Sinhalese Sri Lankans are so relieved their war is over that most appear blinded by patriotism, drunk on victory and deaf to the clamour from outside their island for investigations into possible war crimes.
The country’s pliant media speak with one voice, exhorting their loyal compatriots to celebrate this great triumph over terror.
But the only terror I saw there was in the eyes of vanquished Tamils. Those I met were terrified in case they were caught talking to us, constantly looking over their shoulders. A Tamil journalist pulled out of a meeting claiming he’d be killed were he caught.
And there was fear in the eyes of the handful of ethnic Sinhalese “traitorous” enough to question what they describe as an orgy of militant Sinhalese chauvinism. “Traitors” are what dissenters are branded in President Mahinda Rajapakse’s triumphalist brave new world, in which the press are compliant and the Buddhist monkhood complicit.
Working covertly in Sri Lanka, I saw first hand what military victory over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam means to ordinary Tamil civilians, of whom there are more than two million on the island. A ruthless rebel movement – that never shrank from murdering civilians itself – has been defeated, but the Tamil people of Sri Lanka have also been crushed.
They are rudderless, paranoid, beaten and broken – and Sinhalese people and Tamils I interviewed confirmed this impression. Hopes of self-determination dashed, the Tamil minority have been left in no doubt about who’s in charge on the island.
And this, despite President Rajapakse’s assurances that they’d have equal rights. In his “victory speech” in parliament, he even spoke in the Tamil language and promised to take personal responsibility for protecting them. “Our heroic forces,” he said, “have sacrificed their lives to protect Tamil civilians.”
There’s no room for misty-eyed liberation mythology here: the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam were a vicious organisation, whose suicide bombs, assassinations and training of child soldiers were funded by extortion rackets among the Tamil diasporas worldwide. Listed as a terrorist group in 32 countries, they never hesitated to blow up or gun down civilians themselves. Even Buddhist monks and young novices.
There’s euphoria among the Sinhalese majority – it’s as though the pressure cooker lid’s been blown off. But Tamil civilians have been forced to pay a terrible price for Rajapakse’s great victory.
Now the civil war is over, Sri Lanka is busy touting itself as an international tourist nirvana again, with its “white sandy beaches, lush greenery, amazing wildlife and rich heritage. “The warm and friendly smiles of the people await you in the Isle of Sri Lanka.”
But tourists see a veneer of beauty and bravado. A capital city buzzing on the adrenaline of victory. There’s the normal stuff: the traffic jams, shopping malls, markets and streets festooned with banners and bunting. And then there are the billboards – everywhere glorifying the heroes who sacrificed their blood for the motherland and the sixty-foot high cardboard cut-out of the triumphant president. There are soldiers at checkpoints with fingers on triggers and a lurking fear that revenge could yet come.
A businessman on the plane back to Europe tried to persuade me that everything’s normal and that foreign journalists had got it all wrong. But it is not normal in Sri Lanka. Especially if you are a Tamil. And there are many things that the government does not want the tourists – or journalists – to see.
There’s a beautiful old name for this island: Serendip, from which the English word “serendipity” derives. Its meaning: “the lucky tendency to happen across desirable discoveries by chance.”
My dictionary lists no antonym for serendipity. But as the fog of war slowly lifts, the rulers of modern day Serendip might be advised to brace themselves. Slowly but surely, a suspicious world is developing what, for them, is the unlucky tendency of making undesirable discoveries.
Commentsoldest first
Talk about one-sided journalism. Your report is a sick joke. “we heard of beatings” anonymous comments and let’s face it almost all Tamils that you talked to are most likely Tamil tiger sympathisers if not actual members.
Jonathan Miller is obviously still hurting from Ch4 news crews having been uncerimoniously chucked out of Sri Lanka. This desparate attempt to keep alive the ridiculous claims of ‘ war crimes & genocide’ are no longer taken seriously by ANYONE! The film footage was so old, we all saw it BEFORE the final stages of the battle, his so called ‘reliable sources’ are so anonymous, they are unreal! Fr. Xavier who he claims to be a Sinhalese priest must be the ONLY man with that name to be a Sinhalese! Most of all, his claims that the amputees’ injuries are ALL caused by shelling of the Armed forces is ludicrous! Has he ever seen injuries caused by land mines, and the only land mines we know of were planted by the LTTE! Anyway, I dont think the Tamil people are STUPID even though JM may think they are a bunch of desperate village idiots – would they in their hundreds of thousands, be running AWAY from where the LTTE were, and TOWARDS the Security forces in order to seek safety, if they felt the LTTE were their SAVIOURS!! I think Channel 4 made themselves look quite stupid by giving that coverage to a totally incredible story. The GoSL has done what no other government has ever achieved, and quashed a bunch of despicable, cowardly Terrorists. Some innocent people may have been killed in the process and that we all regret. I am sure the British and Americans are as regretful about the hundreds and thousands of innocent civilians they killed in Iraq and more recently in Afganistan. Forget ‘War Crimes’ and start helping Sri Lanka to give the innocent and peaceful Tamil people in the Island to rebuild their lives, get back to their homes and live in the dignified and peaceful way that the LTTE prevented them from living for over 30 years.
If you look at statistics for him to pick just tamil tiger members and tamil tiger sympathisers in the south then the vast majority according to your argument supported the Tamil Tigers and therefore the Tamil Tigers are the sole representatives of the Tamil people
Do you really want to say that the LTTE are the Sole representatives of the tamil people
Chelvanygam was the founder of tamil nationalism and he all tamils supported him in the 1977 election supporting the Vaddokodai resolution may be a crime but it doesn’t make one a terrorist.
If the Sinhalese majority really care about the Tamils then why did they not keep the B-C and D-C pacts and why dod they force out the TULF iout of parliament in 1977. Why will you not accept what tamils asked for between 1948-1977 before the LTTE instead of believing that the Tamils are dying to be Sinhalese. Tamils for over 60 years want the Right to self determination yet the Sinhala people who ‘liberated’ tamils refuse this right because the know full well that Tamils if they got full freedom to express themselves will not opt for Sinhala oppression anymore that resulted in the creation of the LTTE. the priority of the Sinhala nation has been fully eradicate non believers from the Land that Buddha gave them.
How can you justify Liberation when Tamils are held in camps where under the LTTE there was no barb wire to hold them. They were able to live in their original villages before the Army shelled it.
Tamils Have a right to self determination lit by the Path of Solomon Chelvanyakam Q.C. in 1977.
Reply to : prethepan
How can you justify Liberation when Tamils are held in camps where under the LTTE there was no barb wire to hold them. They were able to live in their original villages before the Army shelled it.
* * Didn’t you see the final days LTTE didn’t have enough barb wire to close them up.. but they had enough ammunition to shoot them and kill fellow tamil members when they tried to flee from LTTE cluthes.
* * You all keybaord rebels. Do you know exactly how the poor tamil people suffered from the LTTE cluthches. Some upper class TAMILS Live in abroad really don’t care of the poor and they need only to separate the country.
* * You all Tamils. You can live in Sri Lanka peacefully with other people ,, you could be sinhala, tamil or muslim ..etc etc .. We will never devide this small beautiful country.. and Don’t let any foreign power to invade us. If you have not learnt a lesson yet .. give it a try. I promise you will regret it.
Jon – the only ’sick joke’ – is your statement “let’s face it almost all Tamils that you talked to are most likely Tamil tiger sympathisers if not actual members” – UM… I’m pretty sure that sounds like you are insinuating that ALL Tamils are tigers??? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU??
Do you not understand that Tamils equals civilians??
Why don’t YOU face the fact – That people will sympathise with the plight of Tamils in your country… THAT does NOT MEAN they are supporting the tigers!!! They are speaking out for the discrimination faced by Tamils in your racist country!!! People will sympathise with the Tamils – because ANYONE can see the racist chauvinistic attitude portrayed by the majority in your country and your comment is a perfect example!
Also, if you want to talk about ‘anonymous’ reports – I just have ONE thing to say. GRANT independent media unrestricted access to IDP camps so that they can speak freely to the ALL Tamils!
Lastly, If what you say is true and “almost all Tamils that you talked to are most likely Tamil tiger sympathisers / if not actual members” – I want to clear up 2 things.
1. So how do you propose to treat these ‘Tamil Tiger Sympathisers/if not actual members’, in the camps??”
2. It doesn’t make sense – so these ‘Tamil tiger sympathisers/if not actual members’ were supposedly fleeing from their own kind??? They were fleeing from the BRUTAL LTTE that kept them as human shield and these are the SAME people now criticising the government that saved them.. doesn’t make sense.
So let’s face it… you’re the sick joke!
If this is your attitude I worry about what will happen to the Tamils in Sri Lanka.
Wheressocialjustice GET A LIFE! you do have a big problem!
Reply to Ahmed:
What’s wrong Ahmed??? You don’t like people asking for the truth and asking for ‘just’ thinking? rather than one-sided propaganda.
Can you tell me exactly it is that I wrote that has got you all hot inside?? Point out something rather than attacking me personally. debate my statements..!! I dare you to!
I find it hillarious that a number of singhalese people will get on blogs and only present one sided views and ALWAYS talk about the LTTE to justify their own and the governments actions AND talk about terrorism – when the root cause of terrorist act was that commited by the singhalese and the government against the Tamils well before the LTTE was formed…!
