The Sri Lankan government’s propaganda took another blow just days before the opening of the 25th session of the UN Human Rights Commission when Channel 4 categorically refuted the allegations made against it in government sponsored publication called Corrupted Journalism: Channel 4 and Sri Lanka . In an unprecedented step the UK based Channel 4 which has been airing evidence of mass atrocities by the Sri Lankan government in the final phase of the war published a detailed refutation of “an international propaganda offensive” launched by supporters of the Sri Lankan government.
Callum Macrae
Issuing a statement the Channel 4 said; “In November 2013, Prime Minister, David Cameron, called for an independent investigation into the events at the end of the Sri Lankan civil war after viewing the ‘truly shocking’ footage that features in No Fire Zone. The United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva will consider calls for the creation of an International Commission of Inquiry into all the crimes committed in the final months of the war.
“But now, in an attempt to discredit Channel 4 and suppress legitimate reporting of these war crimes, Sri Lankan government propaganda machinery had produced a 222 page book called Corrupted Journalism: Channel 4 and Sri Lanka which has been distributed widely around the world to diplomats, journalists and academics. The authors of Corrupted Journalism remain anonymous and the source of its funding is a mystery.
“To counter this misleading attack on its journalism, Channel 4 has taken the unusual step of publishing a detailed 20,000 word rebuttal titled The Uncorrupted Truth.
“The booklet is authored by the director of Channel 4’s Sri Lanka films, BAFTA and Grierson nominee Callum Macrae. Macrae is a distinguished journalist who has won many awards from industry bodies including the Royal Television Society, The Association of International Broadcasters, Amnesty and several others.
“He has also won two of the United States’ most prestigious television journalism awards, The Peabody and the Columbia Dupont Awards, and for two years running has been ranked by Broadcast Magazine as one of the top three directors in the UK.
“Channel 4 Head of News and Current Affairs, Dorothy Byrne said: ‘Corrupted Journalism is a scurrilous piece of work which misleads the public. That is why we decided to publish this full and detailed response, answering every allegation in careful and meticulous detail. In contrast to the authors and funders of this spurious nonsense who have chosen to remain anonymous, Channel 4 stands proudly behind the outstanding journalism in No Fire Zone.’
“No Fire Zone tells the story of how, in 2009, the government of Sri Lanka launched a major final offensive against the rebel forces of the Tamil Tigers. The government declared a series of what they called “no fire zones”, encouraged Tamil civilians to gather in them, and then targeted them, shelling indiscriminately and denying adequate food and medicine to those trapped within. The Tigers too stand accused committing war crimes, using child soldiers and suicide bombings. They also prevented civilians from escaping the no fire zones – although the vast majority of civilians who died, did so as a result of government shelling. At the end of the war a series of further war crimes by government soldiers saw executions of naked blindfolded prisoners and acts of sexual violence.
“It was supposed to be a war without witness. But there were witnesses and they filmed the appalling events. These witnesses included both victims and perpetrators: including government soldiers who filmed these crimes as grotesque war trophies. That evidence has been carefully investigated and authenticated by the team behind the Channel 4 films.
“The Government of Sri Lanka insists the video evidence of war crimes is faked. However, Channel 4’s reporting is corroborated by United Nations investigations and reports by independent NGOs including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.”
Amarasiri / March 2, 2014
The Uncorrupted Truth: Channel 4 Refutes Government’s Propaganda
“The Sri Lankan government’s propaganda took another blow just days before the opening of the 25th session of the UN Human Rights Commission when Channel 4 categorically refuted the allegations made against it in government sponsored publication called Corrupted Journalism: Channel 4 and Sri Lanka . In an unprecedented step the UK based Channel 4 which has been airing evidence of mass atrocities by the Sri Lankan government in the final phase of the war published a detailed refutation of “an international propaganda offensive” launched by supporters of the Sri Lankan government.”
So, it looks like, the SL Govt. of MR was not able to buy out Channel 4.
Need more money ,.
tax the people more, charge more for the electricity, and can you reduce the size of the shill filled Cabinet?
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Thiru / March 2, 2014
Channel 4 and Callum Macrae have come as the saviors of Tamils of Sri Lanka despite the international players who strengthened the hands of the genocidal Sri Lankan regime during the war kept the genocide hushed:
Specifically for the 147,000 innocent Tamils mercilessly killed by the Sri Lankan military during the secret war crimes committed.
All Tamils worldwide are grateful to them for bringing the genocide to the world to know.
They have done a great service to humanity, and will be remembered in human history.
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eusense / March 2, 2014
Is 147,000 the latest? Yes, UNHRC is starting it should be higher than that. Why cant you stick to one number. By the way, could you tell the readers how you arrived at this number? Please give supporting links, evidence etc.
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We the People / March 3, 2014
Oh Useless
You sound like MaRa who often says: ” ask them to provide evidence and we will look into it”. The circumstantial evidence, which is deemed sufficient to warrant further scrutiny will come out at the time of the independent investigation, when and if it does happen.
Until then, I suggest you urge your idiotic masters to at least at this late stage to stop fooling around and grow up a bit.
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eusense / March 3, 2014
we th…..,
Same rhetoric from another Tiger supporter!! Still you don’t say (or give links) how you arrived at this number! OK, at least give us the circumstantial evidence you talk about. Please, no asylum seeker stories or stories from diaspora who funded the terror war in comfort from the west!
