{"id":16987,"date":"2013-02-22T16:52:16","date_gmt":"2013-02-22T21:52:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=16987"},"modified":"2013-02-22T21:28:40","modified_gmt":"2013-02-23T02:28:40","slug":"gotabaya-rajapaksa-says-sri-lanka-is-not-the-only-country-targeted-over-accountability-issues-by-british-channel-4-tv","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=16987","title":{"rendered":"Gotabaya Rajapaksa says Sri Lanka is not the only Country Targeted over Accountability Issues by British Channel-4 TV"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Shamindra Ferdinando<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Gotabhaya Rajapaksa<\/p><\/div>\n

D<\/strong>efence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa yesterday said that Sri Lanka wasn\u2019t the only country targeted by the British media outfit Channel-4 News over accountability issues.<\/p>\n

The Defence Secretary was responding to the planned screening of \u2018No Fire Zone\u2019, the third installment of the so-called documentary on \u2018Sri Lanka Killing Fields\u2019 series produced by Channel-4 News in the British parliament on Wednesday (27) alleging war crimes, with the focus on the alleged execution of LTTE leader Prabhakaran\u2019s son by the Sri Lankan army.
\n
\nThe war veteran pointed out that the much touted screening was taking place at an event organized by the LTTE rump to celebrate the third anniversary of the Global Tamil Forum (GTF). The documentary had been obviously produced at the behest of the UK based GTF and others still supporting the LTTE\u2019s macabre eelam project, the Defence Secretary said.<\/p>\n

Responding to a query, Defence Secretary Rajapaksa recalled Channel-4 News screening an hour-long TV documentary titled \u2018Kashmir\u2019s Torture Trail\u2019 last July. The documentary accused Indian security forces of thousands of disappearances, extra judicial executions as well as rape and murder. An influential section of the British print media, too, backed the TV documentary, the Defence Secretary pointed out, while emphasizing the need to examine the circumstances in which controversial documentaries were made.<\/p>\n

The outspoken official recalled Indian media raising questions over the presence of the production team in the Kashmir valley at a time over 100 youths were killed in stone throwing incidents. “Questions are being asked whether Channel-4 News was tipped off by those who planned the demonstrations,” the Defence Secretary said.<\/p>\n

The Defence Secretary said that India and Sri Lanka had been lambasted by some UK MPs during a debate, which dealt with the human rights situation in the Indian sub- continent. Recalling how India had reacted angrily to the criticism in UK parliament, the Defence Secretary said that Channel-4 News was acting at the behest of interested parties, “in our case, the LTTE rump”.<\/p>\n

The Defence Secretary said that some UK and Australian MPs went to the extent of proposing Channel-4 News team for the last Nobel peace prize. The official said that the British media outfit couldn\u2019t be allowed to make a name for itself at Sri Lanka\u2019s expense.<\/p>\n

Answering another query, the Defence Secretary alleged that none of those attending the GTF event dared to advice the LTTE against leaving the negotiating table in April 2003 during Ranil Wickremesinghe\u2019s tenure as the Prime Minister. In fact, they remained silent as long as they felt the LTTE could achieve its military objectives, the Defence Secretary said. The GTF came into being only after the conclusion of the conflict in May 2009, he said. Had western powers been able to throw a lifeline to the sinking Tigers during the final phase of the offensive, there wouldn\u2019t have been GTF, hence no third-year anniversary celebrations in UK parliament next Wednesday.
\nCOURTESY:THE ISLAND<\/em><\/p>\n

Tweet<\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Shamindra Ferdinando Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa yesterday said that Sri Lanka wasn\u2019t the only country targeted by the British media outfit Channel-4 News over accountability issues. The Defence Secretary was responding to the planned screening of \u2018No Fire Zone\u2019, the third installment of the so-called documentary on \u2018Sri Lanka Killing Fields\u2019 series produced by …<\/p>\n

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