Seriously – you need to talk with facts and talk about the subject. ‘Get a Life’ statement is a personal attack and just goes to show that you’re happy to ‘personally attack certain people and certain groups’ if they dare question YOUR status quo.
mmm.. I rest my case about the uncertain future of the Tamils in Sri Lanka who are outnumbered by people with attitute like yours who will forever supress their freedom for their own selfish needs!
reply to Wheressocialjustice :
this not a personal attack and you can put the hat on if you like but i will not stop writing what i want however much you say things….can you bring my brother back? if so i will be the happiest! i attack LTTE and i dont want to argue with people like you
Thank you for bring out the truth. Thank you for not being a by-stander. Thank you for being a just journalist.
continuing to knock the door channell4..not for a long time the truth can be hidden. its just a matter of time till the clock ticks back once again. the victory drunken sri lanka has to then answer..
I think the Sinhalese and the govenment are LOW LIFE…they are too scared to give the equal right to the TAMILS…they know that tamils are better in all the things…thats why they are trying to wipe them off the island….
I am really appalled by and angry about what the Sri Lankan government claims to be a official statement in response to your report on the massacre conducted by it against the Tamil civilians. The government has no sense of responsibility at all, which also reflects upon the ways in which most of government dp their own diplomatic business!! I am utterly speechless! How can I let my resentment over this out? ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
Thanks for channel 4, you done it again. You are the voice for suffering tamils in SL and showing to the world that in SriLanka war against TAMILSM (minority Tamils) not on Terrorism.
In SriLanka, war aginst TAMILSM(minority Tamils), not on Terrorism. Channel 4 you are the only voice for suffering Tamils in SL in the name of WarWithoutWitness.com. Thank you very much.
How is it that you can spin and repeat your old newsreels and make them look like there is genocide going on in Sri Lanka?
Where were your news reporters when the Belgrano was sunk ? did it not take you years to admit? .. and you have a prime minister that is going to conduct an investigation on ‘going to war’ in Iraq in camera, and you want to judge our conduct thorough your reporters ? Are you living in a real world? or do you think you still rule the colonies?
Perhaps your recession is so bad, that Jonathan Miller had to get out and stay in the sun. Good luck to him.. but dont take my country’s name in vain.
THe Srilankan Government are being stupid.
LTTE did not kill their own people it is obvious that they killed all those civilians. There os even ewvidence such as sattelite pictures to prove it. And why hasn’t the Srilankan Government started helping all the displaced civilians? Why are they celebrating like idiots instead of helping innocent people that they have killed? They are never going to hep them. They are just raping all the tamil women and killing everyone!
Jonathan and Channel 4
- –
What do you expect at the very last point of a war.. real war. The people who were caught in the fire.. Will the people wear ceremonial suits and come out from their limousines.
It was a bloody war started by the Tamils. Why do you always show this tyupe of BIASED news .I am totaly missing my faith on your channel.
About the Sri lanka’s issue I haven’t seen any unbiased article. Why do you always go undercover. The underworld people have always things to sell for money.
You never had the truth on this issue, I have millions of examples to show you wrong, but I can’t write them all. one last thing – I saw on the images you have showed children and adults without limbs.
Did you know that they have lost their limbs not becasue of the SHELLING from the army. It was for the small land mines buried by them (LTTE) or the LTTE forced Tamil labour .. They have Buried them by thousands and thousands. When they escaped from the cluthes of the LTTE they ran all the way for their life and lost their limbs.
Sri lankan army did a Humanitarian Rescue — why don’t you see it like that.
As most of the NGOs lived luxuriously on the misery of these poor tsmil people are you still trying to find ways to attract more audiance with your FALSE “True Stories” – Disgusted about you more and more… I am ready for a open debate with anyone ..
Where do I begin with your post??
1. If you’re losing faith in channel4 news – then you should switch to the one-sided journalism coming out of Sri Lanka. You should listen/watch news from a country that is renowned for their lack of media freedom and death, disappearance and torture to those who dare question the government. I think you’ll find this intimated and controlled journalism better for your ears and eyes.
2. Yes – the war was a bloody war and yes it may have been started by the LTTE… BUT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THE FIGHT FOR TAMIL FREEDOM WAS A PRODUCT OF YEARS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THE TAMILS BY THE MAJORITY. So, in effect you could say the war and root causes of the war was ACTUALLY started by the Sinhalese majority with the support of Buddhists.
3. You must be joker.. if you are naive to the fact that GOSL is a thuggish murderous government. How do you explain the ‘white van’ in SL? How do you explain the numerous attacks against journalists.. wait.. ‘journalists that happen to question the government’!! – and happy are those journalist who only report on government in a positive light ?? How do you explain the riots in the 80’s that drove many Tamils to exile? – YOU SHOULD LOOK AT THE FACTS BEFORE YOU START TALKING ABOUT WHO IS RIGHT AND WHO IS WRONG!
4. LTTE may be a terrorist organisation – BUT that does NOT give the right for a government to act the same way – so you sound like an idiot when you keep talking about the LTTE as a way to justify the wrong doings of the government. If you claims by your government are TRUE – then they should have given ‘unrestricted’ access to the war zone and hell – they CAN NOW GIVE UNRESTRICTED ACCESS – do you even wonder why they are hindering free access to civilians???? You only need to read the numerous reports on Sri Lanka to understand that numerous GOSL are full of lies and violence and a hindrance to real democracy in SL. STATE TERROR PROGATES SECTARIAN TERROR.
5. It’s people like you that are blinded by patriotism that FAIL to see and address the root causes of the situation, ethnic divide and war in Sri Lanka – it’s because of people like you who keep reporting about GOSL as if they are the greatest government that further alienates and gives rise to racism.
There is nothing wrong with this article – which is giving independent account of TRUE feelings in Sri Lanka – he’s giving us TRUE accounts. Is it not true that people like yourself are there to soak in triumphant celebrations? Is it not true that some people in Sri Lanka really care about the plight of the Tamil people and unfortunately those that speak out – are labelled ‘terrorist’ (if they are Tamil) AND ‘Tamil tiger sympathizers’ if they are not Tamil.
You should open your eyes and STOP talking about the LTTE. No one is saying that they are NOT a terrorist organisation. All people are trying to assert is that the GOSL is being really shifty and it’s a cause for concern. The chauvinistic attitude in Sri Lanka is a cause for concern for the Tamil minority.
Reply to June 18, 2009 Wheressocialjustice wrote:
Where do I begin with your post??
1. If you’re losing faith in channel4 news – then you should switch to the one-sided journalism coming out of Sri Lanka. You should listen/watch news from a country that is renowned for their lack of media freedom and death, disappearance and torture to those who dare question the government. I think you’ll find this intimated and controlled journalism better for your ears and eyes.
• When you have a war in your country do you allow the media or foreign journalists to spoil the news and situation. Controlled journalism is a must in a War situation. I am not in a better position to talk about the media in Sri lanka.
2. Yes – the war was a bloody war and yes it may have been started by the LTTE… BUT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THE FIGHT FOR TAMIL FREEDOM WAS A PRODUCT OF YEARS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THE TAMILS BY THE MAJORITY. So, in effect you could say the war and root causes of the war was ACTUALLY started by the Sinhalese majority with the support of Buddhists.
• Tell me another country on Earth where this Racial discrimination doesn’t exist. Do you know the Racial discrimination is the best “virus” where you can use the Minority ethnicities in the world. NOGs can live with it along with all the other 3 rd parties – including media … The very simple example of the discrimination you are talking about Sinhalese for Tamils. In the past 30 years how many Sinhalese lived in North and east? Your Tamils lived and still living among Sinhalese people (not one or two families ) They are hundreds and thousands some areas in Colombo (capital) there are only tamils. How can they live among Sinhalese anywhere in the country if Sinhalese are racists ? How do you explain that NO ONE SINHALESE lived in their areas.
3. You must be joker.. if you are naive to the fact that GOSL is a thuggish murderous government. How do you explain the ‘white van’ in SL? How do you explain the numerous attacks against journalists.. wait.. ‘journalists that happen to question the government’!! – and happy are those journalist who only report on government in a positive light ?? How do you explain the riots in the 80’s that drove many Tamils to exile? – YOU SHOULD LOOK AT THE FACTS BEFORE YOU START TALKING ABOUT WHO IS RIGHT AND WHO IS WRONG!
• I am very sorry to hear that I am talking to such a person, who doesn’t know anything about the subject. “White Van” is prominently a talk in the capital not in the Tamil area. I am not in a position to talk about Sri lanka Media or White Vans.
Riots in the 80s – Who did start this ? LTTE. Since then they have started to kill Sinhala people in the suburb villages to make them flee from that areas.That is how they emptied Sinhala nation from their areas.
YOU SHOULD LOOK AT THE FACTS BEFORE YOU START TALKING ABOUT WHO IS RIGHT AND WHO IS WRONG!
