Freedom of Press (Internet)- PRESS NET- in Sri Lanka

Daily Mirror Poll revoked
We wish to inform our viewers that the poll that was carried by Daily Mirror on the Eastern PC Polls has been revoked due to the malpractices carried out by a few
so called 'hackers'. The results of the poll during the last couple of hours have drastically changed and therefore the poll has been officially cancelled and the validity of
its last outcome is not reliable or true.

Lanka Dissent hacked & disrupted
[2008-05-16 6.00pm]
The 'Lanka Dissent' news website has been experiencing technical disruptions since this morning (May 16th), which we believe is a clear political attempt at silencing our dissenting voice against biased reporting.
The LD editorial requests the freethinking public to consider this as yet another instance of grave violations of media freedom.
Since the inception, our website has been facing threats from the government and other war mongering factions.
After failing in their attempts, they have now resorted to technically disrupt the LD website.
The Defence Ministry recently set up an electronic media observation unit at a building adjacent to Standard Chartered Bank in front of the President's House in Colombo to monitor websites reporting on the situation in Sri Lanka.
LD learns through reliable sources that this particular unit staffed with electronic and IT experts, is experimenting on how to disrupt websites.
In a letter to Free Media Movement Convener, Sunanda Deshapriya today, Chief Editor of LD Indika Gamage calls for speedy intervention in this matter.
Following is the full text of the letter:
16th May, 2008
Sunanda DeshapriyaConvenorFree Media MovementColombo,
Media bashing extended to Sri Lankan Online News Sites
We wish to bring to your notice for immediate intervention, the new trend that is silently but swiftly developing in the Sri Lankan media.
During the past few years, we were witnessing the bashing up of the print and the electronic media, where the journalists were physically targeted. Some had to pay the price with their lives, some with brutal assualts and injuries and some with numerous threats to life. As we all know, over the past few years this has compelled media institutes to be very cautious in how they present news and views in their publications and broadcasts. With veiled threats in the air, most media personnel were forced to get into a “safe mode”.
This suppressive atmosphere paved the way for Online publishing and especially during last year, there was an increased traffic of Sri Lankan news in the internet, focusing both the local and the Diasporic reader. Most internet tracking engines indicate that Sri Lankan news websites have over 60% local hits at an average daily. Thus Online publishing has also attracted the attention of the authorities since of late.
1. The arrest of journalist J.S. Tissanayagam who was in the process of developing a news web site “Outreach” along with 04 others, perhaps was the beginning.
2. Hacking of the “Opinion poll” for the Eastern PC elections conducted by the Daily Mirror Online edition on the day before the elections, compelled the DM Editorial to go on record publicly to say they are removing the ‘opinion poll’ due to hacking.
3. Nilantha Ilangamuwa, the Sri Lankan editor of the “Sri Lanka Guardian” website came under severe attack through the infamous “Asia Tribune” with insinuations that he is a R&AW agent bent in undermin ing the soveriegnity of the country and thus provided justification he claims for hate mail on hacked / forged e-mails.
4. Editorial e-mails of ‘The Island’ newspaper have been also hacked, claims the online edition of ‘The Island, apart from hacking some of their online newspaper features.
It is in this background that we view, the latest hacking of the e-mail used by “lankadissent” news website that had been used to insult and threat Sri Lanka Guardian Editor Ilangamuwa and Sri Lankan news portal “Infolanka” administrator. We were experiencing strange intrusions into our mail from around 06th when all our mail in the “inbox” were deleted. By now even the “password” has been hacked and has therefore compelled us to move into more secure modes in internet communication.
We wish to stress that this cannot be a ‘lone hacker’ enjoying his/her exploits. We have reason to believe this is an attempt in blocking local news going out into the local and the international community. This is an attempt at suppressing the remaining independent part of the Sri Lankan media and thus a serious infringement on the right for information and expression. Perhaps the beginning of official hacking in suppressing total dissemination of information.
We would therefore wish you would take this issue in its most serious manner and urgently too.
Indika GamageChief Editorwww.lankadissent.com

Last modified on: 5/4/2008 11:36:47 AM
Mr. Athas, it is the truth that you rape - Reportage most foul on the Muhamalai battle
Mr. Athas, the "defence" correspondent for various international and local media has again laid bare the role he has been playing so feverishly in the terrorist
propaganda machine. His item headlined "Aftermath of Muhamalai" published in The Sunday Times on 27th of April, shows his great skill in misleading the public,
desire to demoralize troops, and the need to give propaganda mileage to the terrorists.
In his article he says, "the Truth is the first casualty in Sri Lanka"; yet, in our view it is the truth that he regularly rapes for the journalistic treachery he is engaged in.
