Yapa to act against Leader report

COLOMBO: Government Spokesman, Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa yesterday assured appropriate action regarding a news item titled 'The Tiger report on para militaries' published in the Sunday Leader of March 5, 2006. Responding to a statement made in Parliament by JVP MP Wimal Weerawansa, Yapa said the Government's attention has been drawn to this news item which could have serious repercussions on national security.

The Government is taking all possible steps to protect national security, he added.

A separate statement on this matter was earlier issued by the Information Department, he said.

The Government has drawn its attention to a news item published in a Sunday newspaper which could adversely impact national security and is taking all steps in this regard, Yapa told Parliament.

He said the Government has already issued a statement on the report titled the 'Tiger report on para militaries' published in a Sunday newspaper explaining its position.

In his statement, Weerawansa said the article, published in the Sunday Leader, is a direct betrayal of the country's national security. He said the report, based on submissions made by Anton Balasingham in Geneva, alleges that the Government has dealings with armed groups and also reveals a list of intelligence personnel.

Weerawansa said the newspaper implied that the Tiger allegations were correct. "We respect media freedom. But we should respect the country more. Does media freedom mean the right to wield the pen in a manner that betrays our security forces personnel?", he asked.

He questioned whether the newspaper assumed responsibility for the lives of the Security Forces personnel mentioned in the article.

Will they be able to work with any sense of safety, he asked.

Weerawansa recalled that this particular newspaper previously published a story to the effect that Karuna Group camps existed in Government controlled areas. The same newspaper published all details on Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar's private residence, following which the LTTE assassinated him.

Now they have published a list of intelligence personnel. What could happen next?

He noted that even the US has passed Legislation called the Patriots Act to safeguard national security. He also expressed concern on a report published in the Sunday Island of March 5, 2006 titled 'Oslo rules out red carpet for Thamilselvan et al'.

He said the article implied that Norway as treated the LTTE delegation as State visitors. He described this as an attempt by Norway to undermine Sri Lanka's sovereignty. Weerawansa said the time has come to end Norway's role as facilitator to the peace process in the face of such acts. Weerawansa yesterday hit out at the Sunday Leader publication accusing it of disclosing sensitive information which would undermine and jeopardise national security.

He noted that the Sunday Leader report on Page 12 of its March 5 edition headlined 'The Tiger Report on Paramilitaries' had published a list of names of members attached to the Intelligence Arm of the Security Forces. What is more, the source of information of the article was a document tabled at the Geneva conference by LTTE chief negotiator Anton Balasingham, he said.

He said the Sunday Leader report has to be described as nothing short of a betrayal of national security.

Weerawansa added: "This report has taken as its basis, a document placed at the Geneva talks tabled by Anton Balasingham who is said to be the theoretician of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

The newspaper by this report has given wide publicity to the effect that the Armed Forces of the Sri Lankan Government are acting in collusion with various 'Armed Groups'.

Along with it, the newspaper has published a list of names of the Members of the Intelligence of the Sri Lanka State Security Forces. It has further revealed the list of names of members of the 'Intelligence' who are claimed to have dealings with members of the Karuna group.

The report has also published a list of names of some EPDP members who operate within the parameters of democracy and is a constituent partner of the Government, exposed as members of the paramilitaries.

The newspaper had given publicity based on the contents found in a statement prepared by the Tiger Movement. Perusing through the report one will come to the conclusion that the newspaper had published the news item in `good faith' and that its contents were true.

Thus the so called Sunday Leader newspaper has tried to convince its limited readership the allegation brought against the Government by the Tiger Movement was correct.

In their attempt to make their conclusion firmly take root in the minds of the readers, the newspaper has stooped to the lowest possible level in disclosing the names of the security and intelligence unit operatives of the Sri Lanka Army.

Weerawansa asked: "Will this newspaper take the responsibility of the lives of the officers of the members of the Intelligence unit? Will these officers be able to carry on with their duties in safety after they had been exposed based either on true or false information?

They have been exposed and betrayed not only before the terrorists but also in their living environment. Who has the right to put these officers who dedicate their lives for the security of the State into this uneasy situation?

Will our society be trained to bear in patience in the name of the media freedom if these officers are assassinated?

We have not forgotten the sad experience of the expose of the Millennium City Housing Complex issue. That betrayal was done under the cover of media freedom. The end result was they became victims of terror attacks. Will the media that exposed those officers by publishing their photographs take responsibility?", he asked.