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. |