Minister slams biased media

Rafik Jalaldeen

*Pause not possible with LTTE

*Maximum effort to rescue all civilians

*Freeing every single civilian our victory

The media were out of control during the last few days. International media institutions specially, had been reporting totally biased information to tarnish the image of a sovereign nation, said Defence Affairs spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella.

Some media institutions reported that Government Forces were shelling the No Fire Zone and it killed over 1,000 civilians and injured 1,600. They reported that children and women were among the killed and wounded.

“We totally and categorically deny this baseless and fabricated information which had been obtained from the Tamilnet website,” he told the media yesterday at the MCNS. He asserted that Tamilnet was providing fabricated and biased information during the last few years and the LTTE had given credibility to this website.

“We have proved that Tamilnet was providing fabricated information on many occasions and it is not new for this pro- LTTE website.

What I regret is that these media institutions have reported without any verification,” the Minister said. He said this report was false and soon they will prove to the world who was behind the carnage that took place in the NFZ.

“We will not give in to accusations against the Government by certain media. We will prove that false reports were disseminated provided by the LTTE,” he added.

Denying the accusation, Minister Rambukwella reiterated that the Security Forces are not using heavy weapons in the NFZ out of concern for civilian lives. “We did not shell or carry out air raids in the NFZ . Victory is on the hands of Security Forces by rescuing civilians. Our victory is not only getting Prabakaran but rescuing every single civilian trapped under the LTTE,” he added.

Rambukwella observed that having done all this with least harm to civilians in the world’s biggest hostage rescue mission, there had been fabricated information to tarnish the image of the Government and the Security Forces.

Some international media spread blatant lies about the humanitarian mission carried out by the Security Forces.

“It was carefully planned to arouse and draw the attention of the International Community, particularly the United Nations,” the Minister remarked.

He said on many occasions, UN officials were crying out before their arrival in the island solely depending on misinformation about the prevailing situation. “Whenever they come and witness the real ground situation, they depart with full satisfaction about the situation.”

Answering a question by a journalist, the Minister said a pause to rescue civilians will not workout since the LTTE cadres are holding civilians as a human shield. The Government will execute its maximum effort to draw out every single civilian without causing casualties. If not for the civilians, end of the game will come within 72 hours, said Defence Affairs spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella.

Minister Rambukwella said the Government already granted 48 hour pause during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year but the LTTE was holding civilians. “If not for the civilians the entire NFZ will be captured within 72 hours.”