Message from Sri Lankans

To: Congressman Jim McGovern
438 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Congressman McGovern,

We Americans are shocked to hear that you have decided to show the fake British Channel 4 video “The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka” this Friday in the Congress.

We do not want you to show this fabrication of facts in the United States Congress. In fact, as an American we need you to bring charges against the Tamils who supported the Tamil terror group LTTE for war crimes. Don’t you think it’s time we enforced anti-terror laws on American soil?

We request that Congressman McGovern reconsider his speaking at and hosting this film screening.

This type of vicious and evil propaganda hurts Sri Lankans and Americans. It severely damages the reconciliation process in Sri Lanka. It focuses on negativity and not moving forward as a united country. It is divisive and damages the progress and harmony of the island.

It is a fraud. The documentary is inaccurate and lacks authenticity. It is simply a piece of propaganda with the sole intention of confusing the international community. None of the clips in the video are attributed or corroborated. Numerous international news organizations have noted that the documentary is not journalism and simply contains unnamed sources and distorted voices. Some of the alleged “cell phone videos” have time stamps that took place months after the conflict ended. Since there is absolutely no attribution to any of the scenes in the videos they could have been staged at anytime, anywhere in the world.

Evidence to prove that this video is a fraud:

Channel-4 video a fake, concludes video forensic analyst on Monday, 13 June 2011

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ http://www.globalpeacesupport.com/globalpeacesupport.com/post/2011/06/13/Channel-4-video-a-fake-concludes-video-forensic-analyst.aspx

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nxxaj4ogCsY

Worst part is UN’s new Rapporteur Christof Heyns hired a new US based video specialist Mr Grant Fredericks to analyse the video. I am surprised, with his conclusion, that the video is Edited using Philips editing software and Never Came from the mobile phone since video is using an Optical Zoom which is not available in Any mobile Camera that is available to date.

To me, video editing is so obvious that all it needs is to look into the video end to see more than one video layer, and audio is also not synchronized in with the video as indicated by the previous Channel 4 video…. The technical foot print is identical on both videos indicating it is edited by the same software and by the same idiot.

http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2011/06/16/channel-4-video-a-fake%E2%80%99%E2%80%93-video-forensic-analyst%E2%80%8F/

It is confirmed, Channel-4 video is fake.

Sri Lankan representatives have been able to confirm that video telecast by the British media organisation, Channel-4 on Sri Lanka is fake and fabricated. Majority of the member countries of the United Nations have accepted arguments put forward by the country’s representatives. Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Dr. Palitha Kohona and Deputy Permanent Representative and Sri Lankan Ambassador to the UN Major General Shavendra Silva produced concrete evidences that led to consider the video is fake. Human rights organisations including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and International Crisis Group showed the controversial video in the presence of the representatives of the member countries of the UN. Channel-4 does not hold responsibility in regard to the video and no party has claimed the ownership of it. Credibility of information and the people appeared in the video is highly challenged and it has been verified that the woman who speak in the video has played a pivotal role in the LTTE as a LTTE cadre. The medical officer who commented in the video was also threatened by the terrorists and after being liberated he has revealed the true story. Major General Shavendra Silva and Dr. Palitha Kohona has pointed out that all information brought out by the video is baseless and false and a massive propaganda campaign which attempted to bring disgrace to Sri Lanka was brought to the light by them.

http://www.slbc.lk/index.php/component/content/article/1-latest-news/6973-it-is-confirmed-channel-4-video-is-fake

Original Video Of Channel 4 is in Tamil on Thursday, 30 June 2011

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ http://www.lankanewspapers.com/news/2011/6/68534_space.html

The issue of “summary execution of prisoners”.

Channel 4’s Jon Snow states that video footage of these executions “were recorded on mobile phones as grotesque war trophies” by Government forces. This must mean that Channel 4 either received these recordings directly from members of the Government’s forces who recorded the executions, or through a contact or a series of contacts who would have eventually passed them on to Channel 4. Clearly, therefore, Channel 4 is in a position to trace back and establish the identity or identities of those who recorded the incidents. If Channel 4 is in such a commanding position, why are they going to extremes to establish authenticity of the video footage by consulting experts, when they are in a position to name and give the identities of the persons associated with the recordings of the trophies? The reluctance of Channel 4 to reveal their identities cannot be out of concern for journalistic ethics. The reason may either be because of uncertainty of the authenticity of the recordings, or due to some other reason that prevents them from disclosing the sources.

The conclusion by Channel 4 that these acts were committed by Sri Lankan soldiers on the basis that they wore Army uniforms is not proof of such, because the LTTE has been recorded to have used Army uniforms to commit atrocities on several occasions. Furthermore, it is an established fact that a number of Government soldiers were held as prisoners under the LTTE. Their fate is not known to this day. If as the footage shows the LTTE resorted to killing Tamil civilians who attempted to escape there is a strong possibility that the LTTE would have carried out the summary executions of Government prisoners wearing Army uniforms during the final stages of the conflict. Considering the techniques resorted to discredit the Government, it cannot be ruled out that the footage of summary executions could even be from conflict areas outside Sri Lanka. Therefore, in the absence of Channel 4 revealing the identities of the sources of the recordings, and also in view of the fact that the recordings focused on the victims, with great care being taken not to reveal the faces of the perpetrators, there is a need to establish authenticity of the video/audio recordings by consulting expert opinion.

COMMENT

Channel 4’s video appears to be that of a crusader with a mission to expose violations committed by the Sri Lankan Government during the final stages of the conflict. In the light of the revelations coming out of UK with regard to practices adopted by the British media to get at a story there is serious doubt as to the methods and practices Channel 4 would have adopted in the fulfilment of its mission. These practices led to the closure of a newspaper that had existed for 168 years. It is now public knowledge that the media had resorted to unethical methods that involve Politicians at the highest level and cash transfers to the Police in exchange for information. In this background there is a strong possibility that Channel 4 too would have resorted to practices that go beyond the boundaries of professional journalistic practices to put together the report on Sri Lanka. Since the UK Government is planning to have a full inquiry into these practices it is hoped that the inquiry would be broad enough to expose possible commissions and omissions by Channel 4 in the development of its report on the final days of Sri Lanka’s conflict.

From Response to Elaine Pearson, Deputy Asia Director, HRW on July 12, 2011

http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=29982

Is British Broadcasting getting funds from Terror groups?

http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2011/06/25/british-broadcasting-getting-funds-terror-groups

Geopolitical Implications: this malicious video is an attempt by the Tamil terrorists to drive a wedge between the Unites States and Sri Lanka. This only hurts our great nation’s interest while strengthening our enemies. It is counterproductive to hurt our standing in the world by letting terror supporting groups spread false propaganda such as this one.

Our final thoughts: it is very unfair and biased to show a video like this. It is simply a tool of those that want to hurt the reconciliation process in Sri Lanka and bring the country back to the dark days of terror. We ask that Congressman McGovern not play a part in spreading such lies. Please stop the airing of this video and pull back your participation from the screening of the film.

Thank you.

Regards,