Journalism and bringing ethnic harmony in Sri Lanka
Fair comment and objectivity in Journalism:
by K. S. Sivakumaran
Let me talk about something we all Journalists know. But first I wish to reiterate certain principles. May I quote from some experienced journalists abroad.
Since I started working with The Island in the 1980s (I was there for about 10 years, I have had the opportunity of reading every editorial of the paper. The senior editors I worked with were Vijitha Yapa, Gamini Weerakoon, and Ajith Samaranayake. They were excellent editors and their editorials were objective although the stance they took at times might not have been to my liking. On a few occasions, during Vijitha Yapa’s editorship, yours truly, too, wrote a couple of editorials of the paper in the capacity of a senior journalist.
The present editor of The Island, Prabath Sahabandu though relatively young invariably writes fine editorials based on justice, righteousness, objectivity and logical reasoning. This is not my estimate alone, but the opinion of many readers who have expressed their views in print. As a freelancer now I continue to write to The Island, The Daily News, The Daily Mirror and The Nation, apart from writing to Thamil newspapers like the Thinakutal, Thinakaran, and Virakesari.
[A Newsstand in Minuwangoda, Sri Lanka, Picture by Dennis S. Hurd, New Westminster, BC, Canada]
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In discussing the subject “Editor and the Law”, Bruce Westley in his book ‘News Editing’ presents a checklist of elements in the defence of a fair comment. Here they are for our interested readers:
01. Fair comment applies only where the subject of criticism is a matter of public interest or concern; it deals only with matters that invite public attention and tend to seek public approval.
02. The comment must be an intellectual appraisal or evaluation. Not for instance, the pretext for a personal attack.
03. It must be stated as Opinion
04. It must be the result of an honest opinion.
05. It must have a basis in fact.
06. It must be free from the imputation of corrupt or sordid motives.
07. It must be free of actual malice
What it all says is that “to be fair, it must not be malicious, must be an opinion stated as such, and it must have a basis of fact”
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Let me now quote from E Frank Candlin. This what he says:
“Everyone including the journalist writing for a newspaper or magazine has the right to make fair comment on matters of public interest even though this comment may involve defamatory statements about individuals or groups provided the opinion is honestly held by the writer. By ‘matters of public interest’, it is meant all those activities which are carried on in public and which concern their interests or invite their attention…”
The same author also says that “infringement of copyright does not apply to any fair dealing with the work by way of review, criticism or newspaper summary”
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Let me quote from another source - Harold Evans, a former editor of London Sunday Times:
“It is my basic submission that newspapers have effects at two reciprocal levels on ethnic tension. By the information they select and display and the opinions they present, they have effects at ground level on the creation of stereotypes and the stimulation to behaviour.
“Because of the volatility of the subject, they also have swift effect at government level on the creation of policy. The Press must first recognise that what it prints or broadcasts about ethnic groups can directly affect ethnic tension.
“Any organisation not in league with the devil, which makes this first positive recognition, must recognise the government which follows. It must have a positive policy to avoids unnecessary damage”
The Thamil Press
On the subject we are talking about, I thought it would be fitting to quote from a former editor of a Lankan Thamil newspaper–the Virakesari. The editor’s name is A Sivanesaselvan. I happened to be an associate editor of that paper in the 1990s for a short time. Due to my dissatisfaction with the editorial setup at that time, I discreetly resigned from the paper and was asked to take up the position of the pioneer editor in chief of a weekly paper called Navamani. I am no more there and the paper continues to be published.
I quote A Sivanesaselvan’s article purely to give information on the Thamil press in Lanka. Here are some gleanings:
“The first newspaper that was published in Sri Lanka in any language was the Morning Star (Udaya Tharakai) – a bilingual fortnightly” published in Yaalpaanam. The American Missionaries in Manipai founded the first printing press in 1834.