We stand by this position with good grounds and urge those reputed news agencies to be cautious of the falsehoods spread by this "defence" correspondent,
analyzing the battlefront from the armchair at his home front or the bar rooms of his gossip front.
Since defence.lk has already published a detailed description of how the battle had unfolded at Muhamalai and on the underpinning strategy of the army's course of
action, we do not intend to repeat the same. However, Mr. Athas in his so-called SITREP gives a different account of the events to imply that the Defence Ministry
had lied to the public on the reality of the battlefront. According to his propositions, the Sri Lanka Army had suffered a great military debacle, mainly due to poor
planning and leaking out of military secrets. Also, his report though lacking in any substantial figures, attempts to show that it had given the lie to the casualty figures
and damages reported by defence authorities.
Propaganda or psychological operations when it comes to the strict military terms, is a part and parcel of military strategy. Professional journalism however should be
free from such propaganda elements and stick to the details without being biased or trying to hide information from the public. If Mr. Athas is in fact a defence
correspondent knowledgeable on the subject, he should have reported what the sources told him rather than manipulating the information to give a misleading picture
to suit his own agenda. In reality of course, no such absolutely free or unbiased media exists, as the work of the media person is always influenced by his personal
values and the requirements of the media institution he or she works for. However, Mr. Athas's work is far beyond an acceptable level of bias stemming from such
unavoidable factors and can be identified more with propaganda than true journalism.
Propaganda is not essentially a wicked operation. It is an attempt to persuade persons to accept a certain point of view and or to take action as desired by the
propagandist. For instance, defence.lk being a state run website always sticks to the official versions of the battlefronts and does not report what LTTE says, unless
there is a need for response on the part of the government. Unlike some independent journalists, government media has to act responsibly towards the government
which in turn represents the people's interests and, therefore, cannot go on publishing whatever crap, just to earn another penny. Thus, as responsible media elements
we are obviously supportive of the soldiers and not the terrorists, and do everything to keep their morale high. This is the absolute truth that we do not deny.
However, the guiding principle of our work is that "the truth is the best propaganda". This is the policy of most reputed news organizations of the world, too.
For "defence" correspondent or analyst like Mr. Athas, it is perfectly all right to report the government's and LTTE's versions of any event. However, reporting
falsehoods, citing undeclared or imaginative sources is certainly unacceptable, especially when the issue is about national security. It should be noted that it is with
regard to the following facts and not for anything personal that we denounce the latest report of Mr. Athas:
Firstly, Mr. Athas makes a ridiculous argument that security forces commanders had divulged to the enemy some "secret" information about a planned operation
during a media visit. He says those "Army officers in the peninsula gave the visiting media a detailed briefing of the ground realities" and "Their accounts made it
unequivocally clear that the Army proposed to open a new front". Then he goes on explaining his own description of the Wanni front, showing nothing but his lack of
knowledge on the ground realities. Thus, if Mr. Athas is correct, troops had tried to open a new front at Muhamalai and military "media experts" had jeopardized the
military operation by giving the information to the enemy before hand. At least that was what Mr. Athas wants his readers to believe.
We honestly do not know when Mr. Athas last visited Muhamalai, or whatever other battlefront that he explains. However, his flamboyant description of Muhamalai
terrain is obviously exciting and shows he has some knowledge of general conditions of the area. Yet, what he does not seem to know is where the two FDLs lie and
that the battle has been on at the Muhamalai front for months. Troops have been engaging LTTE bunkers on 3 frontiers, i.e. Muhamalai, Kilaly and Nagarkovil in the
Jaffna theatre of battle and defence.lk has been publishing summaries of all situation reports received from these fronts almost everyday. Also, Mr. Athas seems to be
unaware that the distance between the two FDLs is just about 700m to 1km so that the two sides can actually witness activities on each other with the naked eye at
daytime.
As Mr. Athas had rightly suggested in his article the attack was well connected to the intelligence reports that the terrorists were preparing for another attempt at
Jaffna FDL. Though it is quite intriguing how Mr. Athas has lured security forces personnel to give him information on secret intelligence reports. We have to say that
the person or persons who commit this crime whilst being paid by the public to stay loyal to the government, seems to have failed to do their job well for Mr. Athas.
What he had failed to find out was that most of the intelligence reports on a possible attack were based on field observations rather than any other source.
Thus, there is no basis for Mr. Athas's argument that the army was preparing to open a new front because it has been already opened, and there is very little secrecy
that either party can keep with regard to the battle preparations in this particular terrain. Though, Mr. Athas uses the term "guerrilla" to avoid calling the LTTE a
terrorist group; the term itself is wrong in the issue at hand because whatever battle that happens here is so overt and almost conventional.