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Ravi / March 3, 2014
nusense
Tell your regime to allow an independent and open/transparent investigation and the numbers will be proved. Why are they hiding, so scared to investigate? They know that the truth will get exposed when the independent investigators find evidence to prove it. The evidence is all there under the ground and the people know very well where to dig to find the mass graves.
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Eusense / March 3, 2014
Ravi,
If I am the leader who annihilated the terror group I wouldn’t want anyone from outside the country to tell me what to do. Sri Lanka is a sovereign country. The US,UK and all other western countries which participated in the Iraq and Afghanistan war start an open/transparent investigation on war crimes there I will support a similar investigation on Sri Lanka. There shouldn’t be double standards when dealing with countries.
You should answer me as to why you think western war crimes should not be investigated.
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Spark / March 4, 2014
If human rights violations have taken place in Iraq and Afghanistan, this should have been tabled by Sri Lanka at the UNHCR and called for an independent transparent investigation. Sri Lanka has a permament representative at the UN and he should be doing that without digging his bloody nose. Rajapakse has addressed the UN on numerous occassions and why is he not mentioning even slightly on this issue. Is it cowardice or no credible proof for such a statement or simply his own double standard? Go ask your hero on that. Soveriegnity is not visa to kill thousands of one’s own minorities and remain unaccountable for it. If your husband of your sister kills her and claims he has the soveriegnity to do that to his own wife (your sister) will you accept it? will the police accept that donkey argument? will civilised neighbours accept that? Change your name to “nonsense” and stop stating humbug here.
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Ram / March 5, 2014
Eusense, Don’t you know humanity take precedence over sovereign of a country. Please do not think like a criminal. Only fool believed the statement of “zero casualty human rescue operation” made by a war criminal. How a genocide evolved and got the name “human rescue operation”
Ideally every crime should be independently investigated and criminal should be punished. No exception of US or UK.
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Spark / March 3, 2014
The Darusman Report and the video allegations are credible enough to commence an independent, transparent investigation to the various figures declared. Such an investigation will go well above this underskirt you are talking about “circumstantial evidence” because such an investigation will also analyse both direct and circumstantial evidence. Obviously the sinhalese do not want this investigation because the results will be utter shameful. While history itself indicates the animosity sinhalese have against tamils or to any minority, thanks to their equally racist political leaders. The tamil diaspora is squarely created by the criminality of the sinhalese towards an innocent tamil population. Todays tamil diaspora is a product of the repeated riots of 1956, 1958, 1977, 1983 riots and thereafter the daily harrassment, looting, discrimination by the sinhalese towards an innocent tamil population. During these riots, even hospitals manned by majority sinhalese refused to treat injured tamils, the hatred and barbarity was so enormous. These are the tamils who fled and became the diaspora and are now creating havoc against this country. Now you tell me Jaffna tamils are living safely in Wellawatte due to the benevolence of the sinhalese. I say humbug. The Jaffna tamils are in Wellawatte bcos of convenience in jobs, education, travel, comfort, living standards and security which is not available in their original places of abode in the north.
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srilal / March 3, 2014
eusense ,
Look , i’m a Sinhalese and not biased towards any race or any political party , for your information that magic number of 147,000 derives from the official government statistics , here how it comes
Oct 2008 total IDP = 429,059 (GA, Ms Imelda sukumar’s data)
Total IDP in NFZ = 360,000
———-
Total Missing = 146,679
———-
———-
I’m not making up any of these statistics , so pl don’t try to accuse me of being a LTTE,UNP, NGO or to a any of easy scapegoats of the regime backers.
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RuwanL / March 3, 2014
Please notes that estimated Vanni
population by about January 20, 2009 was about 360,000 Imelda Sukumar (Assistant Government Agent, Mullaitivu) estimates 330,000
Human Rights Watch (an international non-government organisation), placed the estimate on civilians in the Vanni in December 2008 at “between 230,000 and 300,000”.
The problem in your argument is no one can say the exact number! its all estimates! It could be from 230,000 to 360,000. There is a 130,000 difference! 11,000 were captured and released. most civilians came to the south during the war.
An independent investigation could come out with missing number but can anyone say that the Military killed all of them or some of them?
your argument does not hold water!
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srilal / March 3, 2014
“An independent investigation could come out with missing number but can anyone say that the Military killed all of them or some of them? “
who said Military killed all of them ? as you rightly claimed only a credible independent investigation will reveal the truth , hence no point in arguing as to those people dead or alive !
“Please notes that estimated Vanni population by about January 20, 2009 was about 360,000 Imelda Sukumar (Assistant Government Agent, Mullaitivu) estimates 330,000”
i would urge you to do a google search to find out the veracity of Ms Imelda Sukumar’s data of 429059 as of Oct 2008 and Total IDP in NFZ 360,000.
Total IDP as of Oct 2008 = 429,059
NFZ = 360,000
Total surrendered = 282,380
Total Missing = 146,679
——–
——–
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RuwanL / March 4, 2014
Srilal,
I did my research on the internet and came up with the dates numbers I indicated . As I have shown you before your numbers are estimates according to the research I have done!
What is your purpose in counting the dead? Can we identify who was killed by the LTTE or the army? At the end it all boils down to numbers people will say. LTTE for sure forced civilians to fight for them reluctantly or not. some were even photographed carrying arms in civilian clothes. Can we differentiate LTTE from civilians?
come up with more credible numbers!