Simon Casie Chetty started Uthaya Aathithan in Colombo in 1841. Thirteen issues were published. The Catholic Church in 1864 published Ceylon Watchman and the Ceylon Patriot. The first Hindu paper was Ilankai Neasan published by H M Sinnathamby in 1877. There was another Hindu paper Rising Star in 1880. The first Muslim paper was supposed to be Puthinalangari published by Wapiccchi Marikar and Naina Marikar. Muslim Nation published from Mahanuwara or Senkadagala in 1882 was edited by Siddhi Lebbe. Some say that he was the first novelist in Thamil.
A S says “that there were several other publications in the last quarter of the 19tgh century and early 20th century”
The first editor of the Virakesari started in 1930 was Subramaniam Chettiar from Thamilnadu. N Ponniah Pillai started a paper called Eelakesari in Yalpanam. The Thinakaran began publication in 1931. In 1960 another regional paper called Eelanadu started publication in Yalpanam. Murasoli, Udhayan, Eelamurasu and Eelanatham were other regional publications from Yaalpaanam. Except for Udhayan, other papers have ceased publication.
A S has conveniently ignored publications in the East! I must thank A S however, for providing us with information on early Thamil press.
At present we have four influential dailies published from Colombo. They are: Virakesari, Thinakutal, Thinakaran, Sudar Oli and Metro. These papers have their Sunday editions too. In Yalpanam there is Udhayan and Thinakutal - a Yaalpaanam oriented edition with a different staff. In Maddakkappu too there seems to be a few regional papers; but I haven’t seen them or read them.
My only regret is that the Colombo press in Sinhala and English pay little attention to the suffering of the people in the north and east and focus only on the battlefront. There is free comment but not much of facts as far as the Thamil-speaking people of the country are concerned.
The Sinhala and English press in this country can truly be productive in bringing ethnic harmony if only they could move a little away from the mono -ethnic stance.
Contact: sivakumaranks@yahoo.com
P. Shantikumar, London :
October 13, 2007 @ 2:34 pm
K.S. Sivakumaran, in his aptly titled ‘Fair Comment and Objectivity in Journalism’, appropriately concluded, that his only regret is that the Colombo press in Sinhala and English pay little attention to the suffering of the people in the north and east and focus only on the battlefront.
He further said that the Sinhala and English press in this country can truly be productive in bring ethnic harmony if only they could move little away from mono-ethnic stance. Nothing could be further from the truth!
What I like to add is that if you want to change attitudes, you need to change the use of the language and metaphors. This as far as I can tell is the only way for Sri Lanka to free itself from old inertia and create and sustain a new climate to bring peace to that lovely little island. Dismissing the LTTE as terrorists and the Tamils’ claim to sovereignty as ludicrous is the wrong way to go about it. The war rhetoric, which is overwhelming under Rajapakse should be toned down substantially. It is insensitive to celebrate war victories in the manner it had happened and claim that government is keen to address the grievances and aspirations of the Tamils is simply humbug.
The entire Sri Lanka politics is on revolving around just one issue: What really is happening the Rajapakse regime has taken the Right of Self-determination of the Tamils and turned it around by unfair and brutal military means into installing Rajapakse dynasty. The helpless, but scholarly UNP and Opposition Leader, the leader of the Grand Old Party, and of course the leader of the party with highest percentage of national polls is out of his wits and thereby out of his mind – he could only do political somersaults, thereby damaging his reputation nationally and internationally. Whatever happened ‘rajayogaya’, I wonder.
The article that appeared in the TransCurrents entitle ‘One step forward and two step back’, by Pradeep Peiris and Anupama M. Ranawana is a good example where a honest attempt was made to identify the political dynamic that consistently trips all Sinhala politicians, regardless of their hue, when it comes to offering a political solution to address the grievances of the Tamils and meet their aspirations.
