Sri Lanka Government's Responses to Recent Channel 4 Film

British television, Channel 4 recently broadcasted a new documentary on Sri Lanka civil war. This documentary talks about the atrocities done by both Sri Lanka army and LTTE during the end stage of the war. Channel 4 appeals for an investigation in to the alleged war crimes and it has used some mobile phone and small camera footages in this documentary. This documentary also includes video testimony of the civilian victims.

You can watch Channel 4 film "Sri Lanka's Killing Fields" Here - Click Here

Most of the footages that have been used in this documentary had been previously released. Sri Lanka defenses conducted some independent forensic video analysis about these clips and found out that these video clips were doctored to disgrace Sri Lanka's Image.

Following the broadcast of "Sri Lanka's Killing Filds" documentary, Sri Lanka Officials responded to media. Professor Rajiva Wijesingha who is the legislator who is dealing with war crime allegations were interviewed by AlJazeera and He pointed out the motives behind this documentary.

Government spokesman and Media minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that government would revisit the documentary carefully and arrange local and foreign forensic expert to analyze the video clips.

Sri Lanka president Mahinda Rajapaksha is yet to make a statement of the allegations. Today, Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksha issued a statement to media revealing some interesting facts.

Defense Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksha said that "Sri Lanka Government has received evidence that the fake video of Channel 4 News had been created after obtaining money from pro-LTTE elements.”The allegation against the army is clearly to tarnish the image of it internationally. Our army always behaved professionally giving utmost priority to safeguard the lives of innocent civilians

“Once again some pro-LTTE elements have used the Channel4 news agency after giving money to them (channel4) in order to tarnish the image of both the Sri Lankan government as well as the Army,” Mr. Rajapaksa said.

The Sri Lanka Government strongly rejected the contents of the video on the British Channel 4 news and assured that during the war the army was always committed to save the lives of innocent civilians and never harmed their lives.The lives of civilians as well as the families of the LTTE leaders, such as widows of LTTE Sea Tiger Leader Soosai and the LTTE Political Chief Thamilchelvan, who were stranded due to the war, were protected by the armed forces during and after the war.

“As an examples, the army is still giving protection to the families of Soosai and Thamilchelvan, who were top level LTTE leaders and also carefully protected the mother and father of slain LTTE leader Prabhakaran, until their death” Mr. Rajapaksa also added.

Stern Action If Channel 4 Does Not Retract - Hon Mahinda Samarasinghe, Minster of Disaster Management and Human Rights

Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe has emphasised that stern action will be initiated if Channel 4 is not prepared to report the truth. Speaking during an adjournment debate in Parliament on the Channel 4 incident, the Minister underscored that action has already been taken to appraise the UN Secretary General and officials at international level about this video footage proved doctored.
The Minister observed that the tape containing the serious allegations had been handed over by the JDS Organisation to Channel Four. When a tape consists of such serious allegations it is the responsibility to find out who has provided it. The Government is concerned over the image of this country and the Army in the international arena. It has informed Channel 4 either to scientifically prove the facts presented by the Government are incorrect or to accept it and make an apology. If it fails to resort to either of them, the Government is prepared to take appropriate action. He added that Media Organisations such as the CNN , BBC and Al Jazeera should be more careful and work with responsibility.