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srilal / March 4, 2014
“What is your purpose in counting the dead”
your preconceived assumptions on my thoughts are the mirror image of your conclusions , lets put it this way , it was a purely Humanitarian operation carried out with zero casualty policy (soldiers carrying human right chater in one hand )to rescue the innocent Tamil civilians who were trapped in the LTTE territory , the whole operation was aiming at rescuing civilians and may be there were few extra judicial killings but nothing in a major scale , USA,UK and Indian led imperial powers are extremely jealous at our remarkable, swift , zero casualty policy based humanitarian operation , hence western countries and india are trying their level best to overthrow a people friendly , democratically elected SL government. further they all hell bent to separate the country and give one third of the country to Tamil separatists !
is this what you want me to say , you ve’got it now , we all happy , end of the story !!
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Eusense / March 4, 2014
Srilal,
First, why do you have to tell me you are a Sinhalese????
Next, not that I don’t trust you, but give me some links to any thing that is reported/published about Imelda Sukumar, 2008 IDP and IDP in NFZ etc. What was the figure given by the UN?
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srilal / March 4, 2014
Eusense ,
“First, why do you have to tell me you are a Sinhalese????”
many a times i’ve been accused of being a Tamil LTTE /NGO/UNP/JVP supporter , so in order to clear the air , i’ve made that comment ( especially talking about a controversial topic like the missing Tamil people )
i’ve seen the GA Imelda Sukumar signed data sheet some where in the internet but can’t recall it now , however i’ll try to find out for you some time later , in the mean time , may i suggest you to do a little google search on this matter as you seem to be having many many doubts on the issue !
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Eusense / March 4, 2014
Srilal,
You seem to be a guy with whom I can have a productive discussion. I am really trying to do some research on these numbers. Reading few articles a reasonable speculation could be around 40,000. However, that does not appear to include the Tiger terrorists. It is estimated that there were close to 20,000 of them during the time of war but forced recruitment is said to have jacked up the total to around 30,000. I guess all 30,000 did not die in combat if half got killed (15,000) the total civilian casualties would be around 25,000 (40,000 – 15,000). One problem is none of the Tamil families come forward and say there next in kin was a Tiger terrorist. They just say either missing or was killed. Some of these missing could have been during the Tiger regime too.
If there is going to be a impartial international investigation this number game will be a real problem to decide because people are not forthcoming. The gov. if got rid of bodies they have to be truthful too. Such investigation should be thorough and all people who report missing should produce, birth certificates/school certificates, national IDs, passports, bank books/accounts, last employer and employment documents, a blood sample (for DNA identification)etc.
/
srilal / March 4, 2014
Eusense ,
good to hear that you try to do some research on the issue , if so pl have an open mind , there are so many speculations , it varies from zero to few hundreds and then below 10,000 , then suddenly jumped to 20,000 , then 40,000 , finally 70,000, all those figures are rough estimates of individuals and certain groups , but what i’m quoting from the government official data .
that magic number 146,679 will haunt the regime and SL as a country for a very long time and will not disappear for sure , unless the regime make arrangements to prove that all these figures are fabricated by interested parties , no matter how hard you and i try to debate on this issue !
now i remember the place where i’d seen Imelda Sukumar’s signed document , it was one of C4’s video clips , in fact i was going through the C4’s archives for the last 1 hour or so , but no luck, perhaps one of our fellow readers could help on this !
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eusense / March 4, 2014
Srilal,
146,000 appears to be a too high number for me. It is too larger number for the gov. to get rid of bodies quick. If such mass burials were going on the US spy satellites will pick it up and will have no mercy from the US which will use them as evidence for UNHRC resolutions.
Sorry, I would NEVER consider anything coming out of Channel 4 as legitimate. It is clear to me that C4 is on a witch hunt against SL. All their anti-SL reports and news come out only during UNHRC sessions.
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srilal / March 4, 2014
Eusense,
“146,000 appears to be a too high number for me. It is too larger number for the gov. to get rid of bodies quick.”
i know its an enormous number , but do we have a choice ??
“Sorry, I would NEVER consider anything coming out of Channel 4 as legitimate.”
alright then ,lets leave it there , my whole argument is based on that particular document .
/
We the People / March 3, 2014
Oh More than Useless
I am not and never have been a tiger supporter, nor a supporter of any form of violence, so you can now go back to sleep.
The circumstantial evidence is all out in the open (proving that you’ve been asleep, or just a plain MaRa bootlicker); indeed it is that evidence (and the refusal of those in power to do anything about it) which has pushed our poor country to the brink today.
Wake up when you have something useful to add, old chap.
/
Tolco / March 8, 2014
eusense, you sound like a Mara fart.
/
Amarasiri / March 4, 2014
Thiru,
“Specifically for the 147,000 innocent Tamils mercilessly killed by the Sri Lankan military during the secret war crimes committed.”
Yes, mercilessly killed and being killed in order to kill, courtsey of Sinhala and Tamil racism.
The price paid due to the Imaginations of Para-monk Mahanama of Mahawansa fame-Notoriety, and the Tamil reaction to the Mahawansa racism.
Anyway, LTTE Velupillai Prabakaran had two opportunities.
