Archives

Facts are Stubborn by Anton Gunasekera

Reporting an eyewitness account of People, Places and Events, through either some Print or Electronic media in an accurate, fair, impartial balanced and objective manner has for long been recognized by democrat, dictator and despot the world over, as the conferred and inalienable right of the working journalist who conveys NEWS to people from North to East and West to South; otherwise called Media Freedom - the Right of the media person to report news and express an opinion and the Reciprocal Right of the reader, listener and viewer to express a counter-opinion as his/her right to freedom of expression.

The sordid events of last week, where some media persons (a local TV crew, in this instance) were given a severe physical battering at the Sri Jayawardenepura University complex, by a battalion of armed thugs, masquerading (perhaps?) as young Buddhist monks and able-bodied University students, are vivid reminiscences of similar events of yesteryear at the Peradeniya University, in particular. Whither bound-University Grants?

Commission and Vice-Chancellor? The unabated unrest among our nation's young University student population - a battle of wits, mixed with violence - is certainly not of recent vintage. It has been a fever of Dengue dimensions, where the marauding mosquito makes its presence fell, when we lie on the pillow for a night of peaceful sleep.

The Anopheles mosquito whispers to us in its ringing tone; "Man, woman and child lend me your ears! You are not giving ear to my grievances! Unless and until you quench my thirst by fair means, I'll keep buzzing around your ears, wake you up from time to time, and somehow suck your blood, even by foul means-come what may!".

What grievances? ask our discerning readers who are more than aware that Political Activists and their Juxtaposed Vying Partners are 'behind the scenes' instigators, nay, provocateurs of this islandwide 'Varsity' calamity. Any foul means, like the mosquito's is just right, if only a tool topple the Government in power.

When, during the first quarter of this year, our nation's medical fraternity, banded as a trade union, launched the now infamous islandwide strike and left in the lurch a galaxy of indoor and outdoor patients - young and old - we quoted Mahatma Gandhi (from his autobiography). "The maiden surreptitious storm comes after a seemingly quiet calm. Comes the second calm, followed by a stronger storm.

Nature will show herself in the form of calm following storm, until she bursts out the final virulent, violent storm which will hit humanity on the head."

We quoted so, seven weeks ago, as if to foretell that the medical strike would be the maiden storm - the predecessor to many more storms to come in the not so distant future. That final virulent storm is now at hand.

Political Activists and their Juxtaposed Vying Partners are working without let and hindrance, at the expense of even a catnap, to make certain that the 83,000 student population who qualified for University admission, but were displaced for want of accommodation and ancillary facilities at our chain of universities, will be brought into the 'Strike Field" in order to gather the gullible unemployed and the entire gamut of public and private sector trade unions and make a mockery of democratic government.

In that distant A.E. Goonesinghe era, Trade Unionism fought the good fight for just cause; against British colonial injustices. Media sided A.E.G. Where do we who have stood that long by the true tenets of responsible journalism stand, when that senseless storm has struck or is about to strike? At the mercy of the mighty? Or, as pawns of Pomposity? But we and our fearless media colleagues in our nation will go on to voice what is right because arms and ammunitions are the possession of he and she who detest democracy.

We shall keep reminding them at that moment in time that whoever shows arms, to the media, is traversing the wrong road. Because, from the days of Lake House's founding father, Don Richard (DR) Wijewardena and the father of our nation, Don Stephen D.S. Senanayaka, our bygone brothers and sisters in the media profession, have proved in full measure that "the Potent Pen is far more mightier than the Spearing Sword in the making and breaking of governments".

The final Police report on how Sri Jayewardenapura University fell into this sorry impasse last week and what punishments lie in store for the perpetrators of law and order at a seat of higher learning should indeed be interesting reading, just when the Government is about restore the nations's lost Peace without fear or favour to none.

www.crescat.com

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries

Produced by Lake House
Copyright © 2003 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager