(Lanka-e-News- 02.Jan.2018, 9.25AM) President Maithripala Sirisena now turned executioner of media websites met with a group of website journalists on the 29 th of December 2017. The aim and objective of the meeting was to create a new breed of web journalists who are his henchmen and lickspittles ,after justifying his action taken to ban Lanka e news thereby kicking out unceremoniously and unlawfully the right to information of the people despite the fact that Lanka e news is a most popular website which is read by more than 2 million viewers within Sri Lanka .
This meeting was organized by Ferdinands the unofficial secretary of the media ministry and his group of stooges. Prior to the meeting the coordinating secretary to the president Shiral Lakthileke the NGO crook cum brief-less lawyer issued instructions to the participants that nothing should be spoken about Lanka e news and the participants abided by the instructions like zombies and dummies.
However there are a number of reputed websites that bitterly resented this deplorable attitude . Among those was the SL Guardian news website which in its editorial raised the issue of the controversial ban on Lanka e news . The editorial of Sri Lanka Guardian editor Nilantha Ilangamuwa under the caption ‘Lanka e news ban -Non writers murder writers’ is hereunder …:
Lanka e news website has been banned .Except the Lanka e news website which is carrying on an unstoppable struggle against the ban , apparently the response of the other websites to this ban is deplorably timid . When trying to understand this timidity ,it is evident the primary cause of this is , following the exacerbation of some internal conflict, after acutely politicizing the issue ,the political powers have been most intensely utilized.
The editor stands by the media profession via his Lanka e news reports. This is most praiseworthy as there hasn’t been an use of the cyber space for only financial gains on the sly ,or resorting to scurrilous publications. His is a rare laudable characteristic.
It is an unequivocal fact that Lanka e news website has always contributed immensely when whipping up public opinion , and is still doing that. During the decades of its unending struggle , it is visible there has been intense privatization. Similarly, it is visible the individuals who left the website are expressing views against it. Nevertheless it is clear amidst all those odds and obstacles, the editor is committed to carrying on the website unrelentingly and standing by the ideas he articulates through it.
When the mass media sphere is considered vis a vis the other sectors in the country , it is a most complex and distorted sphere. Within the so called modern media sphere that has surfaced in the country , there are those who survive on plagiarism by publishing articles of others; there is no innovative or investigative quality in that. This is an unfortunate scenario in the country.
In order to amplify on the fundamental cause , let us explain as follows :
When looking at most people whom we meet daily ,an attempt can be made to understand the fundamental cause.
Through the people whom we come into contact daily , an attempt can be made to understand the fundamental cause. By watching the activities of a professional skilled personnel on the sly, an individual who had not even dreamt of developing his professional skill ( a vagabond ) thinks he can also perform equally like the one engaged in the skilled profession and blabbers enthusiastically though emptily .He parades as though he knows everything while deceiving others. Thereafter he commits plunder on them somehow. Towards this he employs various methods. After resorting to all those evils , he tramples or chases away a skilled professional , and brings to the frontline of his fake drama a clever masquerader to play the role of which he is the director to accomplish his objectives. Having successfully reached his goal , he fastens the liabilities of his villainies on others to save his skin , oblivious of national interests even if the country is led into a holocaust . When looking back on the past several decades, it is these machinations and manipulations which led the society to utter devastation.
Robberies take place , but there are no robbers ; Rapes are committed and the victims are there , but no rapists; sins are committed but no sinners.
When considering the media amidst this society’s degeneration ,what had happened was : Non writers not only murdered the writers, but they even stood on the dead bodies of the murdered and drank sherbet.
In the backdrop of what is aforementioned , though many have complained against Lanka e news as regards the manner in which the media language has been used , its editor Sandaruwan Senadheera has accepted the responsibility in respect of the language used. If he is holding himself responsible for his creations , and standing by it , such statements must be treated as important and representing his strong standpoint .
The stance taken by Lanka e news pertaining to politics is well known to all. Challenges notwithstanding ,the editor expressed / expresses his views in concord and consonance with his political vision. If anybody is saying those did not make an impact among society , that is a hypocritical utterance , no more no less.
It is a strange quirk of cruel fate that those whom you steer forward is the one who hits you below your belt . That is most hurting. But that is the eternal truth in the political world. Through that practical experience and understanding gained amidst the ‘knock out’ punch , lifting oneself up is imperative.
A great fear has been created regarding Lanka e news in the country .That is, it is prone to extortions ; after publishing a report when it doesn’t get paid , it indulges in extortions ; and its agents line their pockets with millions of rupees and as far as possible ‘sell’ the name of the editor within the country . By mounting such grave charges against the website , inordinate fear has been instilled in the minds regarding the website. These are accusations mainly faced by news websites that are operating from a foreign base.
It is most paramount this is systematically resolved because the pressures that can be brought to bear by media Institutions like Lanka e news on future politics is tremendous.
It does not take much time for the soiled hand that gropes the private part to sever that part . SL’s political history had been that
An individual who deserves no respect forces another to accept that he is respectable ; an individual without honor forces another to accept him as honorable .Owing to this , the members of the society of this country have transformed into masqueraders hiding away from the true world, because of the treacheries committed exploiting power . Sadly , we are also without any sense of shame worshipping them for our own survival .
There is a prime fact that should be made known: One’s freedom can be safeguarded only to the extent one commits oneself to safeguard that of the neighbor. The ban imposed on Lanka e news is the primary challenge before those who are committed to protect mass media freedom , and the country.
It is the prime and paramount responsibility to cast aside the antagonism stemming from warped mentality and / or political differences , and come forward to extricate the friend and ally from the injustice and oppression he is facing.
At this juncture the primary popular novel, 'The First Teacher' that is taught as a lesson in life by a good teacher is most relevant…
‘I do not know whether I have the strength to display the human emotions and expectations which are subject to diverse fates linked with the difficult lives full of struggles? Do I have the strength to pool together all these and display it? It is not my desire to only impart my ideas , rather it is to make you join with me and become a part of the innovative art’ ( The First Teacher -Chinghiz Aitmatov)
If the writers are to rally together against the non writers who murder the writers , they must make a concerted effort and organize themselves to ensure and safeguard their professional freedom, rights and skills.
Becoming a writer of dignity and skill is not easy. It is rarely such writers spring up among us. It is the duty of the society as a whole to save and safeguard such a writer when he is alive rather than wait until he is dead to idly gossip and talk about him .
We hereby record our bitter opposition to the ban imposed on Lanka e news
Translated by Jeff
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by (2018-01-02 03:55:04)
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