1. IPKF and Indo-Lanka accord
2. Opportunities offered by Chandrika and Ranil.
Spilled milk, the the horse has already left the barn.
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eusense / March 2, 2014
[Edited out]
/
Burning_Issue / March 2, 2014
What a pickle GOSL is lodging itself in! Anonymous authors produced a scurrilous piece of nonsense! Isn’t this an egregious attempt to smear an award winning journalist? Do these people think that the world is populated with Sri Lankan village people to buy their nonsense?
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Amarasiri / March 2, 2014
Channel 4,
” Sri Lankan government propaganda machinery had produced a 222 page book called Corrupted Journalism:”
Is there a book called corrupted Buddhism, aka Monk Mahanama Sinhala “Buddhism”?
That will be very useful. That is the core problem curse of Sri Lanka.
the 64,000 pound Mink Mahanama Elephant.
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Point Man / March 2, 2014
How pathetic Callum Macrae and Channel 4 defend their fabrimentaries on Sri Lanka by saying they are corroborated by “United Nations investigations and reports by independent NGOs including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.” What a joke. This is the “Liars’ Club” who “prove” their stories are true by citing each other. If you trace the stories to their origins you will mostly find at best people who are elusive and don’t want to reveal their identities for cagey reasons, or at worst some secondary sources – that is, fellow HR agencies. Only rarely they back their stories with solid eye witnesses fully identified. Channel 4’s rebuttal is like kids fighting, accusing each other of lying. These careerists have tarnished the reputation of human rights work and have turned the public cynical about the whole enterprise. Sad indeed.
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Kumar R. / March 2, 2014
There is still ample opportunity to credibly, honourably and indisputably verify who is telling the truth. It is the SL Regime and its rump that is standing in the way, objecting to that fair process! It shouldn’t take an astrophysicist to figure out who is lying and who is not!
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Spark / March 2, 2014
This is squarely the reason the UN wishes to commence an independent transparent inquiry to clarify as to who are the liars i.e. GOSL or C4. Even though the whole world is calling for this investigation, it is the GOSL and specifically the Sinhalese who are rejecting such an investigation for the utter shame it will deliver to this race if proven true. Even this latest attempt of producing a 222 page document under an anonymous author shows the lack of credibility and responsibility for the document. The response by C4 to counter this document shows their conduct, honesty, credibility and professionalism on this issue. Even though GOSL promised to sue C4, until now nothing has happened thus showing after all C4 accusations could be true and thus cannot be contested and proved wrong in a court of law.
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Eusense / March 4, 2014
Nobody in the world is calling for investigations except the corrupt media, humanitarian agencies and politicians who rely on money paid by the Tiger terror funded diaspora. Be real, do any one care what happened to a bunch of Tamil terrorists in Sri Lanka?
/
Spark / March 4, 2014
You are a liar, the whole world is calling for an independent investigation and it is the sinhalese, I repeat only the sinhalese who are refusing for very obvious reasons. According to the sinhalese their is no one left who are not funded by the tiger diaspora i.e. Ban Ki Moon, Navi Pillay, UK, the whole europe, India, Barak Obama, Hillary Clinton even blooming Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela, what a lot of money the diaspora has, they could have easily bought Sri Lanka it is much cheaper. Now you will tell me China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan do not want this investigation. Honestly if you scrunize, they are doing it not on the basis of principles but for the various stakes that they hold internationally and feature of “birds of a feather flock together” for their own security. All those tamils who are missing whether they are terrorists or not have mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters and all of them are concerned to know what happened. It is the duty of any democractic government representing all sections of her people to provide a transparent solution to this issue. This however will not happen if such a government is racist and many things to hide.
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ram / March 2, 2014
MacRae & Judith Miller are of the same calibre. The latter gained notoriety via false allegations of WMD and Mobile Bioterror labs in the Iraq. In her case at least one of the sources is known, a drunken disgruntled Iraqi known to US ‘intelligence’ as Curveball (totally discredited by German intelligence). McRae’s fantasises are well under cover.
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Anpu / March 2, 2014
Callum & CH4 Team thank you. Uncorrupted Truth will win.
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kris / March 2, 2014
Day Dreaming ,Anpu
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Anpu / March 2, 2014
Sadam Husain, Gadaffi… all of them were day dreaming.
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Dawn Dale / March 2, 2014
uncorrupted truth – irony at its best – one can only laugh
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Fuzzy / March 3, 2014
So you laugh.
FYI – you don’t have to post a comment every time you laugh
/
Dawn Dale / March 3, 2014
same to you my dear Watson – u don’t have to comment everytime you see me laughing
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Piranha / March 2, 2014
An excellent response to the lies spread by the desperate Rajapaksa regime. The regime has to spend millions of taxpayers money to buy TV time in America to try and make people believe their lies but sadly for them nothing seems to be working. The screws are tightening and Rajapaksa is shi**ing in his amude.
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Dev / March 2, 2014
An amateurish write up which simply repeats the drivel which has been thoroughly demolished by publications like Corrupted Journalism !
Keep on trying Callum, you know what they say about the big lie repeated often enough LOL
/
Robert.R / March 2, 2014
Hi off the cuff,
Don’t worry about channel 4, I am sure they will be fine :)
/
Dr, Rajasingham Narendran / March 2, 2014
Which Dev are you?
Dr.RN
/
Anpu / March 2, 2014
Dr RN,
I wanted to ask the same question.
