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Ofcom did not allow the Sri Lankan government to exploit procedures

by admin on Feb.08, 2010, under United Kingdom

Ofcom did not allow the Sri Lankan government to exploit procedures

Jon Snow is absolutely right when he says that Ofcom‘s complaints function must not be used by governments “to curb … investigative reporting [to] hide from public scrutiny” (A watchdog exploited, 5 February). But, contrary to the suggestion contained in your ­headline, Ofcom did not allow the Sri Lankan government to exploit our procedures, when it complained about Channel 4 News broadcasting footage of the apparent atrocities committed against the Tamils.

Ofcom has an excellent track record in defending freedom of speech for legitimate investigative journalism (for example, our decision in Channel 4′s Undercover Mosque).

In this Sri Lankan case, Ofcom did not take forward the Sri Lankan ­government’s fairness complaint and rejected its impartiality and accuracy complaint.

Ofcom has a statutory duty to ensure that broadcasters comply with the broadcasting code, irrespective of the identity of any complainant. As the Channel 4 News presenter points out – only parliament can change that.

Chris Banatvala

Director of standards, Ofcom


1 Comment for this entry

  • Karuppen
    February 10th, 2010 on 11:48 am

    In Srilanka what happened before and during the war on terrorism was a testimony to the disgrace of democratic principles. State violence under the capsule of genocide against an unarmed innocent Tamil minority ended in the death toll of more than 50,000. Needless to say about the abject treatment of the Tamils incarcerated in restricted camps in sub-human sanitary conditions. Has this human tragedy jostled the law of conscience of any democratic leaders around the world to demand counter measures either in the UN or in parliaments? Democratically strong countries like the US, Canada, UK, Australia, France, Ireland, have the accountability for a policy to coalesce into a tenable political solution to the plight of Srilankan Tamils rather than waiting for any first-move country to initiate the dialogue.

    In Srilanka today armed forces are none other than state-trained criminals to plunder public trust. These criminals plunder public and individual properties, kidnap innocent Tamils for ransom money, and murder them if they do not suit their purpose. Criminals dressed like Buddhist monks are loose in the society to agitate ordinary people against the Tamils. Today with the assistance of state armed forces Tamil worship places called temples are dismantled, Tamils in some remote places are forcibly subjected to serve the Singhalese criminals who occupy their land.

    A culture as old as the time is immemorial. That Tamil culture and religion are today deteriorating under the aggression of selected Singhalese racist politicians. This is not the single state aggression of Srilankan government. It is the tacit approval of a great democratic country Union of India. As long as the Union of India remains as the single nation India, any peace talks between the Tamil and Singhalese politicians are doomed to failure. India is the major stumbling block to any peace talks in Srilankan politics. Unless and until the Union of India is disintegrated into its independent provincialities, any small nation like Srilanka in the Indian Ocean will never have a social justice. The political implosion the Union of India is experiencing now has paved the way for independent states like Telengana and other nine states in her backyard. What India sows in other countries, is mercilessly rewarded to India in her own territory. This is the lesson the Mother Nature teaches the aggressor. Chinese strong support of Maoists in India will disintegrate the Union of India before long.

    The world now needs a new and strong UN Secretary General. Mr Ban- Ki-Moon should be sacked from his post giving room for a strong leader who shows administrative capability, political acumen, quick thinking trait, calibre of strong moral strength to translate democratic principles into codes of UN accountability in global politics.

    You need the guts to do anything socially and politically constructive to help the weak and innocent people around the world.

 

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