{"id":2623,"date":"2011-12-13T12:48:10","date_gmt":"2011-12-13T12:48:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/colombotelegraph.com\/?p=2623"},"modified":"2011-12-13T12:48:10","modified_gmt":"2011-12-13T12:48:10","slug":"wikileaks-sri-lankan-intelligentsia-and-print-media-are-anti-us-biased","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wikileaks-sri-lankan-intelligentsia-and-print-media-are-anti-us-biased\/","title":{"rendered":"WikiLeaks: Sri Lankan intelligentsia and print media are anti-US biased"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>By Colombo Telegraph &#8211;<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_2624\" style=\"width: 234px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/sri_lanka_newspaper_colombotelegraph.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2624\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2624\" title=\"sri_lanka_newspaper_colombotelegraph\" src=\"http:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/sri_lanka_newspaper_colombotelegraph.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"224\" height=\"299\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-2624\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">\u201c While the newspapers have their decided biases, TV and radio in Sri Lanka are generally apolitical on international issues -- but not on domestic issues where they tend to take sides.\u201d<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>\u201cIt is also the case that much of the intelligentsia in Sri Lanka and much of the press share a general anti-U.S. bias.\u201d the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Colombo Telegraph found the related leaked cable from the WikiLeak database. The cable classified as \u201cCONFIDENTIAL\u201d analyses the Sri Lanka&#8217;s pro \u2013 US foreign policy under Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. The cable was written on May 29, 2003 by the US Ambassador to Colombo E. Ashley Wills.<\/p>\n<p>Ambassador Wills wrote \u201cIntellectuals, such as they are in Sri Lanka, are mostly influenced by Marxism to a large extent with a fair amount having studied in the former Soviet Union, and they routinely chatter against U.S. \u2018hegemony\u2019 and \u2018world empire.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn the meantime, Sri Lanka&#8217;s press &#8212; both the English and vernacular &#8212; contains a large amount of anti-U.S. commentary, including the ritual condemnations of our policy on Iraq and alleged excesses in the war on terrorism. The government, including PM Wickremesinghe and especially Moragoda, also come under considerable heat for allegedly wanting to make Sri Lanka a U.S. \u2018lackey.\u2019\u201d Wills further wrote.<\/p>\n<p>Placing a note Ambassador Wills wrote\u00a0\u201c While the newspapers have their decided biases, TV and radio in Sri Lanka are generally apolitical on international issues &#8212; but not on domestic issues where they tend to take sides.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Below we give\u00a0the relevant part of the confidential cable;<\/p>\n<p>Related news to this cable;<\/p>\n<p><a title=\"Permalink to WikiLeaks: \u201cRanil is a Yankee, like his uncle\u201d US cable\u00a0implies\" href=\"http:\/\/colombotelegraph.com\/2011\/12\/05\/wikileaks-ranil-is-a-yankee-like-his-uncle-us-cable-implies\/\"><strong>WikiLeaks: \u201cRanil is a Yankee, like his uncle\u201d US cable\u00a0implies<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a title=\"Permalink to WikiLeaks: GL a Pomme, Milinda a Yankee, US cable\u00a0contends\" href=\"http:\/\/colombotelegraph.com\/2011\/12\/07\/wikileaks-gl-a-pomme-milinda-a-yankee-us-cable-contends\/\"><strong>WikiLeaks: GL a Pomme, Milinda a Yankee, US cable\u00a0contends<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong><a title=\"Permalink to WikiLeaks: President Chandrika a Francophile, US cable\u00a0contends\" href=\"http:\/\/colombotelegraph.com\/2011\/12\/10\/wikileaks-president-chandrika-a-francophile-us-cable-contends\/\">WikiLeaks: President Chandrika a Francophile, US cable\u00a0contends<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><a title=\"Permalink to WikiLeaks: Moragoda made a startling proposal to US against\u00a0NAM\" href=\"http:\/\/colombotelegraph.com\/2011\/12\/11\/wikileaks-moragoda-made-a-startling-proposal-to-us-against-nam\/\">WikiLeaks: Moragoda made a startling proposal to US against\u00a0NAM<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><a title=\"Permalink to WikiLeaks:Ranil\u2019s tilt toward the US has faced stiff resistance from\u00a0MFA\" href=\"http:\/\/colombotelegraph.com\/2011\/12\/12\/wikileaksranils-tilt-toward-the-us-has-faced-stiff-resistance-from-mfa\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">WikiLeaks:Ranil\u2019s tilt toward the US has faced stiff resistance from\u00a0MFA<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<pre>C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 COLOMBO 000909\n\nSIPDIS\n\nDEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA\/INS, S\/P, IO, INR\/NESA; NSC FOR E.