Check the FACTS in Answer 2
4. LTTE may be a terrorist organisation – BUT that does NOT give the right for a government to act the same way – so you sound like an idiot when you keep talking about the LTTE as a way to justify the wrong doings of the government. If you claims by your government are TRUE – then they should have given ‘unrestricted’ access to the war zone and hell – they CAN NOW GIVE UNRESTRICTED ACCESS – do you even wonder why they are hindering free access to civilians???? You only need to read the numerous reports on Sri Lanka to understand that numerous GOSL are full of lies and violence and a hindrance to real democracy in SL. STATE TERROR PROGATES SECTARIAN TERROR.
• Yes yes. Look how idiotic you are,, If we allow all these foreign journalists .. who will get the blame when they get killed or being abducted. The people who cry for the terrorists will shout at the government again telling that they have committed massacres of foreigners cover the skin. Or any other beautiful tale like they are creating now – helas all of the news were undercover. If you want you can get any number of people will tell anything for a small amount of money in Sri lanka. As long as you don’t reveal their identity.
• You are talking about giving access now – Don’t talk like a headless chicken. The people are in these camps areinnocent people and pretty badly some of them are so called HARD CORE Terrorits. It was an ongoing matter of 30 bloody years. Can you filter 300K people in a week, a month. I would say we need at least 6 months to monitor and filter them.
• Yes I am pretty sure the GOSL is aiming to do that in the near future when they feel that anyone who is going there will be free of Danger.
5. It’s people like you that are blinded by patriotism that FAIL to see and address the root causes of the situation, ethnic divide and war in Sri Lanka – it’s because of people like you who keep reporting about GOSL as if they are the greatest government that further alienates and gives rise to racism.
There is nothing wrong with this article – which is giving independent account of TRUE feelings in Sri Lanka – he’s giving us TRUE accounts. Is it not true that people like yourself are there to soak in triumphant celebrations? Is it not true that some people in Sri Lanka really care about the plight of the Tamil people and unfortunately those that speak out – are labelled ‘terrorist’ (if they are Tamil) AND ‘Tamil tiger sympathizers’ if they are not Tamil.
You should open your eyes and STOP talking about the LTTE. No one is saying that they are NOT a terrorist organisation. All people are trying to assert is that the GOSL is being really shifty and it’s a cause for concern. The chauvinistic attitude in Sri Lanka is a cause for concern for the Tamil minority.
• When it is biased who can say that it is true. When it is undercovered or false identities, do you want the world to believe that is true ? This article is so wrong as it is shown one side and the wrong story. The victory over terrorism hurts the ones who wish the destruction of the 3rd world.
Reply to: Roshan
Okay, you sound ridiculous..
I always thought it was funny that Sri Lanka – all of a sudden ‘cares’ about journalists wellbeing! So tell me, is this the same Sri Lanka that intimidates and murders journalists? The same SL that has one of the worst record in the world for crimes against journalists???. I can’t believe you just wrote that there needs ‘controlled journalism in a war situation’ DO YOU THINK SL IS THE ONLY COUNTRY THAT IS IN WAR?? Seriously there’s war in nearly all parts of the world.. Journalists are passionate and are willingly entering warzones to do their job. It’s not up to Sri Lanka to dictate when journalist should be doing their job and what should be told. If that’s how SL wants to play – then they open themselves up to conspiracies of war crimes (as EVERYTHING is unverified) they will be judged as trying to HIDE something. And given SL’s history and record with media, freedom of speech.. hindering access to journalists is another way of SL creating propaganda news. Why can’t you talk about the media in SL – surely they will give you ‘CONTROLLED NEWS FROM CONTROLLED JOURNALISTS!’ clearly that’s what you say is a “MUST!”
Your second dot point was rather confusing. BUT again, you are trying to justify the divide and discrimination faced by Tamils in SL by saying that ‘racial discrimination exist in every country’ TRUE – there are a racist in every country. BUT there are very few racial discrimination in those countries!! AND in REAL democracies if someone is racially discriminated the authorities will have to act on the complaint. THIS IS NOT THE CASE IN SL!! In SL Tamils are treated as second class citizens, the Government and its laws are discriminatory against the Tamils. The government then set up authoritarian bodies to act on complaints, but the truth is authorities sit by and don’t act on complaints received by Tamils and where a case MAY be getting somewhere – the Tamil person is intimidated not to take it further. Please don’t talk to me about Tamils living in Kandy, Colombo etc. These Tamils have to work very hard to be recognised. They have to nod their heads to everything around them because that’s the environment they live in. Are you telling me if a Tamil family in Colombo spoke out against the government and what they are doing to the Tamils in the north that, the family will not see a member of their family mysterislly ‘disappear’, locked up and at worst killed?? The truth is Tamils in Colombo etc are well aware of the situation around them and the vulnerable position they’re in. They remember all too well the acts against them in the 80’s and all too well that their cries weren’t heard by authorities that were there to protect every Sri Lankan.
Um.. I know the ‘white Van’ drives around Colombo. AGAIN I’m not focusing only on Tamils.. I’m questioning your government that YOU were praising – so who do you think is running the white van? How do you explain such impunity???!!!!! You praise your government – yet your government is happy to sit back and watch people who question them get abducted, held for ransom, tortured and again.. killed. SO.. You’re not in a position to talk about crimes being committed by your government, yet you want to sit there and talk about the suffering of Tamils under the LTTE. What about the suffering of Tamils under the racist Sinhala population. How about the Tamils living in the east of the island that don’t have freedom of speech because of such ‘white vans’ AND NOW that the government are fully running media outlets – who will report on such crimed being committed by the state that was ‘democratically’ elected???
YES – I have heard it before the LTTE started the 1980’s riots, so on and so forth!! So, tell me… what about the 40 years or so that the Tamils were begging, protesting, democratically asking the authorities for equal rights.. why wasn’t it given?? Why were their requests ignored.. ?? why did the authorities and the majority population lead to the LTTE being formed???? Why did you do that.. did you think that Tamils will have just have to write letter, petitions, protest forever and ever to get their equal rights????
EXCUSE ME..!! It’s not up to you or me to decide the possible dangers for journalists. Like I’ve said before. Journalists know what’s involved in their duties. Most become journalists to make a difference by reporting on crimes against humanity. What better platform than a warzone. GIVE JOURNALISTS THE RIGHT TO MAKE JUDGEMENTS ON WHETHER OR NOT TO ENTER – that way SL hands are cleaned of journalist blood. But by outright blocking access – it is clear that ‘protecting journalist’ is just a cover up to the heavy use of weapons in a tiny area filled with civilians
Your last statement is a joke! Please don’t talk about biased news. YOU PEOPLE – switch and turn the stories around to suit your situation.. But HISTORY/RECORDS tell a different story.
1. NOW you say you care about journalists hence not allowing them into the war zone – HISTORY/RECORD shows: A) one of the worst records for crimes against journalists. B) Lasantha??? C) Why is it that journalists have entered warzones all around the world.. but the one in Sri Lanka must be different????????????
2. Why is it that you have ALL the news about the LTTE and suffering of Tamils etc.. But YOU DON’T HAVE THE ANSWERS FOR STATE TERROR?? White van, freedom of speech.. etc..
3. Why is it that you are under the delusion that Tamils in the east are an example of Sri Lanka united? ARE you aware that A) certain Tamils get treated differently? If you are a Tamil in Colombo and you don’t speak Sinhalese – You are spoken to like a second class citizen.. you are treated as one. B) That the only reason some Sinhalese are happy to get along with Tamils in Colombo because they nod their head to Sinhalese rule because they have no other options.
ARE you seriously going to sit there and pretend like the world is jealous of your country?? If the world wants – they can ignore Sri Lanka and NOT EVEN report on your little fight with the LTTE. It can be just a small news. The only reason the news in SL is soo big, was mainly due to the heavy heartless force by the gosl that got the international media questioning its actions. 80% of media is owned by a small number of people.. if they want and if they ‘control journalism’ they will make Sri Lanka out to be the worst country on the planet and they can do all sort of damage to SL. Don’t question the ethics of real journalists like Jonathan and countless others – including some prominent Sinhalese ‘just’ people who are only speaking the truth about whats happening in Sri Lanka and how ‘news’ is being ‘controlled’ in Sri Lanka created a wave of chauvinistic racist attitudes. And you’re clearly sucked in.. sucked in deep!
reply Wheressocialjustice :
1. If you are not a Sri Lankan it is pointless we have this long conversation – I would like to have (if possible) face to face debate.. I don’t know it is possible too . anyway if you’re a Foreigner you will have to learn more many more about the history and recent pst of the country to talk about Sri lanka’s Tamil issue.
2. If you don’t know, before this LTTE problem arises there were many TAMILS in the very high positions on the Sri lankan government.. I can still remember once the “Central Bank Governer” was a Tamil .. (one Mr. WARNASENA RAASAPUTHRA” just recent past.
3. Mr. KADIRAGAMAR, A very good hearted GREAT MAN has been killed by LTTE. He was then Foreign Minister. TAMIL MAN.
4. I am not going to give you a list of TAMILS killed by your friends. The racist virus didn’t come from Sinhalese or the SLG to kill these GOOD MEN. If you know a little bit about the TAMIL culture they are still very very attached to their cast. They discriminate among them.
5. I am not from the SLG or not praising them for evrry and each act. But It is difficult in a country where you had a long history of Barbarian Terrorism to recover from it. We will be getting there but need some time.