/
srilal / March 2, 2014
Dr RN ,
not the one who is always after you , this “DEV” is none other than our famous self proclaimed ( rather DJ ‘s ) defense Analyst .
/
Dev / March 2, 2014
Wow, did you figure that out on your own or did you have help? LOL what investigative prowess you’ve shown, you might just be on the same level as Callum ! But you should probably get together with at least one of “Robert R’s” multiple personalities and get your stories straight before going public LOL
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Anpu / March 2, 2014
Srilal,
“same level as Callum” – it means Srilal level is very high indeed.
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Dev / March 2, 2014
The one above is a different Dev, as Srilal has pointed out to you, I am the one who was after you :-) and plan to be doing that in the future critiquing your writings !
As for this Dev, not sure who he/she/it is but I am flattered, after all imitation is the sincerest form of flattery :-)
/
Palmsquirrell / March 2, 2014
” you know what they say about the big lie repeated often enough LOL “
Clearly GOSL and its supporters are following this course of action.
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ram / March 2, 2014
A lie repeated many a time is called a Blair and history is full of them as are ‘religious’ texts.
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Palmsquirrell / March 3, 2014
Agree with you on Blair (aka Bliar).
/
Native Vedda / March 4, 2014
Palmsquirrell & ram
“A lie repeated many a time is called a Blair and history is full of them as are ‘religious’ texts.”
Mahawamsa for example.
/
Cyril / March 2, 2014
Colombo Telegraph’s slogan “In Journalism truth is a process” is a joke.
This piece of writing has no author credited, instead CT has added an intro and then taken the rest of the article from the Channel 4 site in a shameless cut-and-paste job (see http://www.channel4.com/info/press/news/channel-4-refutes-sri-lankan-propaganda-offensive). It appears McRae might have written this piece for the Channel 4 website, praising himself as an award-winner. Surely, this is not journalism. Where is the balance? CT does not appear to have journalists of any credibility and the site is happy to publish anything as long as it is screwing Sri Lanka. It’s time CT gave us some balanced views to honour its slogan.
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Colombo Telegraph / March 2, 2014
Mr Cyril,
You can have your opinion, no issue. But we have not taken this from C4 website. This is from the press release. Read;
From: Peter Heneghan
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 2014 14:52:16 +0000
To: Callum Macrae
Subject: Press release
Hi Callum
The press release is now live (full release below).
It is on the Channel 4’s press website, the Sri Lanka filling Fields website and we have also started using Twitter and Facebook to get the message out.
http://bips.channel4.com/programmes/_internal/preview/sri-lankas-killing-fields/7311
http://www.channel4.com/info/press/news/channel-4-refutes-sri-lankan-propaganda-offensive
Kind regards
Peter
Channel 4 take unprecedented step of refuting Sri Lankan “propaganda offensive” against its reporting of the bloody civil war
Channel 4 has today taken the unprecedented step of publishing a detailed refutation of “an international propaganda offensive” launched by supporters of the Sri Lankan government against its reporting of events at the end of Sri Lanka’s bloody civil war. Channel 4’s News and Current Affairs journalists have led the way in exposing the country’s war crimes, culminating in the broadcast of the feature length documentary No Fire Zone – a forensic investigation into the final weeks of the bloody civil war in Sri Lanka.
In November 2013, Prime Minister, David Cameron, called for an independent investigation into the events at the end of the Sri Lankan civil war after viewing the ‘truly shocking’ footage that features in No Fire Zone. Next month (March 2014), the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva will consider calls for the creation of an International Commission of Inquiry into all the crimes committed in the final months of the war.
But now, in an attempt to discredit Channel 4 and suppress legitimate reporting of these war crimes, supporters of the Sri Lankan government have produced a 222 page propaganda book called Corrupted Journalism: Channel 4 and Sri Lanka which has been distributed widely around the world to diplomats, journalists and academics. The authors of Corrupted Journalism remain anonymous and the source of its funding is a mystery.
To counter this misleading attack on its journalism, Channel 4 has taken the unusual step of publishing a detailed 20,000 word rebuttal titled The Uncorrupted Truth.
The booklet is authored by the director of Channel 4’s Sri Lanka films, BAFTA and Grierson nominee Callum Macrae. Macrae is a distinguished journalist who has won many awards from industry bodies including the Royal Television Society, The Association of International Broadcasters, Amnesty and several others.
He has also won two of the United States’ most prestigious television journalism awards, The Peabody and the Columbia Dupont Awards, and for two years running has been ranked by Broadcast Magazine as one of the top three directors in the UK.
Channel 4 Head of News and Current Affairs, Dorothy Byrne said: “Corrupted Journalism is a scurrilous piece of work which misleads the public. That is why we decided to publish this full and detailed response, answering every allegation in careful and meticulous detail. In contrast to the authors and funders of this spurious nonsense who have chosen to remain anonymous, Channel 4 stands proudly behind the outstanding journalism in No Fire Zone.”