\nMILLARD\n\nLONDON FOR POL\/RIEDEL\n\nE.O. 12958:  DECL:  05-29-13\nTAGS: <a href=\"http:\/\/wikileaks.org\/tag\/PREL_0.html\">PREL<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/wikileaks.org\/tag\/PGOV_0.html\">PGOV<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/wikileaks.org\/tag\/PINR_0.html\">PINR<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/wikileaks.org\/tag\/CE_0.html\">CE<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/wikileaks.org\/tag\/UN_0.html\">UN<\/a>\nSUBJECT:  Sri Lanka's foreign policy:  Prime Minister\ntilts toward U.S., but faces resistance\n\nRefs:  Colombo 873, and previous\n\n(U) Classified by Ambassador E. Ashley Wills.\nReasons:  1.5 (b,d).\n\n<a id=\"par1\" href=\"http:\/\/wikileaks.org\/cable\/2003\/05\/03COLOMBO909.html#par1\">\u00b6<\/a>1. (C) SUMMARY: Since coming to power, PM Wickremesinghe\nhas taken steps to steer Sri Lankan foreign policy\ncloser to the U.S.  In doing this, he has had successes,\nincluding the signing of an ICC waiver with the U.S. and\nin regard to Iraq where the GSL steered a constructive\ncourse.  Moreover, one of his key ministers recently\nproposed that the GSL take the lead in forming some sort\nof counterweight to NAM.  That said, the PM's initiative\nhas faced stiff resistance from MFA bureaucrats.  In\naddition, the president and Opposition, backed by much\nof the press and the intelligentsia, have cut into his\nroom for maneuver via their generally anti-U.S. biases.\n<a id=\"par12\" href=\"http:\/\/wikileaks.org\/cable\/2003\/05\/03COLOMBO909.html#par12\">\u00b6<\/a>12.  (C) It is also the case that much of the\nintelligentsia in Sri Lanka and much of the press share\na general anti-U.S. bias.  Intellectuals, such as they\nare in Sri Lanka, are mostly influenced by Marxism to a\nlarge extent with a fair amount having studied in the\nformer Soviet Union, and they routinely chatter against\nU.S. \"hegemony\" and \"world empire.\"  In the meantime,\nSri Lanka's press -- both the English and vernacular --\ncontains a large amount of anti-U.S. commentary,\nincluding the ritual condemnations of our policy on Iraq\nand alleged excesses in the war on terrorism.  The\ngovernment, including PM Wickremesinghe and especially\nMoragoda, also come under considerable heat for\nallegedly wanting to make Sri Lanka a U.S. \"lackey.\"\n(Note:  While the newspapers have their decided biases,\nTV and radio in Sri Lanka are generally apolitical on\ninternational issues -- but not on domestic issues where\nthey tend to take sides.)\nWILLS<\/pre>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p> [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":2627,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[53,1,27],"tags":[1591,1161,1602,1559,1561,1603,1604,1605],"class_list":["post-2623","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-global-politics","category-news","category-wikileaks","tag-anti-u-s","tag-foreign-affairs","tag-media-monitoring","tag-pro-u-s-foreign-policy","tag-sri-lankan-foreign-policy","tag-sri-lankan-media-and-intelligentsia","tag-u-s-hegemony","tag-u-s-lackey"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>WikiLeaks: Sri Lankan intelligentsia and print media are anti-US biased - Colombo Telegraph<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wikileaks-sri-lankan-intelligentsia-and-print-media-are-anti-us-biased\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"WikiLeaks: Sri Lankan intelligentsia and print media are anti-US biased - Colombo Telegraph\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"[&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wikileaks-sri-lankan-intelligentsia-and-print-media-are-anti-us-biased\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Colombo Telegraph\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2011-12-13T12:48:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/sri-lankan-print-media-colombotelegraph.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"634\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"362\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Colombo Telegraph\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Colombo Telegraph\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wikileaks-sri-lankan-intelligentsia-and-print-media-are-anti-us-biased\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wikileaks-sri-lankan-intelligentsia-and-print-media-are-anti-us-biased\/\",\"name\":\"WikiLeaks: Sri Lankan intelligentsia and print media are anti-US biased - Colombo Telegraph\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wikileaks-sri-lankan-intelligentsia-and-print-media-are-anti-us-biased\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wikileaks-sri-lankan-intelligentsia-and-print-media-are-anti-us-biased\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/sri-lankan-print-media-colombotelegraph.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2011-12-13T12:48:10+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#\/schema\/person\/de9e3c959e41894c80608bdddd0387b7\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wikileaks-sri-lankan-intelligentsia-and-print-media-are-anti-us-biased\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wikileaks-sri-lankan-intelligentsia-and-print-media-are-anti-us-biased\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wikileaks-sri-lankan-intelligentsia-and-print-media-are-anti-us-biased\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/sri-lankan-print-media-colombotelegraph.