6. Why you – UNBIASED Journalists don’t say a work of the CRIME COMMITED by the Western troops in IRAQ or all the other mess created else where.. as some of other bloggers stated ,, You all are jealous of this little paradise and now and not anymore foreign journalists or NGO (blood suckers) will be able to publish their FALSE tasty stories or live on the back of the poor or terror.
You sucks mate .. deeply
When i watch programes like yours in Sri Lanka on the national tv i do ask myself this question, What exactly do you wish to achieve?, what exactly is the aim?, i am not from Sri Lanka, i am not even an Asian, but so much terrible things are going on all over the world, horrible crimes being comitted, in Gaza, West bank, Darfor congo, Afganistan and so on, your documentary or blog to me can not solve any problem or help heal the wound of the decades of this war, i think people should rather try to help the people of Sri Lanka at this difficult period of their life, the fact is that all people from this tiny island will have to find a way to co-exist, they have to live together as brothers and sisters and love one another a helping them do just that is what i think the whole international community should do, but your reports i whatched today on chanel 4 news will only do just the opposit
What a ridiculous post. The aim of this journalism is to highlight the suffering of the people there, and to bring into the open what the Sri Lankan government wishes to hide – namely the killing of many innocent people in the name of destroying the tamil tigers. Yes, many terrible things are happening around the world…does that mean we cannot focus on the terrible wrong-doing of a government? Yes, the people of Sri Lanka will have to co-exist, but judging by this news article, it hardly seems likely that the government are particularly interested in this.
Thank you so much to channel 4 news for continously shedding light on this issue. Although the war is over the future of the displaced tamils remains uncertain, and for that reason only Sri Lanka should remain in the spotlight and people should not forget the appalling human rights abuses conducted in the final phase of the war and in the IDP camps NOW.
Thank you for revealing this news. Instead of receiving a letter in response to your report, teh High Comissioner should have permitted you to see ‘the fantastic job’ Rajapakse is doing to the ‘freed’ tamils in the North. Though his job is favoured by most of the blind patrionist.
I hope the people who were behind this atrocities commited against the Tamils is punished by the International court of justice. There is no solution to the problem until the Tamils get their freedom(Tamil Eelam)
Thank You for your report. Channel 4 are continually raising questions about the approach of Sri Lanka’s military to the war and it is so obvious that the Sri Lankan government are lying. Continue your great journalism.
My my, I didn’t think that channel 4 has been reduced to airing news reports based on hear-say and conjecture. By your own admission, during the last battle, the security forces of sri lanka had completely surrounded the last bastion of the LTTE with several thousand civilians being held against their will. Most people don’t seem to understand that there were NO IMPARTIAL testimonies from within this zone. The flow of information coming out of the ‘no fire zone’ was strictly controlled by the LTTE. Although the LTTE has been destroyed as a military force they still manage to exert a significant amount of influence over the tamil community world-wide. How can channel 4 air baseless allegations of rape and torture without even attempting to verify these claims?
At this critical point after the war, instead of engaging the government of Sri Lanka to provide aid for the IDPs, the western block of nations seem to be only interested in castigating the only nation in the world that has managed to overcome the threat of terrorism.
I can only wish that channel 4 will carry out such ‘in-depth’ investigations into the alleged atrocities carried out by the british and american forces in their military adventures in Iraq and Afganistan.
To conclude, most readers of this article might have guessed that I am from the Sinhalese community. What Mr. MIller (intentionally or un-intentionally) avoided to mention in his report is that there was another minority who celebrated the defeat of the LTTE as much as the sinhalese; that community happens to be Sri Lanka’s muslim community who probably suffered terrible indiscriminate attacks by the LTTE.
And by the way, most Sinhalse DON’T consider Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse as a ‘God King’. He has EARNED the respect of a nation for providing leadership to end a bitter and costly war.
With your silly argument you can not convince even a fool. Are you are trying to say that no impartial testimonies from the Nazi camps because of the present of srilankan army?
War criminal Mahinda Rajapakse has just fought the war for India and the most of the Singhalase are blind to see the truth that the Rajapakse brothers have ruined the country but made themself fortune.
Not the Chanell 4 but the Lord Buddha can not convince the primitive singhala race that the mass killing, raping and etc. of Tamils had happend with the consent of the Rajapakse brothers.
The International Community with the backing of the UN had supported the elimination of the LTTE and its family members. I have no doubt that the IC and UN will further support if necessary to eliminate the whole Tamil race in Sri Lanka.
Only the print and visual media can bring the truth to the public and the Chanell 4 is doing it´s best. Thank you so much for your tireless efforts.
whats all this nonsense again first Nick now Jonathan! mate you just dont have any work to do…. what are you trying to achieve! your just trying to ruin a beautiful country! its obvious that channel 4 is taking the revenge…im pretty sure that there are LTTE supporters inside channel 4…..
its a good thing that the srilankan army killed Prabhakaran the blood thirsty monster otherwise wonder what all those LTTE supporters will do next……
Jonathan please talk about the unemplyment in your country….if you dont think about your country now UK will belong to all the world terrorists!
you guys are just jealous that a small country has won the war! and those so called civillians are none other than LTTE supporters! so mate wite something useful
Actually he is following your advice – “Write something useful”
You’re another delusional individual. Where in the article does Jonathan state that he is an LTTE supporter?? In fact – reading his blog he clearly labels “the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam were a vicious organisation”.
Seriously – what is up with you people that LABEL anyone that sympathises with the sufferings of the Tamils as LTTE sympathisers. DO YOU UNDERSTAND THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LTTE AND TAMIL PEOPLE??? When people talk about Tamil people – They are NOT talking about the tigers – They are talking about the Tamil civilians. So, Jonathan’s article was talking about Tamil civilians and he also was critical of the LTTE. So in NO way, shape or form does it suggest that he is a terrorist supporter.
It is evident that some people in the majority don’t like hearing the truth and anyone that dare sympathise with the Tamils- YOU will be very quick to dismiss this sympathy as ‘terrorist support’.
Why don’t you get it right, mate?
1. Get it right that UK IS and WILL NEVER BE Jealous of Sri Lanka. In fact – the worse your racist country performs the easier it is for Western countries to show case to the world that they are caring countries.
3. Independent news (such as channel 4) is needed to raise awareness of struggles in countries that don’t recognise human rights. So I found Jonathan’s article and blog very insightful.
3. That you need to get it right, that there are REAL legitimate grievances expressed by the Tamils in Sri Lanka. NO ONE can dismiss these. Seeing as there’s no more LTTE to do the evil in SL, we want to know and hear that with no LTTE the Tamils are being treated with dignity.
In conclusion – with people like you around there is definitely concern that the truth of what is happening in Sri Lanka will always stay hidden. It seems you prefer to torture and discriminate Tamils behind closed doors and would prefer not to hear anyone sympathise with their suffering. And I bet you’re a Buddhist??
i think you have lost the plot long time ago mate! i am writing sensible things here you people are the ones who has to write sensible things…….mate you will never ever get what you want however much you shout….thanks to UK you can oopen your big mouths otherwise all of you are doomed FOREVER!
This is all you guys can ever say isn’t it? If anyone brings out the truth about the genocide and discrimination towards the Tamils they are immediately branded as an LTTE or traitor? It’s just PATHETIC! You just can’t accept the truth. And you say you’ve won the war is it? If ‘winning’ the war means successfully murdering tens of thousand of Tamils then yes you have definately won! What kind of country celebrates the death of tens of thousands of it civilians? This just proves that you consider Tamils as second class citizens. Also by saying ‘and those so called civillians are none other than LTTE supporters!’ are you trying to say that ALL the TAMIL CIVILIANS in sri lanka are LTTE!? OH PLEASE; STOP BEING BRAIN WASHED BY YOUR COUNTRY AND OPEN YOUR EYES! There is proof that sri lanka massacred a lot more than 20,000 civilians within just 3 months, so why don’t you start accepting the truth and KNOW your facts before you sa something!
oh yeah Pavi where were you when your friends LTTE killed my brother ah? IM NOT BRAIN WASHED, ITS PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO ARE BRAIN WASHED….YOUR TALKING ONLY ABOUT THE TAMILS WHO HAS DIES WHAT ABOUT THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MUSLIMS AND SINHALESE WHO WERE MASSACRED BY YOUR FRIENDS? GUESS YOU’D BETTER OPEN YOUR EYES AND SEE BECAUSE RIGHT NOW ALL OF YOU ARE BLIND BY THIS SILLY EELAM
oh Wheressocialjustice im impressed about your loooong response to my post……. if your not an LTTE supporter then you must be racist because you only mention the Tamils…..what about the Musilms who are suffering? and by the way im not Buddhist……im a Muslim who has been mingling with the Tamils and Singhalese for a long time….. you are being racist there too….why do you care even if im a buddhist i have the right to say what i like…..there are tamils too who are against these nonsense.ooooooh should i be scared of your long nonsense? ooooh you think im a coward eh? all the LTTE supporters like you I REPEAT LTTE SYMPATHISERS like you are just thinking about Tamils….we are talking behalf of all…..it clearly suggests that you lot are selfish only worried about the tamils……… oh you dont have to teach me what to say i know exactly what im talking about
You said “you dont have to teach me what to say”. In that case, you should not also be teaching what Channel 4 has to say. I merely want to point out the double standard in your message. I am a Muslim too. People like you bring a bad name to our religion.
mate i dont hold any personal things……ofcourse i dont need to be teached…whats it got to do with religion??? cant understand the mentality of some people…..this is not an issue about the religion but about our country….