The JVP is obviously presumptuous when it comes offering political solutions to the Tamils. What Pradeep Peiris and Anupama M. Ranawana, identified as extremism, is what I would associate with the JVP. It is much more than extremism, but we will settle for the extremist label for now. The havoc the JVP wreaks in the southern polity is far more serious than Tamil nationalism. To get some idea, you only have read the Island’s editorials of yesterday and the day before. In typically, Island-style, in one of them it recommends trades union leaders and their errant counterparts in politics shold be publicly pizzle-whipped in the Galle Face Green. And, in the other of course is the recommendation of pillorying the student rioters at Peradeniya University be pilloried in Bogambara. I couldn’t agree with the island more. Both instances, if memory serves, were JVP inspired.
When it comes to Tamil issues JVP should mind its own business: No to federalism; no to Tamil homeland; no Ceasefire Agreement; no to north and east merger; no to the opening of the A9. In general, no to any concessions to the Tamils, whatsoever. The JVP wants to keep the Tamil polity prisoner, like its Sinhala polity, except bomb, shell, murder, abduct and enforce disappearances for good measure (Martian style), for twenty-five years, fifty years or even one hundred years. It is only the Tamils; who gives a damn about them! Nice one Amarè!
I am very pleased that Sonali Samarasinghe kicked Lakshman Hulugalle’s teeth in with her stiletto, in last week’s editorial of the Morning Leader. Hulugalle obviously doesn’t know the difference between a ‘triator’ and a ‘patriot’. Lucky, doesn’t even know the difference between his arse and his elbow. Sonali, the Lioness, did maul Lucky, in true feline quadruped fury. She was absolutely right when she said that Hulugalle and the scoundrels around him had got the definitions of ‘traitors’ and ‘patriots’ the wrong way round. Obviously, there is much more the come, Sri Lankan style, for Lucky – certainly, there are two ears to be boxed in and a nosebleed for good measure – poser. Does he even know the difference between a cricketer and a woman?
I am also glad that the Daily Mirror reprimanded Basil Rajapakse for disrupting the proceeding of COPE and abusing the AG or his representatives. Whether the Mahaveli Development Authority (MDA) has the right to withhold information or not is a moot point. What matters is that progress of COPE should not ever be impeded. Now that we are all so dependent on the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice from education to the environment would the Chief Justice kindly intervene, not to mention Malaka’s serenading episodes by pistol-whipping, instead of strumming a guitar. It is a pity that Basil did not understand that. Instead, frustrated the attempts of one the finest of politicians in Sri Lanka today, Wijeydasa Rajapakse, MP, PC, etc,etc,etc, to get to the bottom of runaway corruption. Wijeydasa Rajapakse is a rare breed and has been described as a ‘knight in shining armour’ – I believe so too. Sri Lanka needs a lot more Wijeyadasas. Basil would do well to emulate Wijeyadasa Rajapakse!
And, finally, to many of my dearest cousins who are struggling very hard to break out this state of quagmire, I take my hat off and lend my unqualified support. It really is heart-rending to see resplendent Sri Lanka struggling so hard for so long for producing absolutely nothing or more to the point less than nothing.
R.S.Ganeshan Peterborough UK :
October 16, 2007 @ 4:27 pm
The right to freedom of speech is understood to be a general norm of customary international law.It is recognised in all major international treaties and is viewed as an essential element of democracy.
When I say freedom of speech, freedom of the press is equally vital element of democracy. But the right to freedom of speech is not an absolute one.There are restrictions; given the exigencies of the situation, set out in law and for reasons such as public order or morality.At the heart of democracy is the concept of accountability of elected representatives and the civil servants etc.
But in Sri Lanka today is the government accountable ?
The media comes in to expose when wrongdoing occur but is the media free? Is the judiciary in Sri Lanka unbiased?
K.S concludes saying what the Sinhalese and English press can possibly do to bring about ethnic harmony in the country. But before that
how can the Sinhala or English press ever play a positive role in the country when so many media persons have been killed whenever they took an independent stance and tried to expose corruption etc.etc. How many culprits were charged for the murder of journalists and proceedings intiated in court? Sri Lanka is a country where editors and journalist or their relatives and dependants are under threat by hoodlums with obscene phone calls and police harrassment on orders from government politicians.