When Channel 4 and Callum Macrae distorts the “Truthâ€ÂÂÂ
Posted on February 25th, 2013
Shenali WadugeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
For people who are so passionate about revealing the truth, getting justice and showcasing to the world how horrible Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s armed forces are would there be any need for ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-sequelsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. The best thing would have been to pool everything available against Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s armed forces ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” mobile phone pictures, videos, eye witnesses and spill the beans ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” so what is the objective of these sequels every year close to Geneva sessions or some other international event?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ When the print and electronic media describes the pictures of PrabakaranƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s son as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-disturbingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ frankly there was nothing disturbing to the eyes of a boy munching on a cookie or the photo that was shown in 2012. Instead what would disturb the eyes of anyone would have been these pictures:
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Channel 4ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s presenter described the picture of PrabakaranƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s son in 2012 as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-barbaricƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-chilling piece of footageƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” what would he say of these pictures given above?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It would be most interesting to know Callum MacraeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s response to these pictures and given that he entered TV presenting and documentary work in 1992 onwards we would like to have answered why none of the LTTE heinous crimes against children as one can see by the photos above were newsworthy enough to be turned into a documentary and why a boy munching a cookie gets global coverage?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Moreover, what we are very keen to know which no one seems to have asked is where is Prof. Derrick Pounder the forensic pathologist at Dundee University who just needed to look at the picture of a bloodless child with gunshot injuries (PrabakaranƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s son) and without a speck of doubt conclude that ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” he (PrabakaranƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s son) was shot 5 times (erasing all doubt of other scenarios), that the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-speckling from propellant tattoingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ indicated the weapons muzzle was 2 or 3ft or less from the dead boysƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ chest, suggesting the boy could have even touched the gun, that the boy had fallen backwards after being shot and the shooter had stood over him and fired the rest of the shots and his conclusion is ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-this is a murderƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ or ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-executionƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Prof Pounder also says ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-it was possible the boy was made to watch the execution of his bound and blindfolded guards before the gun was turned on himƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. How can this Prof know PrabakaranƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s son had 5 bodyguards ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” where or from whom did he get this figure? Do we need to conduct autopsies if we can come to conclusions like Prof. Pounder ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” which is why we are really missing his expert opinion in the 2013 sequel version of Callum MacraeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s No Fire Zone aimed at tarnishing Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s armed forces?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Please bring these experts back in the 2014 sequel of Channel 4 and Callum Macrae close to Geneva.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ To Callum Macrae, Channel 4 and a host of others jumping on the bandwagon of annually producing sequels to tarnish Sri Lanka especially its armed forces the spectacle of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ahsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ohsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-wowsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ will diminish once people begin to realize these are all commercially motivated documentaries but if it makes the sponsors happy and funds keep coming so be it ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” let the lies pour out.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ What we expect is some unbiased coverage ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” thousands of children were killed in barbaric ways by the LTTE. The GOSL has enough of video footage and photos covered at the scenes of these crimes through 3 decades ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” these pictures are what should ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-perturbƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and be referred to as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-horrendous crimesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ far above a picture of a child lying with bullet wounds but no blood with a man in slippers close to the body questioning the inference of military being responsible ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s armed forces do not wear slippers. The photos of the bunker at closer examination reveal sunlight but the picture of the body lying on the ground doesnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t correspond with the light and looks like someone had been fiddling with the picture. However, given these questions Callum Macrae, Channel 4 or any of their supporters cannot come to conclusions ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” allegations have to be proved first.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Does Channel 4 seriously think that showing a sensational drama on a sequel basis can change the fact that approximately 295,000 Tamil civilians were saved, that 11770 LTTE combatants gave themselves up and majority of them have been rehabilitated and reintegrated with over 500 child combatants given State pardon while the army rescued wives and families of key LTTE leaders ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” without shooting them? Shooting everything that moved was the orders given to the US military ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” our military has shown we conduct military affairs far different.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The people of Sri Lanka are all unanimous about one thing and that is our armed forces has done what no military in the Western world has been able to do after over a decade of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-War on TerrorƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” the plan was to eliminate the LTTE ground force combined with an equal objective of saving all the civilians that the LTTE had been herding to use as human shields or civilian combatants ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” that venture cost 5000 military lives but saved approximately 295,000 Tamil civilians all of whom are now living and getting on with their lives in areas that now have electricity where no electricity prevailed because the LTTE blew up the grids.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Callum Macrae, Channel 4 can produce any amount of documentaries but these cannot change the facts that we see before our eyes ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” a picture may be worth a thousand words but what we see with our eyes when we travel to areas that were out of bounds is worth tenfold that number.
February 25th, 2013 at 3:12 pm
Yes Shenali, Callus cant change the facts but Ch4 and suchlike can make people believe untruths, which is their objective – not to uncover the facts. They want to motivate the victims of these untruths to act against us – and they are succeeding. In a propoganda war, access to funds is vital. Instead of flapping our arms saying “no fund no funds” while LTTE diaspora and western officials flog us with their bogus materials, we need to be asking how and where we, as private organisation of concerned Sri Lankans, can raise these funds. No use hoping for GOSL and MOD to do everything. They are already stretched to the limit. We, as private organisations should consider approaching well-resourced third party entities or philanthropists potentially interested in SL cause. For instance, there is lots of talk among patriots about protecting Buddhism etc, then are there NO multi millionaire Buddhists in East Asia, for instance, who would take an interest? Perhaps Shenali could try? Networking and bogus sob stories appears to be something the LTTE diaspora excel in. Lorenzo, how about approaching some of the Israeli billionnaires and see if they will throw our cause a few millions in return for your loyalty to them? These are only examples. We have to find the funding quickly.
