Double standards of Western media

The Government yesterday took the unprecedented step of dispatching relief supplies by sea to the beleaguered civilians held hostage by the LTTE in Mullaithivu.This is the first time that the sea route was used to enter Mullaithivu according to Resettlement and Disaster Relief Minister Rishard Bathiudeen whom we quoted in our main story yesterday.

Essential items amounting to 40 metric tons were shipped on a special directive by President Mahinda Rajapaksa who is naturally concerned by the unfolding plight of civilian population in the grip of the LTTE.

The President's constant refrain has been "the people of the North too are our brothers and sisters and the operation against the LTTE is to liberate them from the clutches of terrorism".

The President therefore feels a duty cast on him to try to salvage the lives of these people even if they are held prisoner by the LTTE. Hence the term 'humanitarian operation' to describe the on going mission.The opening of safe havens within the operational areas to secure the safety of these civilians too is demonstrative of the President's deep concern for the plight of civilians.

Thousands of civilians are already streaming into the welfare camps set up the security forces , braving the guns of the LTTE.

They are being afforded all the necessary facilities to enjoy as normal a life as could obtain under the circumstances with even schooling afforded to the children of the displaced.

Also in our front page yesterday we carried a story of how four Jaffna University students who were among the exodus were refereed back to the University with the necessary requirements such as stationary, clothes etc. provided to them together with a sum of Rs. 10,000 to each student for expenses.

All this certainly do not accord with the picture of a concentration camp painted by certain western media to describe the conditions of these welfare centres.

Nor the pictures that frequently appear in the local media of members of security forces providing sustenance to people almost on their last legs, who reached these welfare camps after their harrowing ordeal.

As far as the world is aware no such safe havens were opened for the innocent civilians in the Gaza when Israel jets strafed it's landscape resulting in the death of over 1500 civilians.This once again exposes the duplicity of the Western media in their treatment of the Lankan conflict.

What they refuse the concede is that the Government too could have bulldozed its way in the manner of the Israel Army inflicting massive destruction to wipe out the remaining pockets of LTTE resistance.

This at least should show those quick to criticise the Government of its concern for the civilian population held hostage by the LTTE.

It is plain to all that the Government is at the zenith of its popularity with the military thrust to eliminate terrorism overwhelming endorsed by the electorate as shown by the results of the just concluded polls.

Even some of its former critic vis-a-vis a military solution have today come around to praise the President for his efforts to liberate the innocent civilians from the clutches of the LTTE.Even his worst critic would acknowledge that President Rajapaksa had conducted his 'humanitarian mission' in the true sense of the term.

The President has chosen restraint out of sheer concern for the civilian population and clearly want to salvage them from their gruelling ordeal by making every effort to see that sustenance reach this hapless populace, even if a large portion of the relief will be appropriated by the LTTE..

It is time the Western media realise the great store laid by the President on the lives of innocent civilians and instead turn the search light inwards and ask themselves if their concern for human rights of civilians was evident during the open massacre in Gaza.

Criticism cannot be selective and the Lankan Government has done nothing to earn this criticism.

On the contrary it is doing the opposite of which it is being accused of - providing material relief to innocent civilians trapped under a ruthless terrorist outfit and facilitating their return to safety.