28.02.2008
Sri Lankan Embassy in France has strongly objected to
France 24, an English TV channel distorting the situation
in Sri Lankan when they broadcast a the special report
"Sri Lanka:Tamil Mothers Waiting for Their Sons,".
Asian
Tribune published news of this Special report yesterday.
The Embassy stated that the special report was one-sided,
factually inaccurate and exaggerated. The Embassy has
insisted that if the Special Report is to be telecast
once again on February 29, 2008, the Sri Lankan Ambassador
in France be allowed to have a slot in that programme
to clarify the position.
The
Embassy stated that Mr Mano Ganesan, Member of Parliament
who accuses the Government of ‘ethnic cleansing’
is not in ‘exile for security reasons’ as
alleged in the special report. He is living in Sri Lanka
and the Government has provided him with 18 police personnel
for his protection. He lives in Colombo. Ethnic cleansing
is a complete canard.
Mr
Ganesan's charges that the government evicted Colombo
Tamils and taken them to their villages by buses. The
facts are that of the 200,000 Tamil population of Colombo,
only 379 persons were taken to temporary centres for displaced
persons for 2 days and all of them were taken back to
Colombo after two days and all of them live in Colombo.
The Embassy reiterated that the allegation that hundreds
have been abducted or disappeared is an absolute canard.
After his return from India last month, Mr Ganesan has
complained about 6 disappearances and all the six persons
have been traced and they are alive and safe.
The
Embassy repudiated all the major points in the Special
report as follows: The allegation that people have been
detained for ‘5 or 6 years’ is totally false
and not a single person has been detained for such a long
period. Such sweeping statements should not be reported
without verification.
There
is no truth whatsoever about the absurd charge of ’ethnic
cleansing’ and in Colombo city population comprises
of 35 percent Tamils who live safely. The road checks
and security measures are strictly to curb terrorist activities
and the checking of people and vehicles has not been restricted
to one community. These checking and security measures
are essential in any country faced with terrorist threats.
The
narrator says the ceasefire is in tatters and blames the
government. He ignores the fact that the LTTE has violated
the ceasefire agreement by over 7000 times, which has
been documented by the Scandinavian ceasefire monitors.
The
report also failed to tell the audience that the alleged
killer of Mr Maheswaran, who was shot dead in a Hindu
temple was arrested on the spot and the investigations
have revealed that he was a member of the Tamil Tigers.
The
situation in Sri Lanka is very complex brought about primarily
by the Tamil Tigers who have, for more than two decades
resorted to terrorism. The Tamil civilians living in France
have also fallen victims to their terrorist tactics which
are well known to the French Foreign Office and the Police.
The
programme has not followed the usual journalistic ethics
of seeking clarifications or explanations from the government
on any of the dozens of allegations levelled against the
government in this special report.
According
to Minister Counsellor Sugeeswara Senadhira
of the Sri Lanka Embassy in Paris, the Embassy has brought
the following points to the notice of France 24 regarding
the Special Report: Sri
Lanka: Tamil Mothers Waiting for Their Sons
1.
The report portrays a one-sided view of the situation
in Sri Lanka.
2.
The English Service of the France 24 is a news channel
which is generally seen as a reputed news channel which
has gain grounds during the short period it has been on
the air. It is, therefore with much regret that I send
this letter to point out many factual inaccuracies and
exaggerations in the report and some of the interviews
have been edited to give an out of context and twisted
meaning. Hence, the Government of Sri Lanka wishes to
clarify the actual position with regard to some unfair
allegations made in the report.
3.
Mr Mano Ganesan, Member of Parliament who accuses the
Government of ‘ethnic cleansing’ is not in
‘exile for security reasons’ as alleged in
the special report. He is living in Sri Lanka and the
Government has provided him with 8 police personnel and
back-up vehicles for his protection. He lives in Colombo.
4.
Mr Ganesan charges that the government has evicted Colombo
Tamils and taken them to their villages by buses. Of the
200,000 Tamil population of Colombo, only 379 persons
were taken to temporary centres for displaced persons
for 2 days and all of them were taken back to Colombo
after two days and all of them live in Colombo.
5.
The allegation that hundreds have been abducted or disappeared
is an absolute canard. After his return from India last
month, Mr Ganesan has complained about 6 disappearances
and all the six persons have been traced and they are
alive and safe.
The
allegation that people have been detained for ‘5
or 6 years’ is totally false and not a single person
has been detained for such a long period. Such sweeping
statements should not be reported without verification.
6.
There is no truth whatsoever about the absurd charge of
’ethnic cleansing’ and in Colombo city population
comprises of 35 percent Tamils who live safely. The road
checks and security measures are strictly to curb terrorist
activities and the checking of people and vehicles has
not been restricted to one community. These checking and
security measures are essential in any country faced with
terrorist threats.
7.
The narrator says the ceasefire is in tatters and blames
the government. He ignores the fact that the LTTE has
violated the ceasefire agreement by over 7000 times, which
has been documented by the Scandinavian ceasefire monitors.
8.
The report also failed to tell the audience that the alleged
killer of Mr Maheswaran, who was shot dead in a Hindu
temple was arrested on the spot and the investigations
have revealed that he was a member of the Tamil Tigers.
9.
The situation in Sri Lanka is very complex brought about
primarily by the Tamil Tigers who have, for more than
two decades resorted to terrorism. The Tamil civilians
living in France have also fallen victims to their terrorist
tactics which are well known to the French Foreign Office
and the Police.
10.
The programme has not followed the usual journalistic
ethics of seeking clarifications or explanations from
the government on any of the dozens of allegations levelled
against the government in this special report.
11.
As the Special Report is to be telecast once again on
February 29, 2008 the Sri Lanka Ambassador in France would
appreciate to have a slot in your programme to clarify
the position before the controversial Special Report is
telecast for the second time.
An
urgent response in this regard will be much appreciated.
Courtesy - Asian
Tribune