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/sri-lankan-print-media-colombotelegraph.jpg\",\"width\":\"634\",\"height\":\"362\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wikileaks-sri-lankan-intelligentsia-and-print-media-are-anti-us-biased\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"WikiLeaks: Sri Lankan intelligentsia and print media are anti-US biased\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/\",\"name\":\"Colombo Telegraph\",\"description\":\"In journalism truth is a process\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#\/schema\/person\/de9e3c959e41894c80608bdddd0387b7\",\"name\":\"Colombo Telegraph\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5f1e558c9e5cbf36781344637e8cd79f7a43c5eef749495c25079d8d64753ff3?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5f1e558c9e5cbf36781344637e8cd79f7a43c5eef749495c25079d8d64753ff3?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Colombo Telegraph\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/author\/colombo-telegraph\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"WikiLeaks: Sri Lankan intelligentsia and print media are anti-US biased - Colombo Telegraph","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wikileaks-sri-lankan-intelligentsia-and-print-media-are-anti-us-biased\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"WikiLeaks: Sri Lankan intelligentsia and print media are anti-US biased - Colombo Telegraph","og_description":"[&hellip;]","og_url":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wikileaks-sri-lankan-intelligentsia-and-print-media-are-anti-us-biased\/","og_site_name":"Colombo Telegraph","article_published_time":"2011-12-13T12:48:10+00:00","og_image":[{"width":634,"height":362,"url":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/sri-lankan-print-media-colombotelegraph.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Colombo Telegraph","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Colombo Telegraph","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wikileaks-sri-lankan-intelligentsia-and-print-media-are-anti-us-biased\/","url":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wikileaks-sri-lankan-intelligentsia-and-print-media-are-anti-us-biased\/","name":"WikiLeaks: Sri Lankan intelligentsia and print media are anti-US biased - Colombo Telegraph","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wikileaks-sri-lankan-intelligentsia-and-print-media-are-anti-us-biased\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wikileaks-sri-lankan-intelligentsia-and-print-media-are-anti-us-biased\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/sri-lankan-print-media-colombotelegraph.jpg","datePublished":"2011-12-13T12:48:10+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#\/schema\/person\/de9e3c959e41894c80608bdddd0387b7"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wikileaks-sri-lankan-intelligentsia-and-print-media-are-anti-us-biased\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wikileaks-sri-lankan-intelligentsia-and-print-media-are-anti-us-biased\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wikileaks-sri-lankan-intelligentsia-and-print-media-are-anti-us-biased\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/sri-lankan-print-media-colombotelegraph.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/sri-lankan-print-media-colombotelegraph.jpg","width":"634","height":"362"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wikileaks-sri-lankan-intelligentsia-and-print-media-are-anti-us-biased\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"WikiLeaks: Sri Lankan intelligentsia and print media are anti-US biased"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/","name":"Colombo Telegraph","description":"In journalism truth is a process","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#\/schema\/person\/de9e3c959e41894c80608bdddd0387b7","name":"Colombo Telegraph","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5f1e558c9e5cbf36781344637e8cd79f7a43c5eef749495c25079d8d64753ff3?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5f1e558c9e5cbf36781344637e8cd79f7a43c5eef749495c25079d8d64753ff3?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","caption":"Colombo Telegraph"},"url":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/author\/colombo-telegraph\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/sri-lankan-print-media-colombotelegraph.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2623","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2623"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2623\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2627"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2623"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2623"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2623"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}