favour of Sirisena. The Colombo Telegraph itself has claimed that President Sirisena’s controversial statement was also followed by an intense argument with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe when the subject of development of the Colombo Port came up for discussion. The Hindu newspaper said Sirisena vehemently objected to any Indian involvement in upgrading its east container terminal – a project that New Delhi has been keen to take up.
Prime Minister Wickremesinghe is said to have countered by saying Colombo had already promised New Delhi on collaborating on the project, and it was important to rope in India at the terminal, given that about 80% of the cargo handled at the transhipment hub was meant for India.
The credibility of President Sirisena is in tatters. On one hand, he is accusing the main partner of the coalition for the delay in investigations of individuals involved in murder, corruption, bribery etc while at the same time shielding rogues like Chief of Defence Staff Ravindra Wijegunaratne who gave a cool Rs.500,000 to Sampath Dayananda and smuggled him to Malaysia to escape arrest. President Sirisena has wasted his political capital by making insane statements – I won the war after the President, Chief of Defence Staff and others ran out of the country.
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Unreal / October 22, 2018
Thanga, The saying is there’s no smoke without fire. As usual you are seeing things the other way around!
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Colombo Uni Alumni / October 22, 2018
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/
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Ranjth / October 22, 2018
Professor Fernando you should by now realise this sirisena is capable of saying this and denying it in the next breath. He has even lied about MR visiting his place in his vehicle which was denied by MR. You are trying to defend a fellow who lies about easily verifiable facts. I thought high of you
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Native Vedda / October 24, 2018
Ranjth
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“Professor Fernando you should by now realise this sirisena is capable of saying this and denying it in the next breath.”
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Sirisena stated “It is sad if our own Human Rights Commission had done so,” in response to Lieut. Col. Kalana Amunupura whom the UN believe was involved in war crimes.
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Well now this is the chap who believes that he fought and won the war single handedly in the last few days of the war.
On the other hand Cabinet approves laws to set up Truth Commission.
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Academics who are for some short term nationalistic reasons try to play down the importance of Truth Telling.
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Auren Kaplan, CEO, Girl Justice believes that “not a single university in the world has thought the topic of Truth important enough to merit an academic department dedicated solely to the task of uncovering the Truth”.
Therefore Auren envisions Truth Studies department in every major university throughout the world conducting courses in:
• Introduction To Truth
• The Philosophy of Truth
• The Science of Truth
• The Scientific Process of Truth Realization
• Empirical Truth
• Truth and Quantum Mechanics
• Truth of Religious Texts
• The History of Truth In America
• The Global History of Truth Seeking
• The Sociology of Truth
• The Psychology of the Breakout Archetype (400 level)
• The Psychology of Truth Realization
• Truth In The Political Context
• Truth: Advanced Strategies of Consciousness
• Truth In American Culture
• The End of Falsehood
• Truth In Mathematics
• Truth In The Medieval Ages
• Truth In Literature
• Truth And Consciousness
• Truth And The Nature of Existence
• Truth In The Cosmos
• What Is The Ultimate Truth?
• Truth in Free Enterprise
• The Role of Truth in the American Civil Rights Movement
• Truth in Arts & Culture
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Many in this island averse to the idea of Truth Telling.
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Thappu / October 26, 2018
Native Vedda,
Philosophically speaking truth cannot be defined! Every definition leads to the question, ‘Is it true?’
.
That sounds true!
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Mallaiyuran / October 23, 2018
Zero Casualty guys are convulsing in all ways possible to turn the attention on Hindu or Ram. But we realise now the story is more than true. It is not just that New King uttered these words in the cabinet, but there were plan to make things to look like that too. So the story is sound more than true. Just for a word say that New King did not say that, but he is still responsible for the Indian man is being arrested. It is a large scale set up. Nalaka, Namal, Jeyam, Ranil, Thomas all have been connected and many newspapers have written about this for long time. I don’t know the starting date, but this has been around now for more than a month. DBSJ has said in his website this specific case of what happened in the cabinet was reported in Economy Next.
There are many indications that New King had very many spillings to show that he was planning to tell this, or one of his his direct assistance were going to tell this. So now, after Economy Next like papers report that he said this in Cabinet and with 4 witnesses, possibly some audio recording too, Hindu would stand behind its story as absolutely true.