The second point Mr. Athas uses to discredit the defence authorities is by confusing the readers with deliberately distorted information on how the battle was
conducted. He says if one is to accept the official version as correct, the terrorists must have launched a surprise attack, and if so there had been a serious lapse in the
army defences which had caused the death for some 47 soldiers. Then, he again shows his understandable anger towards the people in the military media units by
trying to connect that "lapse" with the media tour facilitated by them. Thereafter, he goes on a different version quoting some "officers and men" lured by him to give
away information, may be for some personal gain, that the Muhamalai battle was actually an offensive but not a counter offensive. If that version is correct, troops had
been ensnared by the terrorists by a feigned withdrawal and then taken by surprise. Whatever the version may be, Mr. Athas's aim is the same; to show the battle as
a great military debacle caused by the incompetence of defence authorities.
If one goes through the defence.lk debrief of the whole episode, he/she would understand how Mr. Athas has distorted the information. First of all, it should be
understood that unless for well-prepared and alert troops the terrorist would have breached the army first line of defence. It is of course the formidable nature of the
army defence that halted the attacking terrorists in the middle of the night and not any lapse in defences. None of the soldiers had died in this initial attack as claimed
by Mr. Athas but they found six bodies of LTTE cadres while on the track of the enemy. However, the operation was not of course limited to absolute defensive
action. It was soon turned into a counter offensive as we mentioned very openly in our debrief. It was a tactical decision taken on the prevailing ground conditions but
keeping well aligned with the army's overall strategy to defeat terrorism.
As Army Commander has mentioned several times, the army's strategy is aimed at eliminating the terrorist outfit than in a land grabbing operation. Thus, the tactical
commanders in the area had seen a possibility of inflicting a huge damage to the enemy who had come with their best fighting cadres, and taken the initiative to march
forward with the retreating enemy. It should be noted that marching to the enemy defence is not an unusual thing for the soldiers, as each and every LTTE bunker
reported to have been destroyed so far in the Jaffna theatre was possible only after such venture.
On the other hand, the operation cannot be compared with a major thrust in anyway, as attempted by Mr. Athas. Not a single battle tank was used in this operation.
It was the infantrymen who moved in to the terrorists' first line of defence with the support of artillery fire. Many soldiers were killed while fighting face to face with the
enemy before the capture of the LTTE's first line of defence but not because they were taken by surprise while marching forward. A large majority of the soldiers
were killed due to LTTE heavy artillery and mortar fire whilst trying to hold the captured LTTE defence. All those facts were given to the public without any
censorship.
The decision taken by the ground commanders may not be the most brilliant military decision in the world. Naval and Air support would have been very useful indeed,
but the opportunity perceived by the ground commanders at that moment might not have permitted a complicated joint operation. Also, it is obviously unfair to say
that the soldiers died in vain. They obviously achieved their mission by giving a fatal blow to the terrorist outfit. Not only some 160 of the LTTE's best fighting cadres
were killed, but the army could also push forward its defences. This was much evident by the LTTE's desperate attempts to hide its own casualties and to show its
defeat as a victory. This is why the LTTE has made another abortive air strike, carried out a civilian massacre and possibly used people like Mr. Athas to write a
heavily wired story like this.
Thirdly, Mr. Athas, as usual, does not forget to touch his most favourite aspect of writing, which is to enrapture on deaths and casualties of soldiers. Though he does
take great care to not give an exact death figure, he makes many hyperbolic statements to show that hundreds of soldiers have perished in what he called a "serious
military debacle". Cunningly, mingling his own statements with those made by the controversial NGO, the Free Media Movement (FMM), he tried to show that the
government had extenuated its own damages. Commenting on the FMM protest over the government's decision to prevent cameramen entering hospitals, Mr. Athas
says "it is highly likely that these measures have been taken after heavy losses (numbering in the hundreds) faced by the Sri Lankan Army earlier this week after
fighting intensified in the North". Obviously, this decision was taken in good faith to prevent people with sinister motives like Mr. Athas using them for propaganda
campaigns. It is still too early to forget how Mr. Athas used photographs of Anuradhapura airbase to mislead the public.
If Mr. Athas wants the latest death toll of soldiers on Muhamalai battle, it has settled at 91 at the time of writing this. This includes the number of bodies handed over
by ICRC and those soldiers who succumbed to their injuries after admission to the hospital. We have already given the number of casualties that even exceeds the
number given by Mr. Athas. The number of missing soldiers at present is 3. To be realistic, there is a great possibility that these soldiers too had died and their bodies
must have been destroyed due to artillery shells.
