13 May 2023

Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

 

 

 

DID SRI LANKAN MEDIA FAIL IN ITS DUTY?

 

In a public issue various forms of true interpretations are likely to happen. Those in official positions usually enjoy the protection of the official system. In terms of the media, they have this protection provided they publish facts and their own true interpretations of facts. Where the media’s true interpretation of facts are published at the time the manifestation is in the making, the media becomes part of the causal force and therefore has its share of the manifestation.

 

 

As per my memory, during the 2022 Aragalaya the official media limited itself to reporting and did not interpret as a victim or perpetrator.  Almost a year later, the Daily Mirror has published  its interpretation in the article headed ‘The Aragalaya and conspiracies to seize power’ - https://www.dailymirror.lk/opinion/The-Aragalaya-and-conspiracies-to-seize-power/172-259136

 

 

I published my true interpretations in the belief that they would affect manifestations at that time. One such article was  on 19 July and headed ‘CORRUPT PROTESTORS EXPOSED’ - http://austms.blogspot.com/2022/07/19-july-2022-gajalakshmi-paramasivam_19.html

My article was based on the report  by Daily News at

https://www.dailynews.lk/2022/07/19/local/283297/cid-probe-reports-rs-45-mn-received-three-key-figures-galle-face-protest  

 

The report begins as follows:

 

‘An investigation has been initiated by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) regarding claims that three social media activists who are alleged to have received Rs. 15 million each from a foreign source. The total amount received by the three activists it is alleged is Rs.45 million.’

 

At the time the outcomes were ‘work in progress’ I added my TRUTH to the manifestation. Unless the official media had also done so at that time, it wasted its ‘right to participate in Policy making’  which is the core purpose of media freedom. It the Truth we feel, that renders us the courage to publish our truth  during or before policy is made. A true seeker would manifest our TRUTH as hers/his. That is the duty of Truth. Today when I read the report on Aragalaya conspiracies I thanked the system of Truth in which I believe. Belief based ownership ranks above money based ownership. In Sri Lanka this is confirmed through Prescription Ordinance 1872.

 

When we believe, the buyer and the purchaser are one. If we believe in the law, the outcome happens in one form or the other.  In terms of writing and publishing we become the writer as well as reader. In terms of Governance, we are the government and we are the people. Those Buddhists who accepted economic hardship, and downsized themselves are true Buddhists.