Engage Sri Lanka’s Corrupted Journalism was described by Macrae, as an “irresponsible, inaccurate and misleading attack on our journalism. A work notable as much for its failure to confront any of the serious allegations we make of massacres, crimes against humanity and torture, as for the inaccuracy of the criticisms it levels against us. It is perhaps no wonder that they chose to do this from behind a cloak of anonymity”
No Fire Zone tells the story of how, in 2009, following a 26-year civil war, the government of Sri Lanka launched a major final offensive against the rebel forces of the Tamil Tigers. The government declared a series of what they called “no fire zones”, encouraged Tamil civilians to gather in them, and then targeted them, shelling indiscriminately and denying adequate food and medicine to those trapped within. The Tigers too stand accused committing war crimes, using child soldiers and suicide bombings. They also prevented civilians from escaping the no fire zones – although the vast majority of civilians who died, did so as a result of government shelling. At the end of the war a series of further war crimes by government soldiers saw executions of naked blindfolded prisoners and acts of sexual violence.
It was supposed to be a war without witness. But there were witnesses and they filmed the appalling events. These witnesses included both victims and perpetrators: including government soldiers who filmed these crimes as grotesque war trophies. That evidence has been carefully investigated and authenticated by the team behind the Channel 4 films.
The Government of Sri Lanka insists the video evidence of war crimes is faked. However, Channel 4’s reporting is corroborated by United Nations investigations and reports by independent NGOs including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
Press contact: Peter Heneghan, 078 5031 2455, pheneghan@channel4.co.uk
Notes To Editor
The Uncorrupted Truth can be seen at: http://issuu.com/theuncorruptedtruth/docs/the_uncorrupted_truth
or on these websites
· Channel 4 ‘s Sri Lanka’s Killing Field http://www.channel4.com/programmes/sri-lankas-killing-fields
· Channel 4 News: http://www.channel4.com/news/sri-lanka-civil-war
· No Fire Zone Website – http://nofirezone.org/
Corrupted Journalism produced by supporters of the Sri Lankan government can be seen here: http://www.corruptedjournalism.com
Engage Sri Lanka can be seen here: http://engagesrilanka.com
COMPREHENSIVE BACKGROUND TO THE PROPAGANDA BOOK AND CHANNEL 4’S REBUTTAL
Channel 4’s coverage of the last period of Sri Lanka’s bloody civil war – though Channel 4 News, its two documentaries in the Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields series and the feature documentary No Fire Zone – provoked an unparalleled international response.
Cited approvingly by the UN, praised by the Prime Minister and the recipient of several of the industry’s top awards, the Channel’s journalism has been credited with transforming the world’s awareness of these terrible crimes. It was seen to have set the agenda for the controversial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November 2013 and previously even saw Macrae and his team nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
But the film-makers have come under extreme pressure from Government supporters. Macrae was the target of a series of death threats when he said he was travelling to Sri Lanka to cover CHOGM – and the Channel 4 News team he travelled with were subjected to a series of orchestrated demonstrations by government supporters.
The films were also the subject of over 100 complaints to the UK’s independent broadcasting regulatory body, Office of Communications (OFCOM) ( including from Engage Sri Lanka) which appear to have been orchestrated by government supporters. After lengthy investigations every single complaint was rejected.
“We hope that with the publication of our detailed response to their complaints, the Sri Lankan will finally stop attacking the messenger, and start confronting the uncomfortable – and uncorrupted – truth of our journalism,” said Macrae.
Last November, Engage Sri Lanka – whose website says its mission is to promote trade between the UK and Sri Lanka – published their hefty 222 page book, Corrupted Journalism: Channel 4 and Sri Lanka.
The book professes to demonstrate in considerable detail that Channel 4’s journalism was unfair, inaccurate, biased and shoddy. Engage Sri Lanka and its offshoot, Sri Lanka Media Watch are mysterious organisations which appear to have only an online existence on two websites and a Twitter address which sparks into life whenever there are broadcasts or publications which are critical of the Government of Sri Lanka.
Engage Sri Lanka clearly has significant financial backing – but there is no indication of where this comes from. Unlike Channel 4 which is a regulated and licensed public service broadcaster which produces an audited annual report each year, Engage Sri Lanka’s finances, backers, office bearers and authors are anonymous. Readers cannot tell when reading Corrupted Journalism if this organisation’s financial, political or other considerations have influenced the writing.
Peter Heneghan
For the latest news releases, images, video clips and programme information visit the Channel 4 Press Centre, sign up for our daily news alerts and follow @C4Press on Twitter,
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Anpu / March 2, 2014
Well done CT Team
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mike / March 2, 2014
Congrats CT. Cyril, go back to school??
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eusense / March 3, 2014
CT,
The extent you go defending Channel 4 alone clearly indicate your one sidedness. That is not what you state as your mission! As far as I am concerned Channel 4 reportings are not trust worthy. They have never corporated with the Sri Lankan gov. to allow authentication of their reports and materials.
Anybody can produce movies, stories, docudramas etc. accusing anyone they want if they don’t have to reveal the true sources they use. This kind of accusations have no value in any legal system.
” Macrae was the target of a series of death threats when he said he was travelling to Sri Lanka to cover CHOGM “
I haven’t heard of this. Did Macrae reveal this? when?.
“and the Channel 4 News team he travelled with were subjected to a series of orchestrated demonstrations by government supporters.”
Can you remember when MR visited UK? The demonstrations then were exercising democratic freedom! In Macrae’s case orchestrated demonstrations? Why double standards here?
“The films were also the subject of over 100 complaints to the UK’s independent broadcasting regulatory body, Office of Communications (OFCOM) ( including from Engage Sri Lanka) which appear to have been orchestrated by government supporters. After lengthy investigations every single complaint was rejected.”