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shankar / October 23, 2018
“Apart from The Hindu’s so quick jumping on ‘truth-telling,’ there is an apparent defence of RAW of any wrong doing, in Ram’s second tweet, by saying the alleged accusation is “wild and bizarre.” How does he know or so sure? This is not merely about a matter of fact, but of principle. “
Laksiri,he is right.there is no evidence at all of RAW involvement.The CID has said so.just because Thomas is a indian national does not mean that he is a RAW agent.also he has been taken in merely on the statement made by a chap for which thre is no corroborating evidence at all.The so called telphone calls are not thre in his mobile.Now CID has given the mobile to the chinese to check.
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chiv / October 23, 2018
Just herd one Piyal Nanda of Lankan cricket board was arrested for financial frauds and Ranatunga requesting India,s help in solving the issue. Didnt I say Lanka accuses some one before asking the same for assistance. What a comedy. True Miracle.
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nalmen / October 23, 2018
chennai is closer to SL than australia
they know more than you do as a migrant
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max / October 23, 2018
An effort by professor LF to save his master, but in vain. The moment Siri opens his mouth, the effort of the likes of Laksiri is just vanished. Prof, Do you think, still you can take Siri out of the pit he’s currently in?
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shankar / October 23, 2018
what pit are you talking about.he has started to dig another pit within this pit by saying that he did not know that dudley senenayake died in the 1970’s.he thought UNP was still his party though JRJ,premadasa took over.
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Native Vedda / October 23, 2018
max
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Prof on his own can’t.
However Sirisena could, only by stopping from digging further.
Do you really want to save Siri’s back?
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How are you?
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Simple Simeon (not a professor) / October 23, 2018
I have had some respect for Prof Laksiri Fernando. I
did not know until now that he is a bumsucker under
a professor’s clothes. Grow up learned Professor.
What is most important is not whether The Hindu
reported it or not. There, your bias (and bumming)
comes out. The Hindu representative in Sri Lanka, a
women
a had the guts to report the truth.freedom and
independence. They cover the truth from the
people.
Sri Lankan media talks a great lot about the
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Native Vedda / October 23, 2018
Simple Simeon
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I am not sure whether the good Doctor is a “bumsucker” or not, however one thing shows up intermittently, a little bengali lion jumps off his tummy that he cannot hide nor control.
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On the other hand what do you call an academic who propose the awarding of LLD and DSc respectively to two racist brothers Dr Mahinda and Dr Gota who had committed war crimes, fraud, murder, …………………?
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This is another occasion in which he is not careful enough to hide it with his liberal outlook.
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Well when you point out something obvious he will demand the right to strip search your pseudonym.
-.
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Agnos / October 24, 2018
NV,
In the wake of the grisly Khashoggi murder ordered by Mr. Bone Saw ( MBS), Laksiri Fernando’s earlier assertions that there was no information that Sri Lanka’s Bone Saws, MR and GR, were responsible for white van abductions and murders should gain renewed scrutiny.
Just as MBS apologists seek to raise doubts about his ultimate responsibility, LF was providing cover to MR and GR to deny the obvious. And just as MBS has become an international pariah, MR and GR should be international pariahs. But the Sinhalese majority wants to reelect them. And people like LF still don’t realize the gravity of what they had done. All such people should be held to account.
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / October 24, 2018
Dear All
I think any Head of State has the right to discuss national security issues (any issues of their choice for that matter) with his/her cabinet without having to make a phone call to explain to another Head of State was a mistake indeed by our President???
If PM Modi and his cabinet do not do this as required in their cabinet meetings taking care of their national interest then India has a problem and perhaps we can advise too? I do not believe is the case. Indian PM has responded accordingly and appropriately to our head of State in his responses.
What is illegal and subversive is that someone monitoring the inner working of our government at cabinet level then the entire nation should be concerned and the perpetrators who leaked such conversations/concerns committed the crime be punished. If the Hindu news paper can create havoc and embarrass our Head of State with no responsibility even without checking with their government then we do not discuss media freedom period. However Indian official should work with the SL government get the Hindu to disclose who has leaked the details? If this duty is not reciprocated (as per the Presidents courteous call in the interest of neighbourly relations to Indian Head of State) then we inform the Sri Lankan public accordingly?? Hindu to further argue the case to say my president did or did not say what is even more audacious and calculated than we think?? The point is it is none of the business for this news paper to prove what our President discussed with his cabinet period. They may have committed a crime here and getting cover under media freedom and further putting us on the defensive too??? If we do not get this deception right then we can say good-buy to Nationhood for good.
