Sri Lanka – A State in Crisis
~ Nidhi Joshi, Canberra, Australia
Most of us are aware about the long-drawn conflict between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers. However, I’m going to be among the first to admit that I had no clue about how serious the matter was until I started doing research for this article.
The current Sri Lankan government withdrew from the six-year old ceasefire in 2008 and has taken a much more hardline stand against the rebel forces. Its military offensive against the Tamil Tigers has, at present, reached a crucial stage, with the government claiming to have captured Kilinochchi, which is considered to be the LTTE’s capital. As always, in the midst of this military action too, civilians have to cope through some extremely difficult conditions, especially the ones who are stuck in the rebel-controlled northern and eastern regions.
However, increasingly, there have been reports of mistreatment and even assault on media agencies and personnel in the country. And, surprisingly, the attackers are suspected to be, not the Tamil Tigers, but members of the government and military. Journalists and members of the press who are critical of the government and question its tactics in the confrontation are becoming targets of violence and vitriol. In an article by the BBC, journalists understood the pressure and complexities of reporting while their nation was in a state of war, yet, they felt it was essential for them to be able to tell the truth to the people.
But, not all of them are able to continue confrontation with the government, especially after the death of a prominent journalist, Lasantha Wickrematunga, editor-in-chief of The Sunday Leader. According to a report by CNN, Mr. Wickrematunga, who was shot dead on 8th of January knew he there was a very high probability of him being killed and if that happened, he used to say, the government would be responsible for his death. His death has sent shockwaves through Sri Lanka’s journalistic community with many now considering living overseas until the conflict is over, while others write about different topics and refuse to publicly comment about the current political scenario. Intimidation of this nature not only discourages press agencies from making the general public aware, but is also detrimental to the future of the profession in the country
Independent media coverage during times of conflict is extremely hard to come by, irrespective of the country in question. Press reports and articles are usually influenced by general public sentiment and when government censorship is added to the mix, getting an accurate idea of a particular situation is hard. In Sri Lanka, specifically, the aim seems to be to weed out any criticism of the government, irrespective of whether the journalists are Tamil or Sinhalese. Furthermore, anyone who does criticise the government or raises a question about its methods is looked upon as being anti-nationalist or considered to be a supportive of the Tamil Tigers.
Constructive criticism is always part of any dialogue involving two opposing views, but when that criticism is curtailed and not allowed to be expressed, it does not allow for that dialogue to proceed in a fair and responsible manner. If one of the views itself is censored, then there ceases to be a dialogue at all and the one-sided expression of ideas is then called propaganda.
Let us hope that this current situation is just a temporary phase in Sri Lanka’s vibrant history and journalist will once again be free to express themselves in the manner that they wish to.
Sources: BBC.com 2009, CNN.com 2009