Do you honestly think the OFCOM will allow a movie to be shown in anywhere on British atrocities in Iraq and Afghanistan?
As long as Channel 4 is secretive of material they use it is fair to state its journalism is unfair, inaccurate, biased and shoddy.
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Palmsquirrell / March 3, 2014
” CT, The extent you go defending Channel 4 alone clearly indicate your one sidedness. That is not what you state as your mission! “
They didn’t defend Channel 4, they (CT) were defending themselves against the accusation by Cyril regarding atrribution for the article.
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Eusense / March 4, 2014
Looks like you are blinded by your own beliefs! Who do you think this article was written by? There is no author here not even a fake author like Tisaranee Gunasekara! If they are not praising and defending Channel 4 what are they doing? Don’t be a low IQ!
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eusense / March 3, 2014
Cyril,
CT can publish anything they want anonymous or with a fake name like ‘Tisaranee Gunasekara’ etc. what they mostly do. Also, CT block any comments they don’t like saying they are out of the guidelines. However, they make a big issue when GOSL blocked their site. Apparently, CT can have guidelines to blackout postings but the GOSL can’t have guidelines to block!
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Palayang yako! / March 3, 2014
Eusense:
You are truly incredible: accusing CT of fabricating the existence of Tisaranee Gunasekera, among other things!
That woman DOES EXIST and it is not because your buddies didn’t try to get rid of her and got MEL Gunasekera in error!
Is there truly no limit to your lies and fabrications?
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Eusense / March 4, 2014
Palaya,
You need to prove the existence of TG. Ask CT for a photograph (like other contributors) or bibliography etc. Not just say “That woman DOES EXIST”. Don’t show your blind ignorance. What this TG’s action is like what Chanel 4 does. Write, show movies etc. but won’t say from whom and where they are from!!
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Senerath Kalupahana / March 3, 2014
Why dont you stop reading CT for f*sake.
There is Daily News, Dinamina, Daily Mirror, Sunday Leader so on for biased third grade nuts who get an enormous orgasm after reading them. 9th grade weeravanse’ web site also there although I have no idea if Bera(drum)wansa knows how to switch a PC on.
CT is not for Rajapaksa sidekicks.
CT would criticise UNP/JVP too if or when they come to power and carry on the same.
Wait until UNP comes to power then you can praise CT.
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Eusense / March 4, 2014
Sena,
I guess you are talking to me. How can I stop reading CT? This is my play ground for some entertainment. Fools are praising themselves and praising western countries thinking they are the champions of peace, equality and fairness! Also, I am no fan of Rajapakse or UNP/JVP either. I will look after the interests of my country as long as I live. All politicians all over the world are corrupt, many foolish think otherwise including you.
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Palmsquirrell / March 3, 2014
CT has allowed scores of you Sinhala Nationalists to post, CT only blocks people like Ela Kolla because his posts are nothing but swears. You should know this having posted here often but you choose to lie.
GOSL blocking a website is censorship because they are a government. CT does not block any website, they simply have certain ground rules on comments for THEIR website, which all websites have.
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Eusense / March 4, 2014
Palm,
First, You seem to imply that the CT is for Tamils, Correct? Read the mission of CT. If they are standing by their statements they should publish all posts irrespective of whether they agree or not. As you say if lies are posted CT should take the responsibility of checking/not checking the authenticity of EVERY post. Not only ones that they don’t agree with.
CT did block a website link that I posted recently. You don’t know these because what you post is what CT wants to hear.
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srilal / March 4, 2014
“CT did block a website link that I posted recently. You don’t know these because what you post is what CT wants to hear”
this is not true , i’ve been a victim of CT’s censorship as well , couple of times i posted few web links , and CT had decided to censor them , but i never accuse CT being biased , they are truly a high caliber, talented professional lot , so pl learn to appreciate things , especially when you are given a chance to voice your concerns and the same time allowing to openly criticize their very own site !
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JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA / March 5, 2014
CYRIL,
[ KOTI]?
[I knew one Thug, in Eastern Sri Lanka, Near Verugal, he is Called Koty Cyril,who supported LTTE to Recruit Children And Give False Information to SLG Forces to get Ransoms from Tamils.]
Are you the Thug KOTY CYIRA????/.
Koty Cyril;
Do you know what is Journalism?.
Not Jarapassa Journalism, Practise by Lake house Jarapal, Nation Malinda, OZ Bandula so on.
Do you Know What is Truth is???.
Not like Jarapassa Truth, practise by his stooges, Hothambaya, Kudu Dumiya, Kudu Marvin,Hiwal Wangsa, Killers Like Pirapaharan, K P, Karuna, Pillayan.
If you want to know those,Ask Your bosses JARAPASSA CLAN.
They are the present day Master liars.
They know How to Tell Truth to cheat, loot people.
Go to Dhaja Jarapassa clan’s School and Learn How to lie.
Otherwise Vanish with Jarapassa clan on Curses of Sri lankans.
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AVB / March 2, 2014
Thanks CH4. Keep up your good work.
All children in SL will thank you in 10 years time.
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Iza Hameed / March 2, 2014
Mr.Point Man who is crticizing Channel 4,the UN and Amnesty International, wants us to believe an unnamed author who published “corrupted journalism”. This is the problem with the Sinhalese Buddhist majority. They think every body else in the world is wrong but only the Rajapakse clan and the church-burning Buddhists are right.