Well done and thank you messrs Jonathan Miller, Jon Snow,the team behind the cameras and Chanell 4.
Please keep up the good work.
Few minutes of your time on this issue everyday (on 7 pm news) is much appreciated.
TAMIL EELAM WILL NEVER WIN AND WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO RAISE THERE HEADS HOWEVER MUCH ITS SUPPORTERS SHOUT SCREAM AND GET THE WHOLE WORLD INVOLVED…..SO ITS BEST TO GET ON WITH SOME USEFUL WORK AND LEAVE SRI-LANKA ALONE……ALL THESE PEOPLE LOVING LTTE SUPPORTERS HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING FOR THE POOR PEOPLE WHO SUFFERED FROM THE WAR, ONLY THE PATRIOTIC MUSLIMS, SINHALESE AND TAMILS HAVE HELPED THEM…….THIS IS A SICK JOKE……..LTTE IS BURNING IN HELL….
people like you are sick and suffer from hallucination.
The Irish fought English for 200 years to achieve freedom. During this period the English crushed the Irish uprisings several times.
By following the the conflict and its history in Srilanka my opinion is that the tamils only ‘lost’ a battle and not the war. The tamils will never give up their fight for an independent Tamil Eelam in Srilanka.
At one stage of the conflict the propaganda was in favour of the Srllankan state. However now the tables had turned and the terror state is on the back foot.
What Channel 4 justifiably doing is a PR coup for the tamils.
oh Ernest my eelam friend……its no point talking to ool like you because u r thee one who is suffering from halucinations…think you have swine flu…i suggest u c a dr..,.its affecting ur brain big time…uk will help u 2 recover fast by giving you eelam as medicine….
Well Done Jonathan!, I wish you stay there (in Sri Lanka) longer and bring the truth of Civilians’ Plight tothe World. unfortunately Your visa might get cancelled anytime and be deported.
thnke you
Thank you channel 4 for bringing to light the truth about the war against the tamils and being there at the front line.
when it comes to money,GOSLwants the west to intervene and give them money.if the West talk the truth and ask the GOSL to allow humanitarian aid workers in,then the west will be ordered by the GOSL to mind their business and not to intervene, it is sovereign country and all that rubbish.they commited dispicable crimes. as srilankan former chief justice said tamils live outside srilankan juridiction. tamils have no voice.singhalese can commit any crime on tamils, no one will ever brought to justice.they have impunity,and can get away with genocide. any one telling the truth if that happens to be against the government then they are called as tigers regardless of their color and nationality by the singhala racists . how can UN send vijay nambiar as a special envoy to srilanka when this man is biased. this “non biased” man’s brother is on srilankan payroll,working as a cosultant to the srilankan army. now, my question is, is ban ki moon right person to do the job? shouldn;t UN be a voice for the voiceless? shouldn’t UN safeguard the vulnerables? shouldn’t UN be an independant body? but, its nomore. this UN should not exist anymore. it has lost its credibility. this must be dismissed forthwith.waste of money on them.
srilankan celebrated so called “victory” by dancing on dead bodies of innocent children and women. they killed over 53,000 in three months,and now clock is ticking on 300,000.GOSL say too many lies. prior to the last onslaught they said there are only 300 cadres left. now, they have detained over 10,000 people in the name of tigers. what is going on? can’t singhalese civilians see what is really going on? how can they be oblivious to what is going on..if they dont have anything to hide why not allow media in? why not allow aid workers in? wouldn’t the money spent on their victory would have been better spent on the most needy in the camps? calling tamils your own civilians and then treat them like second class citizens?how can anyone justyfy this? can’t you people see rajapakshe brothers are stealing your country.? wake up.if they finished off tigers why recruit more service men. why do you think this government is trying to portait tamil diaspora as terrorist? why call every tamils who question you as tigers? if they finished off tigers why still spend so much money on weapons? wake up people.these brothers are stealing our nation and your nation. stop these theives!!!
Excellent coverage. I like the way this media covered this issue. they showed both sides and they revealed the deadly massacres. Thank you for bringing the truth. Despite the difficulties in reporting in Sri Lanka, Channel4News has shown that information to the outside world is the only way to bring war criminals to the international courts!
President Rajapakse was elected by Prabhakaran and the LTTE and NOT the Tamil people. Therefore, if the Tamil people are undergoing hardship now, the primary cause was Prabhakaran and the LTTE. Hence, the silent majority of the Tamils are glad that Prabhakaran and the LTTE are no more, so that they can take on the Rajapakses non-violently and democratically keeping with their great tradition and culture.
If there’s a small “clamour” from Europe for a war crimes enquiry there’s a far bigger majority world-wide who see the defeat of the Tigers as a victory for the majority of people who want peace and freedom from terrorism. Of course there is a price for such freedoms, as the West knows from its defeat of Nazism & Japanese militarism 60 years ago.
Let’s stop the name calling and witch-hunting and give the Sri Lankan government a chance to sort things out & redress Tamil grievances.
Dear Singhalese,
The actions of this was has vented a frustration in Tamils, the likes of which I have never seen before. All of you critise journalist like Jonathan, who uphold the integrity and honesty of what Journalism is all about. You forget that your government banned all Journalist and Aid groups from the War zone. If they have nothing to hide, why would they do that. Good on you Jonathan, for your accurate, objective view. It is good to see that not all Journalist are as cheaply bought as the Sri Lankan media.
Well done Jonathan. You have exposed the Government’s pack of lies. I find that from the comments made by people from the majority community that they can’t accept this fact.
The world tested all its weapons on tamils through GOSL, 200 billions dollars on war, 3000 times air strike, cluster bombs, chemical bombs, 5000-6000 shelled daily, No security councle meeting held, but when North korea tested one bomb underground, immediate meeting held. Why? can ban ki or akashi or any other leaders have answer?
Tamils are dieing in the concentration camps(or Death camps) due to stavation, ill treatment, no-care, don’t care…, instead of sending food, medicine…, Why s korea sending arms now? Is it arranged by ban ki?
S Korean ships arrive in Lanka with arms, computer sets
http://www.zeenews.com/news539449.html
Civilians still carry shell pieces in their body without treatment.
Thank you Jonathan for your report on the atrocitys that the sri lankan armed forces and goverment agents have been commiting. it is just depressing whats happening to the tamils back home. “there are np ‘dissapearences, rape, tourture or muder’ taking place in the welfare camps” thats got to be a joke. once again i appericiate what you have done. hopefully the truth comes out in full and the damnd goverment be exposed!
Thank you Channel 4. Words cannot express my gratitude to your true journalism in finding a way to report about the sufferings of the IDPs through the IRON CURTAIN.
Thanks Jonathan for your efforts. Tamils in Srilanka are not trated as humans. They are considered “non Persona” by the Srilankan govt. West gave tacid support for war againstamils in the name of “war on terror”. Now it is clear who are real “terrorist” in Srilanka and how is the west going to fight this “war on terror”. It is a moral responsibility of those who supported govt against all the evidence that was comong out. firts news blackout, then no NGOs to ear zones and then came the “massacre” When will wqe learn. Now we are making “noise” for Iranian people, What a joke?.
Great Job.Please keep it up.
Thank you. You did a great job.
Thanks… keep write about tamils in sri lanka….
Well done Jonathan! At this point I want to say thank you to the truthful medias like channel 4. Because, They start to dig out the truth.
“Thousand hands can try to cover the sun. But sun is not going to disappear. “
“Clouds are not powerful than the sun. A larger cloud could temporarily block the sun, but not forever. The sun will rise stronger and brighter again. Similarly a good men’s success cannot be blocked by anyone with bad intentions.”
Tamil’s home land TAMIL EELAM is a part of the World, not of Srilanka ** Tamil Eelam Tamils are honor citizens of the world, not second citizens of Srilanka…. Mukundamuralinathdas
Srilanka holding 300,000 Tamils as HOSTAGES to Get IMF and Foreign Aid to COLONISE all VANNI MAINLAND with 100% Sinhalese to keep the Tamils only in Jaffna and Batticola as the Palestinians being CORNERED into West Bank and Gaza to eliminate all Tamils in the long run.
The SINHALA raicsts agenda to eliminate all Tamiks, Muslims and Christains. We Tamils have been living as distinct nation for more than 3000 years and we would like to live in our own federal or separate state as the Terrorist Srilanka continue to massacre Tamils and lock all civilians in CONCENTRATION CAMPS as hostages to get foreign aid to COLONISE SINHALESE in Tamil areas.
