News Wars
The lack of credible information from the battlefield is continuing to frustrate the Sri Lankan public. The attack on the Vavunia airbase for instance has left the public weary of the quality of information that eventually makes it to the south. Initially there was euphoria that a Tiger aircraft was shot down; but then the conflicting news about the aircraft as well as the rumours about the extent of the damage to the airbase soon turned the excitement into concern. Pro-LTTE websites insisted the attacks on the airbase caused significant damage including destroying the radar installations, anti-air defence systems and killed more than 20 members of the security forces. The government continued deny there was damage to the equipment but admitted to losing 10 soldiers. The government also insisted that the air force jets brought down a LTTE aircraft involved in the attack.
To the general public, there is no way to verify the claims from either side.
Defence.lk, the official website of the Ministry of Defence, provided photographs of dead bodies as proof of the effective counter-attack that repulsed the black tigers. But historically, the website has been used as a political propaganda tool to garner public support for its military campaign. This might explain why no photographs of the radar installation or the anti-air defence equipment was displayed on the site.
The pro-LTTE website Tamilnet on the other hand is known to exaggerate losses inflicted on the government and play down LTTE loses. Given that the Tamilnet, as is the LTTE, is kept afloat by the kindness of LTTE supporters - especially from the Tamil diaspora - the site is reluctant to publish any reports to indicate that the Tigers have suffered a defeat. They were quick to claim that all of the LTTE planes has returned to their bases and that the damage to the airbase is substantial. Bad news for the LTTE - such as an aircraft being shot down by the air force - will mean the monies contributed by the LTTE sympathisers (also supporters of TamilNet) would have squandered. This is not something LTTE (or the TamilNet) can afford to do given the recent heavy losses suffered by the LTTE at the hands of the Security Forces; which it self is incidentally proof that the information on TamilNet is inaccurate as TamilNet has never reported a LTTE loss in a single battle despite army having advanced all the way to suburbs of Kilinochchi.
With the heavy LTTE losses, Tamilnet has also cranked up its criticism of the government's right abuses; another point of contention where the government paints a whole different picture. TamilNet has squarely blamed the government for targetting civilians which the government has forcefully denied. The government on the other hand claims the LTTE is prohibiting civilians from leaving Tiger controlled areas and using them as human shields. The government has also charged that the LTTE of arming the elderly and underage children to fill up the ranks.
While there is no way to verify the actually situation or plight of civilians, to be fair to the government, non-government organizations (even AI) has agreed with the government's charges. But AI, HRW and other such organizations are - as a matter of policy - more interested in rights abuses carried out by governments rather than those carried out by rebels. True, the governments are signatories to treaties and international ratifications but is an abuse by another entity less serious?
Unfortunately, despite being blocked by the government, TamilNet is still one of the main sources of information about the security situation to people around the world. While government agencies are no more reliable it is worrying that the information on TamilNet is used by foreign governments and rights groups to make "informed" decisions. Until the government allows embedded journalists in the front lines, no one will probably know the real situation in the north. Meanwhile, the public, agencies and the international community can only use the information provided by pro-LTTE elements as well as the government to speculate the plight of the civilians caught up in the crossfire.
To the general public, there is no way to verify the claims from either side.
Defence.lk, the official website of the Ministry of Defence, provided photographs of dead bodies as proof of the effective counter-attack that repulsed the black tigers. But historically, the website has been used as a political propaganda tool to garner public support for its military campaign. This might explain why no photographs of the radar installation or the anti-air defence equipment was displayed on the site.
The pro-LTTE website Tamilnet on the other hand is known to exaggerate losses inflicted on the government and play down LTTE loses. Given that the Tamilnet, as is the LTTE, is kept afloat by the kindness of LTTE supporters - especially from the Tamil diaspora - the site is reluctant to publish any reports to indicate that the Tigers have suffered a defeat. They were quick to claim that all of the LTTE planes has returned to their bases and that the damage to the airbase is substantial. Bad news for the LTTE - such as an aircraft being shot down by the air force - will mean the monies contributed by the LTTE sympathisers (also supporters of TamilNet) would have squandered. This is not something LTTE (or the TamilNet) can afford to do given the recent heavy losses suffered by the LTTE at the hands of the Security Forces; which it self is incidentally proof that the information on TamilNet is inaccurate as TamilNet has never reported a LTTE loss in a single battle despite army having advanced all the way to suburbs of Kilinochchi.
With the heavy LTTE losses, Tamilnet has also cranked up its criticism of the government's right abuses; another point of contention where the government paints a whole different picture. TamilNet has squarely blamed the government for targetting civilians which the government has forcefully denied. The government on the other hand claims the LTTE is prohibiting civilians from leaving Tiger controlled areas and using them as human shields. The government has also charged that the LTTE of arming the elderly and underage children to fill up the ranks.
While there is no way to verify the actually situation or plight of civilians, to be fair to the government, non-government organizations (even AI) has agreed with the government's charges. But AI, HRW and other such organizations are - as a matter of policy - more interested in rights abuses carried out by governments rather than those carried out by rebels. True, the governments are signatories to treaties and international ratifications but is an abuse by another entity less serious?
Unfortunately, despite being blocked by the government, TamilNet is still one of the main sources of information about the security situation to people around the world. While government agencies are no more reliable it is worrying that the information on TamilNet is used by foreign governments and rights groups to make "informed" decisions. Until the government allows embedded journalists in the front lines, no one will probably know the real situation in the north. Meanwhile, the public, agencies and the international community can only use the information provided by pro-LTTE elements as well as the government to speculate the plight of the civilians caught up in the crossfire.
posted by Lanka at 9/11/2008 10:20:00 PM
3 Comments:
Good article. How do we find out what is really happening?
NO one will find out what really is happening, but the information from the MOD is probably much more accurate than Tamilnet, which has an agenda to raise funds by reducing the losses by the LTTE.
However, MOD should try and be more un-bias in their statements as well.
Maybe Lanka Watch can be a neutral site for all?
WOW, so true!
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