Sri Lanka: The stifling of dissident views

By Sutirtho Patranobis | Hindustan Times
.............................................................................................................................................................................................

The Economist is known for its liberal views on economics, often conservative political opinions and lucid prose. To the Lankan government, however, the British publication seems determined to paint a negative picture of the country and jeopardising national security. What else could explain the customs’ decision to impound two of its recent issues?

But since I’m secretly a rocket scientist, I managed to read both articles, pretty much uncensored on — the internet. There was no new criticism in either: hasn’t the government already being condemned for apparently furthering family rule and easing the country towards autocracy after the 18th amendment was passed? But it hurt. So the issues were temporarily withheld.

Iran, Zimbabwe and Singapore are other countries where the group has faced similar censure. Interestingly, it is possibly on the Singaporean Media Development Authority model that Lanka is planning to develop its own authority to regulate the media.

The Economist blockade was followed up by the BBC not being allowed to cover the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission’s (LLRC) proceedings at the former Tamil Tiger capital, Kilinochchi.

It might seem arbitrary but because it’s happening over and over again, there seems to be a method. In May last year, copies of the Hindu newspaper’s Chennai edition were seized for carrying K Karunanidhi’s and J Jayalalithaa’s statements on Sri Lanka. At the same time, a Channel 4 reporter and his cameraperson were thrown out of the country for a four-minute story that sullied Lanka’s image.

Then there are numerous cases where local reporters were killed and hounded by assailants for criticising the government and the government incarcerating few more.

Fighting the enemy at war is one thing. Trying to kill dissenting views is another.

It’s a pity, and outright nasty, that 16 months after the war and at around the same time President Mahinda Rajapaksa is trying to put the country’s best foot forward at the UN general assembly, both are being treated as the same.

© Hindustan Times

Read More

Summary only

Northern landowners call for compensation

BBC Sinhala
.............................................................................................................................................................................................

The Sri Lankan Military deny that property it returned to owners were heavily damaged.

Military have vacated houses they occupied in Mulathivu, Kilinochchi and Mannar districts in order to hand them over to the owners.

Bare land

Kanapathi Pullai Kailanadan of Thandikulam said he was given a piece of bare land without the house.

"Military occupied my house since 1993 and it was used as an armoury. An LTTE attack destroyed the whole house and now military has returned only ruins," said Kailanadan.

For the first time in twenty years, the government is taking steps to vacate military from properties located inside the high security zone in Palali.

Mulathivu Security Commander Major General Prasanna Silva told journalists that the military had been ordered to vacate the properties belongs to resettling civilians. "We consider it's important to provide assistance to these IDP's”, he added.

However owners of the properties pointed out that even though they handed well built houses to the military, what they received from the security forces is only bare land or ruins.

"My house was occupied by military for over twenty years without paying any rent," one landlord told BBC. Another owner told that military paid him a mere 500 rupees for renting his house while he had to pay 5000 rupees as rent.

"No big deal"

Speaking to BBC Sandeshaya, military spokesman Major General Ubhaya Medawela said the military has returned properties in their original condition.

"If property owners have any issues regarding their properties they can be raised with the civil coordination officers or public officials" he pointed out.

Rejecting civilian claims that properties were returned in bad condition the military spokesman said, "if the houses were returned in a condition worse than they were obtained by the military, owners should inform the military and getting them back in shape is no big deal."

© BBC Sinhala

Read More

Summary only