JUST 18 SINHALESE LIVED in the ENTIRE TAMIL Speaking areas in North and East in 1837 and JUST 286 SINHALESE LIVED in the North and East in 1948 according to BRITISH and SRILANKAN CENSUS reports but now Srilanka settled almost 1 million Sinhalese in Noerth and East by chasing ans killing Tamils and Muslims since 1948 to date and Now President promised tp do the SAME ETHNIC CLEANSING again
One would think that these SL officials, such as the HC who produced the above posted letterk, have fools for advisors. SL soldiers deployed in Haiti for UN’s “peacekeeping” mission, were deported from there for having committed sexual abuse and other atrocities. If SL soldiers can do that wearing UN uniforms, one can only imagine what they would do to defenceless, voiceless, powerless, broken, traumatised, destroyed women and people. Mr. High Commissioner, the world knows your government’s and your soldiers’ track record. 13,000 Tamils missing for the wretched camps and counting, who are no doubt in torture camps, tens of thousands murdered, an entire people destroyed and disfigured, rape, forced abortion, killings, starvation, yet the Sinhalese denying all of it not only reflects their total disregard for the lives of Tamils, their respect and their dignity, but it also is a reflection of their contentment and joy over the subjugation of Tamils and the pain and misery inflicted on them. The LTTE as a movement was not perfect in any sense, but it seems that placed beside the SL government, the SL government is a ten thousand times more atrocious. Is it so hard for the Sinhalese to realize that giving equal rights to Tamils would only mean that they would have equal opportunities and would only work togher to make SL a better place in every sense? Too bad they have missed a promising opportunity to work with the Tamils to bring SL up to compete in the world. Tamils now must be granted the right to self-determination.
Like UN endighted the SERBIAN WAR CRIMINALS. Srlankan War Criminals must be hunted and must be arrested when they travel abroad to stop the ongoing GENOCIDE of Tamils, then Srilanka will do the same to Muslims and Christians as churches and mosques already being attacked by SinHella thugs associated with Srilankan ministers.
LTTE is the MOST civilised Freedom Fighting Organaiation on the earth.
Even in the last few days of the War End, LTTE freed the SINHALA TROOPS and never tried to bomb Sinhala civilians because LTTE or Tamils never have racism or terrorism or hatred against any other race in their minds but So called Srilankan democracy locked up the So called Liberated 300,000 Tamils ain CONCENTRATION CAMPS and locked all the Eye Witnesses such as Doctors and Priests if not they were not killed yet by Srilankan troops because Srilankan SinHElla racists system always SHOW HATRED against MINORITIES whether there is LTTE or NOT.
Now the Srilankan president said THERE IS NO MINORITY COMMUNITY in the island, that is He simply declare that THERE ARE NO MINORITIES ONLY SINHALESE as the Army Commander and Minister with Medievil MOnks declared REPEATEDLY that Srilanka ONLY FOR SINHALESE like NAZIS DECLARED GERMANY ONLY FOR GERMANS.
Seyon,
Your views are absolutely right. May truth and justice prevail…
How true. It’s a pity people just harp on the postscripts: “LTTTE terrorists”, “ruthless”, “suicide bombing”. What people don’t know is that when they don’t see things for what they are, they fail to tell the truth. In this case, people only dance to SL government’s beat. Tamils were prospering in their land when LTTE was there. Now they’re destitute in concentration camps under the SL government.
People in the know suggest that after theTamils, the Muslims will be next, as Sinhalese chauvism rides the waves. But, the fight will be a lot more intense, and devious, with Muslims embedded in the main cities of the country.
People in the know suggest that after the Tamils, the Muslims will be next, as Sinhalese / Buddhist chauvism rides the waves. And the ensuing fight is likely to be much more intense and intractable than hitherto, simply because the Muslims are deeply embedded within the major cities of the country.
Well, well, well… there is no antonym for serendipity, did you say, Jonathan?There surely is one now… Try “jonathanpity”. It means “the unlucky tendency of making undesirable discoveries”.
If I were to visit the UK, I have no doubt there will be lots of jonathanpities for me to discover… if I too were to wear blinkers …
And if I were a channel x sensationalist, I too would no doubt broadcast it to the whole world to try to embarass the UK government and people.
However, I won’t do this since I am not a channel x sensationalist.
Don’t ever go to Sri Lanka again, Jonathan. I suspect, you will no longer be permitted to enjoy the hospitality of by the kind and generous people of Sri Lanka.
It was a little difficult to figure out where Miller was going with this story.
The obvious angle is criticism of the Sri Lankan Govt. Well, isn’t it puzzling that the western media appear to think ‘collateral damage’ acceptable when western troops do it. On the other hand, did the LTTE use human shields?
Did the LTTE truly represent the Tamils in Sri Lanka or were they an instrument of the Norwegians who were allegedly training, supplying and mass converting the LTTE ‘cadres’. Col Karuna certainly thought so.
On the other hand if Miller is trying to tell a tragic story, yes, it is a terrible tragedy that so many innocents died. But the LTTE has as much, if not more innocent blood on its hands than the Govt. ever did.
However, the Sri Lankan Govt has to do some serious and urgent fence mending if it wants to prove to the international community that the end justified the means.
Ahmed, Please do not talk nonsense. Sri Lanka muslims never takes a firm stand and they will bend to anyside where they are getting benifits. LTTE is always fighting for rights of minority and thats why all the diaspora supporting to LTTE. Why people in Sri Lanka is keeping quite is because they would be killed if they express their support to LTTE. Now you are telling all muslims and singalese are helping the refugees who are in camps. Do not make such false statement. Everyday 30 to 40 people are paasing away and 20 to 30 people are abducted. All diaspora people desperately trying to help ut their relatives and friends and they are not allowed to send anything. Even government returned the ship that carried the humnatarian needs. That clearly shows the how keen the goverment is in carrying out the genocide. You can simply make the statement until you go and be part of the victims in any of the camps. I lost 2 of my uncles within a month time in the vavuniya camps.
i lost my brother because of the LTTE and your telling me not to write false things! its no point talking to people like you because you and your Eelam is everything for you and your hell bent over trying to prove your right…… gosh wonder when people like you will get a life!
I feel sorry for Channel 4 and Jonathan Miller as they will be banned from entering Lanka again. Also feel sorry for the doctors who spoke in annonimity from Vavuniya. There is no annonimity in Sri Lanka – they will kill all the docors from that area. Partiuclarly feel sorry for the ignorance of the HIgh Commisioner, who responded to your allegations.
I want to vote for Ch 4 Jon Snow to become President of Sri Lanka. That will be good for change. Krsnan Gurmurphy can be minister of Media and Shamira Minister of foreign affairs.
Thank you for an excellent article and accompanying broadcast. 300K internment camps.. I love how the SL government calls them holiday villages! We can’t forget China’s involvement in Sri Lankan politics – their generous offer of Warcraft towards the end and veto-ing requests for discussion at the UN.
Thanks for channel 4, you done it again. You are the voice for suffering tamils in SL and showing to the world that in SriLanka war against TAMILSM (minority Tamils) not on Terrorism.
Yet another sensationalist piece carried out by Channel 4. These reports based on conjecture and hear-say seem to be the new trademark of British journalism. Shame on you Channel 4.
STOP HAGELING. STOP THE WHITE MANS MEDIA EXPLOITING US ,TAMILS AND SINGHALES. LETS GET AWAY FROM THE WHITE EXPLOITATION OF US BROTHERS. HURRY UP AND GET TO SRI LANKA ,ECONOMY ABOUT TO BOOM!
WHAT??? are you joking??
“ECONOMY ABOUT TO BOOM!” – ?? What a tasteless thing to say!!! I’m sorry, not everyone is heartless as some chauvinistic Sinhalese majority! SriLanka’s economy is NOT OUR priority.
First, we should be mourning the loss of over 20,000 Tamils and thousands of others. That is a massive number!!! It’s definitely not something to be celebrating or focusing on booming the economy over!
Secondly, take care of the needy IDPs in the Sri Lankan camps!!
As one famous individual has said…yea let’s boom the economy- “IF U like swimming in blood and hiking and biking on mass graves and eating chemically contaminated fried fish for lunch”. – GO for it. Don’t Count Those of US that care about the suffering and equal rights in Sri Lanka!
Thank you so much, say the 55.000 massacred Tamils by the Sri Lanka government that Chanell 4 has not given up the fight for justice. The hallusination of the Sri Lanka’s politicians is incurable and they will also try to deport you Mr. Jonathan soon. Please don´t give up this noble task. Thank you very much for your courageous report.
I have ten family members locked up in Vavunia IDP camps, one of them my cousine’s daughter, 22 years of age. She has been taken away by the army for questioning but never returned. They all cry out for help. My sincere thanks to Jonathan Miller, and Channel 4 news for highlighting the plight of these voiceless people.
Thank you channel 4 and to Jonathan for being a voice for the voiceless tamils in Sri Lanka. War Crimes must be investigated independently. UN has enough evidence ie; Satililte picture of showing heavy bombing in civilians area and no fire zone. Also Tigers’ Political leaders who have been unlawfully killed when they were told by UN official Vijay Nambiar,Presidents brother Basil Rajapakse, and another Tamil Politicians to to surrender with white flags. Many eyewitness of killing of civilians and wounded after the killings of tiger leaders and killing of civilians by running over them by bulldozers etc. Sri Lankan army and the Sinhala leaders are the worst ruthless people in the world.Everyday, there are at least 30 people are being abducted, my cousin and my nephew also taken by army from the camps. I have many family members including young children and elderly in the camps, suffering of hunger, dieases and torture by army. This must be stopped by international community. Useless UN is controlled by China and Russia. Why don’t we abolish UN and create UN without these countries. India made a huge mistaske of supporting Sinhala government to kill tigers and tamils. India also played and is playing a huge part in ethnic cleansing of tamils. Soon they will realise they helped the wrong side.
