Dictators or democrats, “truth becomes a revolutionary act” in Sri Lanka
by T. Earakan
Sri Lankans of several walks of life, from politicians to everyday readers have been ratcheting opinion on General Fonseka’s interview with The Sunday Leader, in several media outlets in the recent days. The remarks are mostly negative on the reported allegations by the General in the Sunday Newspaper, at least the ones being carried by prominent media organizations.
In the political front Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister, Mahinda Samarasinghe in various interviews continue to say that Gen. Sarath Fonseka’s recent statement to the Weekend newspaper has brought the country into disrepute. Several other government ministers, notably Minister of Export Development and International Trade Prof. G.L. Peiris and Cabinet spokesman Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa have been harping about common candidate Sarath Fonseka in various forums, over the Philip Alston query.
Yet the however small number of comments that have come across – in the form of “citizen journalism” – reader comments to articles on websites say significant number of Sri Lankans are out there deeply concerned about the reality and ramifications about the “bottomline” of the issue at hand regardless of political wrangling.
Case in point is Sri Lanka newspaper Daily Mirror online recently publishing several reader comments below its reporting on the aftermath of the letter to Amb. Kshenuka Senewiratne from Philip Alston, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions seeking clarifications on the alleged killing of the LTTE leaders.
While the comments moderated by the newspaper appear to show an overwhelming negativity towards the ex-General of Sri Lanka Army, there were at least three comments seeking “reason” and “upholding the true values” of the “silent majority” of Sri Lankans – as follows:
| * In a country of deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act. If heinous crimes have been committed on humanity it is time we hanged our head in shame and seek apology. We should rethink the character of our leaders whether they consist of the same human principles and observe the teachings of Lord Buddha. Only then will the Sinhala race shine and thrive otherwise it will be damned in the sins that we commit. – Posted By: spark
* Let us stop the ‘betrayal’, ‘Traitor’ Nonsense. As a true Buddhist, I am bit concerned and started to worry, if what this guy say is true. As I was thinking the Pro LTTE diaspora is making this claims and that was denied by our ministers. If this is true, then for god sake let the culprits face the music and they can’t rule my country at any cost. – Posted By: Nanayakara * Thank you very much SF mother Lanka is very proud of You – Posted By: Fayad |
While there are plenty of raucous against the Common candidate Sarath Fonseka in the print and national media, also being largely ignored is the fact this matter has been around since May 2009 when well-known British journalist Marie Colvin who herself played a role in trying to arrange for the safe surrender of LTTE leaders wrote an article in the Timed of UK then outlining some of the events.