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Dawn Dale / March 2, 2014
here they go again Channel 4 weaving their web of lies … I hope they will be brought to justice and Callum M will be behind bars for all biased reporting he did for money. good thing is no one takes them seriously anymore have been exposed too many times I guess
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Robert.R / March 2, 2014
Obviously you took them seriously enough to reply LOL
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Sumith / March 2, 2014
well nothing is permanent.
MR going around fooling other people one day it have to end.
MR had neutralized all local opposition, news.
he had bought over all local new media.
karma is bitch. it will come after MR
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Abhaya / March 2, 2014
this clown and the word truth dont belong on the same planet .
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Diogenes / March 2, 2014
Corrupted journalism? Isn`t that what we have in Sri Lanka? Or is it Laptop or Toplap journalism?
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Diogenes / March 2, 2014
corrupted journalism? Isn`t that what we have in Sri Lanka ? Or is it Laptop or Toplap journalism?
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K.A Sumanasekera / March 2, 2014
How long can the long suffering British Taxpayers keep these LTTE supporters alive and well in super comfort with first class travel and star class accommodation when a great number of fellow real British are struggling to make the ends meet?.
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srilal / March 2, 2014
look he is worried about ” fellow real British” people ?
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Anpu / March 2, 2014
What about Srilankan Taxpayers & Chinese money – they can put to rebuild houses, educate people, feed the people and make them live with dignity with good health.
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aratai / March 2, 2014
KAS…. you missed the word ‘vellala’!
:-)
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Palmsquirrell / March 3, 2014
Your concern for the British tax payer is admirable, if only you expressed similar concern for the Lankan tax payer.
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Dawn Dale / March 3, 2014
Lankan tax payer is not paying for channel 4- however, we have been and are still paying for free schooling, university education and health benefits of all sri lankans. as a person who benefited from our tax money- have u given anything back to SL ?
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Ajith / March 2, 2014
The truth is Sinhalese masses are kept as “human shield” by Mahinda Rajapakse group which is a terror organization.
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Cyril / March 2, 2014
“Mr Cyril, You can have your opinion, no issue. But we have not taken this from C4 website. This is from the press release,” says the Colombo Telegraph.
Dear CT
That’s exactly my point – whether it be from the website or a press release, the CT post was just topped with an intro and the rest was a shameless cut and paste job. The basic tenet of good and truthful journalism is balance and there was no attempt made to rewrite the press release. CT should have at least credited the post to Channel 4 as its source.
Regards
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Dev / March 2, 2014
A classic piece of churnalism LOL
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justice / March 2, 2014
Cyril,
The link “The Uncorrupted Truth” above gives the reply by Channel 4.
It takes some time to read.
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Piranha / March 2, 2014
The detailed rebuttal by Channel 4 and Calum Mcrae of the allegations in the so called “corrupted journalism” propaganda publication of the Rajapaksa regime appears to have rattled a few commenting here.
People like Dev, Cyril, Sumanasekera are dyed in the wool Rajapaksa sycophants who will do anything to mislead the public and help propagate the lies of the regime. Sadly for them no one is believing them except for the gullible Sinhala masses who are very easily misled as soon as the patriotic Sinhala Buddhist card is played.
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Halt / March 2, 2014
If both sides has committed war crimes during the last phase of the war , why only providing footage of one side of the story ?.. does this means that chanel 4 is behind one side. or do they get paid to do such jobs.. just like BBc covering Ukraine situation..ect..
if LTTE also guilty for killing own Tamils at the no fire zone,, UNHRC should hold some one responsible for that.. whome should it be. if the Government forces has killed civilians intentionally, why didn’t they killed those LTTE soldiers whose giving up ..
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eusense / March 3, 2014
This Channel 4 coming up with all kinds of ant-GOSL activities every year just before UNHRC sessions indicate they are on a calculated witch hunt. If they are on a honest journalistic mission they would publicize these reports as they develop. No reputable news organization ever practice this kind of biased journalism!
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Kutti Machan / March 3, 2014
Looks like Native Vedda had to take the day off. So naturally Javi is off too.
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Eusense / March 4, 2014
Last I heard they were on their way to Geneva for some kind of protest!
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Bruz / March 4, 2014
Guys, stop fighting. LTTE and Diaspora are responsible for everything. They bought Navi Pillai, Louise Arbour, Cameron, Harper, Sonia and Singh..so we Sri Lankans have some little problem, but our King will solve everything by the only victorious way he knows. India, UK, USA and all those sundry countries will suffer the consequences if they don’t vote in our favor.
We will stop exporting criminal ambassadors, War criminals, Sinhala and Muslim house maids but will only export Tamil and some Sinhala refugees to Australia and other countries to teach them lessons. Tony Abbot is scared now and supporting us in UNHRC. Thank you Namal for your smart work and money making skills with the help of our brave national Navy. No worries guyz we are sure to hoodwink Pillai, Moon and the whole world. Watch our propaganda documentaries for which we spent a fortune to save Lanka, brave and patriot soldiers who sold videos, cell phone clips to Callum Macre guy, and you all from the electric chair. No one can touch us and Gota is there to safeguard us and teach lessons to other unpatriotic scums. Long live Sinhala Sri Lanka and Rajapakse paramparawa.
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