Aren’t they going too far with the Media Freedom ?

Freedom has to be exercised with caution. Just because one is allowed to use one’s freedom, it should not be utilised for the detriment of, or cause harm to another. Freedom could lead to allsorts of abuses. It would be like giving a torch to a monkey. It could set a whole forest on fire. It is the same with the freedom of the media.

But the media which has set up its own Federation, makes it jump to uphold the right of the media at the mere drop of a “pin”. They do not take time even to investigate whether they are defending a just cause. In Sri Lanka it has become a bit of a joke to see the federation of the Press make a vociferous entry in to the scene blowing all their “bugles” the moment a media man is involved in what ever matter, without considering whether the cause deserves its support.

As much as a Government may be considered over reaching its power to suppress the activities of the media, the media could also be accused for abusing the freedom allowed to it. Freedom is a sword that cuts both ways, and there for the media cannot always claim “immunity” under freedom of the media in a democratic system. It is not the media that sets up the rules, and dictates to governments. It is a government that sets up rules, and demands the media to uphold the rules of law.

During the World War I many Americans of German Origin were imprisoned. One man was even hanged for being of German descent, and the killers were found not guilty as it was considered an act of patriotism. What Christian Justice ? In Europe news concerning the war was subjected to strict censure. Then neither a human rights watch in the former case, nor a Federation of the Press in the latter, could have intervened to demand the governments to release the detainees, nor to withdraw the censures.

Sri Lanka is a quite a smart developing Sovereign State, which foiled the attempt of a ruthless terrorist group to divide the country to set up a Homeland. The terrorism has been eliminated but the “goons” who lived on terrorism are still at large. Therefore the government has to take all precautions to avoid a possible re-ignition of the past terror.

Therefore, an International Federation of the Press, if lead by a responsible, intelligent leadership, should not burn its fingers by supporting what it should not support. To do so would be immoral, as a secure and a protective governance avoiding danger to its citizen is the primary responsibility of a Government. If the government were to take into custody a wrong doer, and its courts of law passes judgement, it has to be respected by any Federation worthy of its name.

Some Media Institutions of Sri Lanka are the worst for the abuse of the press freedom. But the International Community with its favourable attitude towards the Sri Lanka terrorists, have ever since the Government of Sri Lanka eliminated terrorism killing all the terrorists, have taken cudgels against the Government, instead of aplauding the heroism of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces.

And now their agents the Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, UNHuman Rights Commission, and the International Federation of the Press etc. make a habit of popping up, to make accusations against the government, when ever the government of Sri Lanka takes any action to punish those who supported the terrorists, or take precautionary measures to prevent any possible repetition of those past events.

Utter abuse of media freedom is seen in the British Channel 4 TV. It is a shame that the Government of UK with its well known English Justice and Fair play, does not warn the miscreants to stop this misuse of the media freedom. This most objectionably dastard acts of Channel 4 are understandable as England is not what it was, with people like Milliband, who was trying his best not to leave any stone upturned in his effort to save the terrorist leaders during the last phase of the military operations against them, warming the Chair of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs.

Channel 4 well known for its fabrication of false news items, still smarting from being unceremoniously kicked out of Sri Lanka, for trying to concoct another false story to discredit the Government, accusing the Army Soldiers for rape, and murder, has this time “doctored” photos showing a naked man being made ready to be shot by a soldier. Of course that makes less imaginative Ban Ki Moon and US Ambassador to UN squeak.

If these are considered Freedom of the Media, which the International Federation of the Press has come forward to defend, woe be to democracy, and woe be to the Christian civilization the West so tenaciously uphold.