Wise decision

The Government’s decision to allow the BBC to cover proceedings of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission after its initial refusal is a correct one. Sri Lanka has no skeletons in its cupboard contrary to the many vilification campaigns carried out against it by a section of the international media and is open to the world. The LLRC was mainly set-up to dwell into the causes that led to the ethnic conflict and to suggest remedies to prevent a recurrence.

Many personalities from diverse fields have already expressed views to which the Commission no doubt would give its close consideration. Meanwhile, the sittings of the Commission has been extended for another six months during which more opinions and views will be forthcoming for the Commission to draw from. Thus there will be much interest generated in these proceedings in the coming days and it is just as well that Commission sittings gain international exposure so that the world community would be able to obtain a balanced view of things.

In any event now that Sri Lanka is moving out of conflict and emerging as a mature democracy it is only appropriate that we cultivate the international media to provide the world with a better insight of the country. On the other hand one would hope that the BBC and other international media would project a factual picture of the country desisting from distortions that in the recent past unfairly blackened its image.

Even as we write these words the Al-jazeera has carried yet another blatant distortion of facts pertaining to the last days of the war with footage of dead bodies of civilians taken at random in an attempt once again to demonise the Security Forces. One cannot help but wonder if these images were not timed to coincide with the President’s second term swearing in.

If not what reason was there to suddenly broach this topic one and a half years after the end to the war. The Foreign Ministry rightly cancelled the visas of the Al-jazeera crew who were to visit Sri Lanka to cover the swearing in. But here again saner counsel prevailed and the visas were granted through the President’s intervention.

Not long ago another TV channel depicted an execution style killings of alleged LTTE prisoners by the Security Forces to embarrass the country before the international community. There was also the instance where sections of the Western media compared welfare centres housing the war displaced to concentration camps. All this shows how hostile the international media had been towards Sri Lanka in the recent past.

Third world countries have always been painted in this harsh fashion by the Western media while all crimes and atrocities committed by countries such as the US have been glossed over. There is no extensive coverage by the BBC of the ariel bombings of civilians in countries such as Pakistan and Afghanistan and even the recent attack on food ships heading for Gaza by Israel was largely underplayed.

Hopefully the international media would change its attitude on Sri Lanka and if not overgenerous with their coverage at least report factually about the country and not succumb to sensationalism when reporting on sensitive issues. This needless to state would assist the country in being portrayed in the correct light unlike the distorted picture that is being presented time and again.

The Government for its part should not be hasty in criticizing the international media but take steps to maintain an open dialogue with international media stakeholders to clear any misunderstanding. We have to come to terms with the fact that international media is a necessary evil if the country is to receive the necessary international mileage.

Besides it is the media which makes the global village concept a reality and provides the link up to knowledge and other vistas based on information. The importance of the media in the current milieu therefore cannot be overemphasized. It is international news channels such as the BBC and CNN that brings all the news on current affairs, disasters, tragedies conflicts and political upheavals into our homes and as such plays an important role in bringing together communities of different races and cultures.

True these news channels may have their biases and slants and may pursue agendas of certain interests. But their role as purveyors of information and the binding influence on the public has to be acknowledged and appreciated. Hence the Government’s decision to allow the BBC free access to local coverage is a wise one notwithstanding its recent conduct vis a vis Sri Lanka.