Hidden agenda

The Western media which has made no bones about its partiality towards the LTTE have once again mounted the pro-tiger bandwagon to provide a grossly distorted picture vis-a-vis civilians caught up in the conflict in the remaining territory held by the LTTE.

In this they have not been short of ready allies from the many western spokesmen and some Colombo based diplomats who have left no doubt as to where their sympathies lay.

Some of the footage shown on BBC and even Al-Jazeera, obviously culled from the clandestine Tiger media, not only portray a brazen one-sided picture of the conflict making the Security Forces the villains but also paints the Government as the oppressor. To an independent observer this is a deliberate attempt to tarnish the image of the Security Forces and Sri Lanka in particular in the eyes of the world.

Even the commentaries and narrations on then on-going conflict on BBC porgams are hugely slanted, designed to besmirch the image of the Security Forces completely at variance with accepted journalistic ethics and practices which these self same elements take pride in.

Juxtapose this with the angle and stand taken on Gaza by these so called keepers of the conscience of the public who claims uphold the tenets of independent reporting and one could come to a fair guess as to their sinister agenda.

It is obvious that these media organisations are hell bent on portraying a picture of carnage inflicted on the Tamil civilians by the Security Forces at a time the President has enjoined the forces to comply with a zero casualty policy, opened a safe haven for the civilians and declared a 48-hour truce to allow the LTTE to release the civilians held captive by it.

Regrettably certain Western Government and interests also refuse to believe this reality and keep on harping on the need for the safety of civilians.They fail to consider that if a Gaza type operation was sanctioned - where over 2000 civilians including 500 children perished- the remaining territory held by the LTTE would already have been overrun and the war brought to an end by now.

It is in this context that one should appreciate the stand taken by countries such as India and Japan on the unfolding developments.They have obviously not been taken in by the spotlight on the civilians which the Western media is taking pains to focus, but are viewing the issue with understanding and circumspection given the assurances of the Government and the President.

Attempts by the pro-LTTE lobby to whip up sentiments in Tamil Nadu too had come a cropper going by the unambiguous comments made by visiting External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherji on the Government’s handling of the situation.

It is indeed gratifying to note that even sections of the hitherto Pro-LTTE Tamil National Alliance have decided to part company with the outfit with while most of its prominent pro-LTTE members now deciding to seek salubrious comfort in Western capitals.

It is at such a time when the entire edifice of the LTTE is crumbling that attempts to provide succour to this blood thirsty murderous outfit has to be taken cognisance by the Government and some tangle action taken.

Halt road terror

The heavy Court penalty imposed on a driver of a private coach who ran over a pedestrian hopefully would serve as a deterrent to those of his kind. The driver was found guilty for negligent driving and sentenced to two years imprisonment, suspended for 10 years and fined Rs.10,000 by the Panadura High Court judge according to our front page report yesterday.

He was also ordered to pay Rs.200,000 to the child of the 28-year mother who was killed and had his driving licence suspended for 5 years after been found guilty of negligent and reckless driving.

It goes without saying that a majority of private bus drivers are a law unto themselves,who treat the highway as a race track in a mad competition with their fellow drivers to earn a few extra bucks.In the course they give scant regard for life and limb of the commuters and pedestrians.

They often take off before commuters have alighted, apply breaks viciously sending passengers sprawling on the floor and bashing heads of infants on the opposite seats.These “Death of Wheels” also operate with a sense of immunity as it is no secret that most of these buses are owned by policemen or other high ups.

Time and again we see buses been torched by angry mobs following fatal accidents and the drivers fleeing the scene.Obviously such action is prompted by lenient laws that allows for the culprits to go scot free and ply their trade once again.

It is time therefore that the Government took action to add more teeth to the present laws to punish the offenders in a manner that would have a deterrent effect. This is more so due to the increase in the number of road fatalities recorded in recent times.

There is also a need to take measures to discipline bus crew and bring them down a peg or two from their overbearing conduct and mannerism.

The recent decision to make it compulsory for all bus crew to wear uniforms is a step in the right direction though apparently this too run has into snags at the moment. The authorities should not abandon this project and take whatever steps to cut down to size errant bus crew who terrorise our highways.