Firstly, I would like to Thank Channel 4 and Johnathon Miller for their bravery and coverage in seeking the truth in Sri Lanka. Why are so many people against foreign media going into Sri Lanka?
A few posts I have read question Channel 4 for this report and highlight they should question their own country for Iraq. Let me remind those people, Channel 4 for in the forefront in highlighting all that was wrong with the Iraq war. The difference between British people and Sri Lankans (mostly Singalese the majority) is that they can still feel patriotic and criticise their own government for wrong doings. The Sri Lankan government and people are so insecure that they cannot receive criticism. One question to all the people who disagreed with this Channel 4 report. Why are you and your President and your government so against foreign media from going into the disgraceful camps set up in the North? Surely if your President has done such an amazing job liberating the tamils, he would like to show the world and see the happiness in the tamils faces in the camps? Lets be hinest, the only reason foreign media are banned from the camps in the North are because it will become obvious as to the truth to what is really going on (ie the dissapearances, the rape and tortue).
Why is the President (the GodKing) so scared to let in foreign media?
There is another country who do not allow foreign media into their country – Zimbabwe. I see a lot of similarities between Mugabe and the GodKing!
I am British Tamil, who has been following the atrocities that have been happening in Sri lanka, I would like to make it clear that I am not an LTTE supporter. However I am ever so grateful for Channel 4 continuing to show the discrimination that is still going on. I hail channel 4 for it independent and investigating journalism of the plight of tamils that is still continuing if not worsening. Channel 4 keep up the good work and let the world know of the disgusting communist country Sri lanka is becoming.
thank you janathan miller iam i irish tamil living in dublin .iam ever graetfull channal 4 ,an jonathan miller.your showing the real face of srilankan terorism on the tamil.we tamil feel know one to help us in the world
we feel channel4 tell our feeling to the world .i dont have words to thank you.continue your great service
Thank you Channel 4. We need more journalist like you to bring out the truth! Jonathan you are a true journalist and keep up the good work. From the comments from the Sinhalese friends who are so called educated you could sense the issue… Can we ever live in harmony??? If the educated Sinhalese are so blinded and supports the attrocit-ies you can only imagine the majority!!!
The LTTE faught a war defending their land..Very few incidents were outside the north and east killing civilians in comparison to what GoSL has committed. Are there any reports of LTTE cadres raping Sinhalese women??? Their targets were politicians and any forced settlement of Sinhalese in tamil areas.
You have given voice to the voiceless!
i would like to congradulate Jonathan Miller for bringing some light on this issue and showing many peoepl in this world that just because mahendharajapaksa says that he is going to protect the tamils he is going to follow his words. If he really were to be the protector of the tsamials why not let them go. Why allow food into the so called camps. It isall just lies. The Sri-lankan goverment took part in ethnic cleansing years befro slowly decreaseing the tamil population and leaving it to a stage where the tamils are the minority making it easy for them to continue to keep the tamils as slaves and continueing to over power them. Just because you see the army giving SOME tamils food does not mean thats what is really happeniing.thats just what the governemnt wants you to see! Then hwy not let journalistis talk to the tamislsi n the actual situation. they were theo nes in thesituationd what right does rajapaksa ir his governement have to speak on behalf of the tamils. Its is obvious that they will never state the truth.
P.S
for all the peeople that think there will never be an independant state for the tamils. Good luck with that thought because all the struggles that we go htrough now will only make us stronger!
and there will be freedom and most definatly there will be Thamil eelam.
Thanks Johnathan for your good work. God bless you. You have certainly raised voice for voiceless people. Still Srilankan Government and some of their supporters argue what is happening is democratic. Yes! for them that is what democratic means. If they really admire and nothing to hide then let them open the doors for at least for NGOs. They are very much scared about their WAR crimes. I agree that SL government is now having a golden opportunity to bring back peace. But what is happening and what we hear is not going to help.
Sadly whoever raise voices against them have been classified as Terrorist or Tiger sympathisers. Channel 4 also not an exceptional to SL regime.
whatever mate.you people are the sick people and hallucinating! not us…so its best to shut your mouth and get on with some work rather than trying to prove a point! get a life mate!
my my, another Sinhalese individual clearly blinded by patriotism is under the delusion that the west is “Jealous” that a country with high level democracy like Sri Lanka has beaten ‘terrorism’.
Your comment may have been articulated well… but it seems to be the same thing over and over and over again with you Sinhalese people. STOP talking about the LTTE! They were a terrorist organisation – so yea EVERYTHING they did was an act of terror… AND NOW, THEY’RE GONE…!
Let’s talk about the GOSL… let’s talk democracy in SL, let’s talk about equal rights in SL, let’s talk about the voice for Tamils in Sri Lanka… Who cares about the LTTE they are NOW GONE! WE ARE concerned for the wellbeing, plight and suffering of the Tamils. WE WANT TO BROADCAST what is happening to them… are they still being treated as second class citizens??
** AND yes maybe the news in not ‘investigated’ enough and maybe the news is not ‘verified’ – BUT Can you please tell your respectful government to give UNRESTRICTED ACCESS – so Journalists can speak ‘freely’ to IDP’s in camps – I mean ALL of them can’t be tigers?? While you’re at it… Can you please also tell your respectful government to stop intimidating and killing journalists in Sri Lanka that may publish something against the government? (R.I.P – Lasantha).
Why don’t you run along and go and get real democracy in Sri Lanka and media freedom so that journalists like Jonathan and many more journalists can report on EXACTLT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN SRILANKA!
YOU HAVE LOST IT AGES AGO….AND WHY ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT WHAT WE WRITE…..YOU ARE STATELESS IN SRILANKA BECAUSE YOUR LEADER DIED LIKE A DOG…..GO AND BEG GORDON BROWN & MILIBAND TO GIVE YOU A STATE IN UK, COZ THEY SEEM TO LOVE THE TERRORISTS! YA RIGHT SEPERATE STATE FOR TEMILS…PEOPLE LIKE YOU ARE THE ONES WHO CREATE HATRED BETWEEN EHNIC GROUPS…..MUSLIMS, TAMILS AND SINHALESE ARE ALL UNITED AS ONE…. OH ONLY SUFFERING OF TAMILS HA? WHAT ABOUT THE SUFFERING OF OTHERS? MATE YOU GUYS HAVE LOST IT BIG TIME
Tanx a lot channel4 bringing out to the world true……Sri Lankan goverment killing tamil people like dog but no one know that.Tanx a lot every one who wants Sri Lank to stop killing tamil people.Once again tanx for channel4………………..
Army personnel now opened a new business saying they will find relatives in the detention camps if you pay $25 fee from overseas Tamils. Army personnel also sells lunch parcels inside the camps. See how Sri Lanka banks on the misery of Tamils. When will the so called “super powers” act? Only if they found oil?
How long are we going to be discussing on what the cause of an armed uprising was or what exactly made them to be so successful and who amongst the external forces dealt the KO blow that brought their abrupt downfall. If they had to be rough and tough to counter State sponsored terror, it also brought the International attention to the issue with it. Thanks to the sacrifices of the brave boys and girls at least this was achieved Now that the so called terrorists are no more interested in an armed struggle in a biased self centered World politics scenario which is indulged in Democracy and Human Rights at the same time; let’s see what results the peaceful means would bring forth. There is always another option until a solution acceptable is forced upon by the IC. Tough luck for the Local politicians as one of them will have to sell this concept to the poor majority. Hatemongering has to be paid back.
Channel 4 I thank you deeply with my heart for bringing out the truth about the genocide and disrcriminatio towards the Tamils in sri lanka. sri lanka or the sinhalese will never stop making pathetic statements, all they do is brand anyone that brings out the truth a LTTE member or a traitor. They have ALWAYS done this..and it looks like they are going to carry on. However, it was them that said that they hae defeated ALL of the LTTE so how can these people be LTTE members? Think about it. Everything sri lanka says just contradicts with itself. Before they told the international community that there were only 50,000 civilians trapped in the war zone..now they say there are more than 250,000 civilians locked up in concentration camps..where did the extra more than 200,000 come from? They just lied to avoid the international communites attention. More than 50,000 people are said to be missing from the concentraion camps. sri lanka is in fist place for the most disappearences and abductions, in which ALL the victims are either Tamils or people who stood up for Tamils. What does this tell you? Also sri lanka did not allow any media,ngo’s into the war zone during or after the ‘end’ of the war. If they had nothing to hide then why are they not allwing them in? OBVIOUSLY they have a LOT to HIDE! They say that they did not use heavy weapons within the last few weeks of this ethnic cleansing of Tamils, however satellite pictures and witnesses tell a completely different story. sri lanka blocked anyone from going to the the war zones so that none of the truth got out and only their statements got through to the rest of the world..they never give any evidence for any of there statements. To punish a criminal all you need is evidence, we have a LOT of evidence that sri lanka has commited war crimes, what do they have to prove they haven’t? Lets just hope that the international community will finally open their eyes and see the truth and save the left over Tamils in sri lanka before they are all wped out! There is no way that this problem will be solved accept for a separate state for Tamils. Tamils cnnot live side by side with the sinhalese it is just IMPOSSIBLE. The military war might have been started by the LTTE, however that start was caused by years of oppression caused to the Tamils by sri lanka. Where thousands of Tamils were murdered just because they were TAMIL ..which is defined as GENOCIDE! You might have heard of the black July in 1983 where thousands of Tamils were killed by buddist monks and even the sri lankan POLICE! People were locked in their shops and the shops burnt down..random Tamils walking down the road were murdered. The Tamils fought peacefully for years however the oppression applied to them just got worse and worse which caused the formaton of the LTTE. The government used the LTTE as an excuse to kill all the Tamils, just find a Tamil brand them an LTTE and kill them..that simple to them! Anyone who speaks up for them is also branded a trator or LTTE and killed even if they are sinhalse! and then they talk about how LTTE killed there own people, when its was the government that killed them and then blamed it on the LTTE! Will the stupidity of the sri lanka government ever end? Will they ever stop making pathetic, babyish, false statements? Will they ever be punished for their war crimes,rapes,abductions? WE WILL SEE. Lets hope there’s an end to the suffering and oppesion of the Tamils. The international community has it duties and it must carry them out. The short term operation is to save all the Tamils in the concentration camps and locate them back to their homes WITHOUT any sinhalese colonisations. The long term operation is to from a separate state for Tamils (Tamil Eelam), as this s the only solution to end this racism and discrimination and genocide commited towards Tamils in sri lanka. SAVE THE TAMILS & FREE TAMIL EELAM!