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / October 24, 2018
Continued
Imagine what the RAW has to do if the situation was other way around?? They have to find out how their cabinet meeting discussions were leaked to foreign countries specially on a subject as sensitive as a question of assassination of their Head of State?? Other country media write all kinds of speculative scenarios ??
So much for the media freedom this paper was allowed to make national and international mockery of someone else’s country a few miles away on this national security issue after all the misery we have endured shows you the audacity/hidden aganda??
We should go back to discussing/investigating the issue at hand for the Sri Lankan peoples satisfaction that no more of our leaders life will be risked? We have lost enough National Leaders and fellow SL life to gun trotting youths trained and armed elsewhere is why we are in the gutters today and now we want to discuss a bloody foreign news paper want to exercise media freedom?? seriously??????.
We should remove the fear politics from the region for good otherwise we are all doomed for ever.That is why my Father did what he did and be killed by the same who is now allowed to continue the same destructive politics for my people up north…..little did we understood then and now too. The Hindu can investigate who planned and killed my Father in 1981 is a good starting point including several attempts on his life earlier since 1972??? A man educated in India and was part of Kathir movement of Gandhi all his life too. Then they will understand the sensitivities attached to exercising media freedom at the expense of other Nations is the essence here.
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / October 24, 2018
Dear All
I will further say be it the traitors and their treachery or the lack of Patriotism that leaks such critical discussion outside of a Cabinet meeting then please leave the Country immdiately thank you. Any partician political masters want to use this to ridicule the Head of State based on something you read in an Indian news paper then you know you are the worst form of life that cohabit with us all never fit for public office in SL let alone to have a family too??? Once we establish this facts we hope your family will disown you and shame you too. This applies to all the national media and their ignorant readers too.
If the Hindu journalist want to win the hearts and minds of the Sri Lankan Nation then they can release serious of articles on drug issues in SL and their origin and the SL loss of their fisheries stock would be a great service too. In addition they can run articles on Pollution levels in the Indian Ocean as to why and how we can go about bringing the people together from both the nation to clean their seas together will be heart warming and life changing events for all too. A great future awaits here in these joint venture projects between our nations taking care of each other is the call for all the journalist too. If these issues does not bring fame to you nothing else will and please focus on matters that really will effect all our life and connect all the youth from both the countries on issues that matters to their future please.
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Champa / October 24, 2018
Oh, I didn’t have time to post a comment here.
CID should inquire into this matter. The media license of the Colombo Correspondent of “The HIndu” should be cancelled and she should be expelled from the country.
N. Ram’s revelation on behalf of “The Hindu” is serious.
He boldly announced to the world that they have “easy” access to Sri Lankan President’s confidential Cabinet Meetings and that they can publish whatever news they receive through unscrupulous means even disregarding all media ethics.
“The Hindu’s” Colombo Correspondent said that she received information through 4 Cabinet Ministers and that she had recorded them. I don’t understand why didn’t the CID arrest this Indian correspondent who has engaged in activities exceeding the license issued to her?
She is collecting inside information of the most crucial political meetings chaired by the President and passing it to RAW via “The Hindu.” It is not my idea. They themselves have given us all the pieces of the picture to put together.
I wonder whether the Cabinet Ministers are allowed to take their mobile phones to the Cabinet Meetings.
If the answer is in the affirmative, then they may have given a recorded version of the proceeding of Cabinet Meetings to The Hindu Correspondent.
How long this “spying business” has been going on?
We were lucky for “The Hindu” to lose “their patience” when they “heard” that India wouldn’t get 80% of the ECT due to a protest “said to have” made by the President and “acted in haste” totally forgetting that they should protect their “informants” in the first place and also to “cover up” any leads towards RAW.
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / October 25, 2018
The important think to note is if the Hindu know such leaked information should have communicated that to the Indian Government and was the responsibility of the Indian Government to inform/meeting with GOSL to discuss the matter as required behind closed doors before going public??. This protocol any professional Journalist should know when this involves National Security related matters?? May be the Hindu and the Journalist in question + Traitors in the cabinet may be involved in far more serious crime/subversive activity?? then both the Country should jointly investigate the matter as a regional security issue on behalf of Sri Lanka and India too?????? So much for the free press and democracy since 1947/48 for both the countries……..we still do not have toilets for all the people so we s*** on each other as neighbours so the journey continues…….someone somewhere still working on more blood letting in our soil and the region with the help of the local morons??
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