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Sri Lankan journalists, particularly those feeding the international wire services, are undermining civilian confidence in the security forces in particular and civilian morale in general, a senior media ministry official said today. Quoting articles posted by a leading international wire service, the official said that it was “incomprehensible” how Sri Lankan journalists could so nonchalantly characterize security information in the worst possible light, when more positive interpretations were just as readily available. Remarking on reports relating to the current fighting near Elephant Pass, the official said that at least one journalist seemed to take a “twisted glee” in promoting Sri Lankan security forces’ losses, but seemed unmoved by any adverse impact of the fighting on the LTTE. The official also said that these reports had a way of filtering back to the men in the field and disheartening them as well. “There is a clear need to report the facts, and, beyond the reasonable needs of censorship we have no problem with that,” the official said. “But you have to remember we are fighting a war, and morale is a critical factor.” The official said that the government objects to what he described as a “saddening willingness” to characterize events from the security forces side “as if it’s all gloomy.” Citing one recent example, the offical said, “Yesterday, one individual reported that the SLA had pulled back from one base in Maamunai, which is correct. But today, the same individual wrote that on Tuesday we ‘pulled back from another base at Maamunai’ as if our forces have retreated for a second time. It is one and the same withdrawal, but reported to make it look as if our position is worse than it is. This kind of distorted characterization is almost criminal,” the official said. The official acknowledged that, taking a wider view of journalism, such reporters could not be blamed for exercising their right to characterize events as they see fit. “But it’s as if these journalists are happy to see their own side lose,” the official said. “We just wish they would exercise their right more positively.” The official also said that some international news services seemed to treat LTTE press releases as gospel, but would not give an equivalent “benefit of the doubt” to government information. “When the Tigers say they have made advances, these people just regurgitate it. But when we make advances, they write headlines like ‘Troops claim’ to have done something or other, as if we are making it up.” “It is truly difficult to understand.”
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