The plot thickens, as Mr. Athas says, "there were reports from Kilinochchi that an unknown number of soldiers were taken as prisoners". However, the intriguing fact
is that his informants in Kilinochchi had not been frank enough for Mr. Athas to declare the LTTE casualties. He simply says, "the LTTE remained silent over their
casualties". It is unfortunate that quality and unbiased journalism of Mr. Athas comes to the surface only when he talks about LTTE. Also, his " officers and men" in
the armed forces who do espionage for him seemed to have failed to inform about the radio monitoring reports of LTTE casualties obtained by electronic warfare
cells. Or else, he might have opted to remain silent on them. Whatever it is, we would like to call any organization that takes Mr. Athas's service to verify the army
casualty figures and radio monitoring with us so that we will prove that no detail has been withheld.
Finally, we would like to recall our readers, that real battle is neither like a game of cricket that can be given live and in detailed coverage nor is it like a trailer of a box
office film as claimed by Mr. Athas. The situation is utterly confusing that no accurate detail can be given until the battle itself ends. This is the same reason why
defence.lk initially reported the Muhamalai incident as an offensive. The first report that we received at 6.30 a.m was that the troops had captured the LTTE's first line
of defence. It is only minutes after we had posted the news that we received information that it was a counter offensive. We would try our best to give our viewers the
correct and the fasted coverage of battlefield incidents as they unfold. However, a comprehensive report can be possible only after debrief is given. Also, it is not
advisable to give live updates of a battlefield situation on all occasions. Real-time damage reports are vital for the damaging party to know the accuracy of their
attacks.
To understand the strategy behind this operation one has to read the elucidatory explanation given by the commander of the Army. Tzun Zu, the ancient war expert
has said, "While we have heard of stupid haste of war, we have never seen a clever operation that was prolonged. History has shown that there has never been a
country benefiting from prolonged warfare".
Thus, people like Mr. Athas who make money out of war would definitely hate to see an end to it. He would continue to attack the institutions and people behind
successful military operations and try to bring discredit on them. Such treachery, if allowed to be continued for long, can seriously reduce the morale of the troops,
their confidence over their commanders, and the much-needed public support to the government at war. This is what Mr. Athas has dedicated his life for. If anyone
needs to know about a truly successful propagandist, one has to study Mr. Athas's work. The subtle way he gains acceptance for his work is truly remarkable. Whilst
talking about a great loss to the soldiers at the hands of his "guerrillas", Mr. Athas does not forget to provide lip service to troops saying that the troops were fighting
"valiantly", they were making "sacrifices to the motherland", and etc. Still when the blood of the innocent is wet at Piliyandala, murdered by Mr. Athas's guerrillas, he
subtly turns the public anger towards the government whilst purging the terrorists of guilt. What's more, he then strengthens the LTTE's motive for the heinous crime,
i.e. to instil fear psychosis among the public; by announcing loudly "the guerrillas have opened new fronts in the Central Province". The End of the World would come
for the Sri Lankans if they ever try to defeat the terrorists, is the message that Mr. Athas wants to convey.
Talking about the military debacles, one does not have to go far beyond in the short history of Sri Lanka's war against terrorism. What had happened in Mullaithivu,
Pooneryn, Elephant Pass, and Mankulam are just few of the bitter experiences owing to the land grabbing strategy used against terrorism. One should not forget that
it was the successive governments that had allowed the small group of insurgents to evolve into the most dangerous terrorists outfit in the world, barely with in 30
years. Also, it would not be difficult for all discernible people in Sri Lanka to understand that terrorists have suffered unprecedented defeats under the present
administration. This is why present military leaders have become the bete noir of those who support terrorism, who are hell bent to discredit on them by whatever
possible means.
On the other hand, if a terror outfit like LTTE has been allowed to evolve in to the present level, one cannot expect a war against them to be a bed of roses. The
soldiers have to fight with the deadly enemy but with less space and freedom to operate. This obviously requires commitment, courage, confidence and selfless
sacrifice on the part of the soldiers. Thus, if one wants the soldiers to be defeated at the battle, the best way to do this to break their discipline. People like Mr. Athas
who try to plague the forces with disloyalty, suspicions, disobedience, rumours, etc are those who are skilled in this.
Therefore, defence.lk vehemently denounces Mr. Athas's reportage on the Muhamalai battle over the figurative meanings it has, malicious connotation, and the
overtones of bias and partial or complete falsity which are attached to it. We consider his work as seriously offending to the soldiers who are fighting valiantly at the
battlefront, as well as to the people who supports them at heart.
Obviously, neither giving away of honest information nor ballyhoo will substitute for solid performance. Defence.lk assures its viewers that this reality has been well
understood by the soldiers and their commanders at the battlefront unlike home front defence analyst. The ultimate aim is to rid the country of the scourge of terrorism
and to make her a better place for the future generations. What soldiers need at this moment is for all law abiding people in this country to share this vision.