February 25th, 2013 at 3:50 pm
The more sequels they play, the more it becomes obvious to the world what the Sewer Canal 4 is upto. Bring it on baby, let’s have the next sequel as well……
February 25th, 2013 at 4:40 pm
I’d rather see that psychopath Callum squirm in court and be driven bankrupt.
February 25th, 2013 at 5:06 pm
Instead of WASTING money in building swimming pools, computer labs and other nonsense in Tamil only APARTHEID schools and APARTHEID universities in APARTHEID Jaffna this money should be invested in SUING channel 4. This money WASTED by the govt. produces MORE AND MORE Tamil experts who discredit SL with their skills.
If govt. cannot do anything, at least they should stop digging their OWN grave.
February 25th, 2013 at 5:15 pm
“11770 LTTE combatants gave themselves up and majority of them have been rehabilitated and reintegrated”
This is the WORST mistake govt. ever did. They will be FIRST HAND anti-SL witnesses in a future investigation.
Rehabilitation took 24 months. At 3 meals a day for 365 days a year for 2 years = 2,190
Meals for 11,770 cowards = 2,190 x 11,770 = 25,776,300
If one meal costs 100/=, total loss = 2,577,630,000
2.5 BILLION rupees WASTED!
Now what do we get? A thank you? A pat on the shoulder? Gratefulness?
NO! BLAME! BLAME! BLAME! And this is one thing I agree with those who blame SL. Why oh why! A stitch in time would have saved nine! Humble Lorenzo would have gladly stitched!
February 26th, 2013 at 3:43 am
Why is Sunday Leader publishing things agaist this nation at this time?. Who owns it, and is Ratnajeewan Hoole who says the picture are genuine, an academic of jaffna Uni?.
February 26th, 2013 at 5:38 am
Shenali, have you sent a copy of your article and the evidence to C4 and other media in UK, USA ?
February 26th, 2013 at 5:42 am
Your article shows what will happen to the Sinhalese if they are not prepared to defend themselves or compete. We should rectify our weaknesses and question our lifestyle and belief system. How can we stop Muslims doing a ‘Nalanda’ on us ?
February 26th, 2013 at 7:39 am
Prince Alexei Romanov, son of Tsar Nicholas II, great-grandson of Queen Victoria, and heir to the Russian throne was the youngest child and the only son of Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and was heir to the throne of the Russian Empire.
He was murdered at age 13 in 1918 along with the rest of the Russian royal family by the order of Lenin and the murder was executed by Trotsky.
Trotsky was the chairman of the Milrevkom – the Military Revolutionary Committee which orchestrated the events of October 1917. In the Russian Civil War Trotsky led the Red Army and the war’s successful conclusion. Trotsky founded the Fourth International in 1938. The LSSP, formed in 1935 and the oldest of the Sri Lankan Marxist parties, indeed of all existing Sri Lankan parties, took a stance independent of the Soviet Union, becoming affiliated with the Trotskyist Fourth International.
Anybody accusing Lenin or Trotsky for murdering a 13 year old Prince?
February 26th, 2013 at 9:33 am
I posted my above comment after reading the article written by Dr. Hoole in Sunday Leader in the following link, which is relevant to this topic.
http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2013/02/24/living-under-murderers-in-a-savage-land/
I remember a report sometime ago that this guy was jobless somewhere in the US and a prominent friend in the medical field appealed to HE the president, to give him a place in a university. Having got in to one of the unis he is making anti Sri Lanka statements all the time. Who gave him authority to do this if he is still employed in a uni?. It appears Navi Pillai, too got into the current position due to CBK’s effort. This is like the sinhala saying ” ahaka yana nai redda asse dagannawa wage”.
We never learn.
February 26th, 2013 at 11:43 pm
All these dirty thing have taken place because of RACISM created by RACIST, still our people nothing has learnt from past bitter history, again RACISM has been started in different format to destroy our beutiful country
February 27th, 2013 at 9:13 am
WICKRAMABAHU KARUNARATNE TILVIN VASU VITHARANA AND SOMAWANSA
DO U ALL HATE TROTSKY FOR KILLING ROMONOV THE 13 YEAR BOY.?
WAS PRABHAKARAN BETTER THAN THE TSAR?
LORENZO IS CORRECT . WE ARE SPENDING ALL OUR MONEY TO MAKE THEM MORE STRONGER. IN SINHALA WE CALL punaruththapana FOR REHABILITATION. THAT IS GIVING A HAND TO GET UP WHEN THEY ARE WEAK TO GET UP . DO WE WANT THEM TO GET UP AGAIN AND KILL US? MOST OF THE JAFFNA TAMILS SUPPORTED PRABHA TO DESTROY SINHALESE. SO LET THEM SUFFER A LITTLE UNTIL THEY REALISE THEIR FOLLY.
IT IS OK TO GIVE THEM THE MINIMUM REQUIRMENTS. WHY DO WE BUILD “” humbas for snakes””
WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL. RECENTLY SOME REHABILITATED TIGERS ATTACKED THE FORCES
GOVT . IS TRYING TO PLESE WESTERNERS TO BE IN POWER. WHATEVER THE GOVT. DO THEY WILL NOT BE SATISFIED
TAMIL SEPARATIST S WILL NOT BE SATISFIED WITHOUT EEALAMOR ATLEAST A SEPARATE STATE WITH ALL THE POWERS.
NALIAH GOOD POINT I LIKE U REALY I WANT TO SEE U