{"id":62640,"date":"2012-12-01T18:33:27","date_gmt":"2012-12-01T18:33:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=62640"},"modified":"2012-12-09T11:35:35","modified_gmt":"2012-12-09T11:35:35","slug":"martyrs-daythief-fraud-and-bbc-factoring-integrity-into-media-freedom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/martyrs-daythief-fraud-and-bbc-factoring-integrity-into-media-freedom\/","title":{"rendered":"Martyr\u2019s Day,Thief, Fraud And BBC: Factoring \u2018Integrity\u2019 Into Media Freedom"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Malinda Seneviratne<\/a><\/span> –<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Malinda Seneviratne<\/p><\/div>\n

The Editors\u2019 Guild of Sri Lanka has issued a statement regarding a brutal attack on the Editor of Uthayan, T Thevananth \u2018while covering an event at the Jaffna University\u2019. \u00a0The missive, signed by Secretary Sundera Nihathamani De Mel, claims that the event was one where students were \u2018commemorating those who died during the three decades long northern insurgency\u2019.<\/p>\n

There are claims that this was not a \u2018Maaveerar<\/a><\/span> (Martyr\u2019s Day)\u2019 event, but a Hindu festival, Karthikai Deepam where lamps are lit and it was just a coincidence that the two (the first associated with the LTTE<\/a><\/span> of course) fell on the same day, generating confusion as well as making for multiple (erroneous and mischievous) interpretation.<\/p>\n

Authorities claim that the LTTE is a banned organization and therefore LTTE-related commemorations are out of order.\u00a0 Commemoration, however, does not require a party tag and no law can stop grieving, never mind the fact that grief is routinely used to bolster political projects.\u00a0 Whatever the politics of the moment, Devananth has a right to observe and report.\u00a0 If, as the authorities claim, the students provoked the fracas by throwing stones and Devananth was a victim of the melee, it is unfortunate.\u00a0 Still, no one can argue that he should not have been there, regardless of his political affiliations, what he wishes to celebrate or lament, none of which is material to the issue at hand.<\/p>\n

In a separate incident another \u2018journalist\u2019, Sujeewa Samarasinghe was taken for questioning on Tuesday night (November 27th<\/sup>), held for several hours and released.\u00a0 Now Samarasinghe is not exactly a journalist; he is Sarath Fonseka\u2019s Media Coordinator, a legitimate occupation.<\/p>\n

Like all people, including journalists, Samarasinghe has to abide by the law.\u00a0 If he transgresses, the law enforcement authorities have every right to apply relevant legal procedures.\u00a0 If this was not done on this occasion it is less a matter of suppressing media freedom than one of treading on citizens\u2019 rights enshrined in the constitution.<\/p>\n

The distinction is important because people have multiple identities and one cannot pick and choose which ID to wave at which particular moment.\u00a0 That\u2019s convenience and is patently devoid of integrity.<\/p>\n

Devananth knows and Samarasinghe knows which identity-sliver was relevant.\u00a0 Media rights advocates, if they have integrity (and the competence) should similarly strive to distinguish what\u2019s what.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t happen that way though.<\/p>\n

The best example would be Sunanda Deshapriya<\/a><\/span>.\u00a0 His political affiliations and outcome-preferences are more important than his \u2018Media ID\u2019 but those who treat him as an authority on media freedom (rightly) do not worry about such things.\u00a0 What is unconscionable is that such people ignore also his considerable track record as a petty thief and a fraud<\/a><\/span>.\u00a0 This is where the name \u2018Sunanda Deshapriya\u2019 just cannot hobnob with the word \u2018integrity\u2019 and not his close association with LTTE operatives, before and after the LTTE was militarily defeated.<\/p>\n

Integrity is important.\u00a0 Without integrity, media personnel are little better than petty political propagandists.\u00a0 Take the case of BBC World Service Journalists\u00a0Chandana Keerthi Bandara<\/a><\/span> and its\u00a0Colombo reporter Elmo Fernando<\/a><\/span> applying for Rs. 1,200,000\/- each as interest free loans from state banks to purchase cars or vans.\u00a0 These are signatories to BBC contractual caveats pertaining to integrity, including acceptance of gifts which could compromise independence and objectivity in reporting.\u00a0 Bandara, moreover, is associated with the dubious outfit that calls itself Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka, with quite a reputation for spinning tall tales which naturally compromises the efficacy of commentary that is based on fact.<\/p>\n

What this does is that it makes the work of genuine advocates of media freedom (organized or otherwise) harder.\u00a0 When such people talk of attacks on journalists (such as Devananth), it takes away something.\u00a0 Both victim and advocacy are poorer for it.<\/p>\n

For now, though, let it be clear that just as no one, including journalists, is above the law, there is absolutely no way that any infringement on rights (of journalists or others) can be condoned.\u00a0 There is a thing called due process.\u00a0 People who have legitimate occupations must have the freedom to get about their work.\u00a0 A cobbler has the right to mend shoes.\u00a0 A journalist has the right to write about anything he\/she considers newsworthy or requiring commentary.\u00a0 He\/she has the right to go where \u2018news\u2019 may be \u2018happening\u2019.\u00a0 He cannot be stopped.\u00a0 Devananth was stopped.\u00a0 This is wrong.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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