Journalism what independence do they have in Sri Lanka?

It is sad that in Sri Lanka there is no journalistic freedom or shall we say the only journalists who have the freedom are those who do not realize there is no freedom! So what they say is applauded with scarcely a murmur.

In my view the very sad tragedy of "the you are with us or you are a traitor" moniker has shut expression of those who want to be included are so apart from subtle innuendos of dissent, the largely vociferous opposition in the face of a complete breakdown in law and order in Sri Lanka is absent.

One must not forget that not only what is reported is self censorship, what is not said is also too. In a society where the level of crime has ballooned out of all proportion, no one dare bring out the statistics of abductions, this time purely and simply for ransom in the South of the country where as there are political based abductions and killings in the North and the East either with the knowledge or connivance of the forces as otherwise how would one explain serious crime in the midst of high security corridors.

What happens with this sort of censorship is that other journalists who are unaware of this then get into a false sense of the good and the bad, and then this is through their biased writings transform into people's thinking, and before you know it you have a brainwashed society completely oblivious to what is going on, and only when one becomes a victim of crime be it by a person or the state, does one look for help and find none.

With this insidious state of affairs, it is unlikely that criticism will be accepted, condoned or even believed with victims being in the minority who are directly affected, and so a majoritarian society raises its ugly head with all minorities who are suffering and by that I do not mean just a racial group, but all those who fall out of the mainstream being disadvantaged with no one willing or able to befriend or defend them.

This stand cannot last forever as in all cases good triumphs over evil, and though it is a matter of time for this to happen, the life cycle must necessarily take its course. I do hope however that these wrongs can be righted sooner rather than later, as justice must prevail over injustice. I am called an idealist often, but if I do not have some principles that I stick by and willing to defend them, what use am I in society, especially as one that goes with the flow is largely apathetic.

No war can be won until justice prevails, and it is merely a hollow victory where a battle of the guns is replaced with the battle of the lies and deception, and woe be the journalist who defends both as he has no conscience and does not realize it. He has become an unsuspecting apologist for the murderers, thieves, swindlers and bandits. Sadly most of our columnists fall into that category!!

Those whose blood curdles and fire burns in hate when they read this will know who they are


 LET US PRAY THAT OUR COUNTRY BE RID OF THE BAD AND THE ROGUES