P A V I…….HA HA HA SHOUT AS MUCH AS YOU LIKE………NICE TO SEE THE RACIST TAMILS COMING OUT OF THERE SHELLS…OH PAVI PAVI…FEEL SORRY FOR YOU…HA HA HA….SICKOS…..
Thank you for your hard work to bring the truth out. Media should take more risk and bring out the truth like channel 4.
Thanks Channel4 for voicing the voiceless.
Sinhala government have killed over 500,000 tamil civilians to date. the same government last month said they had rescued 350,000 civilians, now 84,000 tamils are abducted by srilankan army in IDP Camps. now government statistic say only 264,000 tamils in camp.
asian human right Commision say past years 30,000 tamils disapeared it admit the real figure could be much much higher,
srilankan government conducting this mass genocide for decade. now this 84,000 who servived the war may be killed by srilankan troops. and the rest 264,000 going to die in dozens through illnesses. there are reports of sinhala governemnt elements working to spread decease into this to camps to kill the rest of the tamils.
UN chief of staff’s Vijay Nambiyar ’s own brother Satish nambiyar is employed by srilankan army there is no doubt UN Chief of staff getting a slice of UN funds as bribery. otherwise how on earth UN will fund Lock UP Camp? where this people have no basic registration process and 84,000 people was abducted by srilankan army in the camps.
i have relatives locked up In Srilanka Nazi camps , and its been a month and i have been trying to get details where they are locked up. and to date there are no registration process and we hear report every day 200-300 people are taken away by srilankan army this is why government didnt want any registration or International monitoring.
i went to register with Red Cross in London to trace my family members they say that they have no access to camps. detainees have to contact themselves from the camp. i had told them if they can contact they would have contacted this is why i want the tracing. UN is funding this nazi camp instead of freeing this innocent civilians.
we are sick of worrying for our relatives.
Jonathan thank you so much for your report please help free our people from this sinhala nazi government.
Problem underlying the issue in Srilanka is neither Sinhalese nor Tamil people want to coexist and the mistrust is very high. Only solution to the issue is the existence of Tamil eelam and Srilanka side by side similar to that of Singapore and Malaysia.
I am an Australian living in Sri Lanka. I am a Caucasian therefore neither Sinhala or Tamil.
It;s appalling to see the new lows British journalist have reached. I lived in Sri Lanka for 6 years and worked with the DDG Danish Demining Group. (0% of the above is fabricated rubbish. There are more Tamils living outside of the effects of war than there are Tamils in camps. They continue to lead normal lives. Some even cheer the fall of the Tigers.
You lived 6 years…I am Sri Lankan Tamil lived in Jaffna and Colombo. You only see our fake faces when we behave with Sinhalese. If we show our selves as Tamils or supporting tamil cause thats the end of our life!. We will never show the feelings unless within our known Tamil friends or relations. There are different catogories of Tamils , but mainly North and East Tamils had the major problem in the past. After 40% of left the country , you are now listening to Tamils from different backrounds.So do a good look from whom you are listening!
They born outside the North and East , they have been grown in a way that they speak Sinhala more than Tamil. Problem is for the indigenous Tamils of North and East. Ofcourse there might be some selfish people in every society who will do anything for money.
But who ever against some principles of Tamil Tigers are also now worrying because Tigers were our strong hold to win our rights.
We know many other people who started for the same cause in 80s are now with Sinhala government just for power.
So this is problem of NORTH AND EAST TAMILS. THE PROBLEM IS NOT ABOUT TIGERS , IT IS 61 YEARS PROBLEM. WE WILL HIDE OURSELVES TO SAFEGUARD OURSELVES. Majoirty of Sinhalese will not accept our rights for self determiantion. They think this is Sinahala country. Also if you really lived in Sri Lanka (if it is true) you must know what happens to Tamils in Colombo (again North and East Tamils who got number 4 , on front of their ID cards!)
We are treated like animals, we are even scared about Tuk-Tuk drivers because we are Tamils. We cannot live in our Towns because Army and Para military groups are hunting us. We have to learn Sinhala and behave like Sinhalese to escape Army and Police in South. We all are dreaming if oneday we can get out of this nasty island and enjoy some freedom.
We have lost hope of freedom , when the people like yourself even do not understand our pains.
True voice , still cannot identify myself because I WANT TO LIVE!
Problem in Sri Lanka is bascially Sinhala nationalism which indirectly boosted the chauvinism. This is not today’s problem , it is Historical problem for million years. Tamil Kingdoms and Sinhala Kingdoms were fighting. The issue was undermined over 300 years because of Western invasion. British who brought the whole island under single rule. So when they left the island after 100 years they never realised they caused the asia’s longest war.
Simply due to many far right politicians in South , Tamil youth started taking arms. In 80s 100% tamils were together to achieve freedom , but within 30 years now the story is bit changed when the Tamils had to fight against many evills. First Western countries who just blindly banned the freedom organisations and their interventions. Sinhala politician who sold their country to who ever helps them to kill Tamils. Tamils who left the iskand . Many more Tamil polticians , rebel leaders who have been bought by Sinhala chauvinist in order to crush Tigers and group of people who went against Tigers for their issues with them.
Now after 30 years of pains , China’s intervention was the greatest ever. Also the Indian politics which depends on Italian woman who have no idea about her Indian mother-in-law has also caused major issue.
So to fight against these greater power is nearly impossible. Atlast now once again people realise that Sinhala chauvinsm is uprising with military victory. Also the rebel leader who were gave up their cause for money and power have nothing to say now.They are not useful to chauvinist anymore.
Government is telling Tamils , support us then only you will get basic human needs. Specially last week government told Jaffna people that they will get 24 hour electricity if they vote for Sri Lankan goverment supporting traitors!
Isn’t it funny? Electricity is essential. People who grown within cages have used to live without human rights.
They do not know what is meant by human rights! The mentality grown by Chinese. For most of the Chinese believe work , eat and sleep thats the way to live. They do not even worry about you tube , find about world! For them China is the world!
Same way north and east people are treated. Jaffna people cannot easily go out , but they can just work and eat under army control,
But when all these hurts will not be suppressed for longer. Many freedom fighters will come out soon. Freedom struggle will be taken by people oneday.
Freed tamil homeland in inevitable , may be it takes 100 years more, still it will be freed from Sri Lankan forces oneday!
Dear Suthan, I understand your email and really sympathise. Whilst i am against the LTTE ,their supporters and any notion of a two state solution based on ethnic nationalism, i do understand your point of view. I have family members who are Tamil and they too have felt discrimination, i also have Burgher family members who felt the same way. If we are ever going to move SL forward to create a truly tolerant and multi-cultural nation, we have to work together. Sinhalese nationalism is totally unacceptable as is Tamil nationalism. I am Sri-Lankan and proud of all our communities. Somehow we have to talk, recognise where there is consensus and work through our difficulties without resorting to violence. I want GOSL to start walking the walk too, we must have elections in the North and East and some form of localism. We must also focus on social and economic development quickly and start modernising our public services. We need reform and focus FAST. We need to fight poverty and economic exclusion together. I ask all Sri-Lankans to unite and too work together.
Asi Panditharatna,
Have election in the North and East? Why don’t your starts by honoring the election result of 1977 or even 2004? Even if they have an election, how is it going to be fair and free? If the Tamils again express their desire to separate will the racist Sinhalese and the genocidal government respect the democratic say of the Tamils? My guess is never, not that I am assuming it, because the Sinhalese have repeatedly demonstrated it.
Let the Tamil people live freely. Let them live in Tamil Eelam because that is what they asked for, voted for, fought for and most importantly it is their right to self-determination.
What’s betters then election is an internationally sponsored referendum on Tamil Eelam. The result’s verdict should be the responsibility of the international community.
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