Comments on: My abducted brother found in Colombo National Hospital http://www.groundviews.org/2008/03/28/my-abducted-brother-found-in-colombo-national-hospital/ groundviews is an award winning Sri Lankan citizen journalism initiative Tue, 07 Oct 2008 23:03:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Justin http://www.groundviews.org/2008/03/28/my-abducted-brother-found-in-colombo-national-hospital/#comment-731 Justin Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:27:23 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/2008/03/28/my-abducted-brother-found-in-colombo-national-hospital/#comment-731 The hatred of Sinhalese is against those who report the truth or even an iota of it. They are taught to do this from their birth because Tamils are "nobody" in their logic. Their mass media twists information to satisfy their taste. Truth may be annoying but it has its effect. That is why Mahatma Gandhi said in 1948 "Remember all through history the way of truth and love has won. there have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end they always fall- think of it always" The Sinhalese always want their version of untruth and never the absolute truth or an iota of it. This is true of the GOSL and its tyranical and murderous ways. Sinhalese seem invincible. They and their cohorts they will surrely fall. The hatred of Sinhalese is against those who report the truth or even an iota of it. They are taught to do this from their birth because Tamils are “nobody” in their logic. Their mass media twists information to satisfy their taste.

Truth may be annoying but it has its effect. That is why Mahatma Gandhi said in 1948 “Remember all through history the way of truth and love has won. there have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end they always fall- think of it always”

The Sinhalese always want their version of untruth and never the absolute truth or an iota of it. This is true of the GOSL and its tyranical and murderous ways. Sinhalese seem invincible. They and their cohorts they will surrely fall.

]]> By: groundviews http://www.groundviews.org/2008/03/28/my-abducted-brother-found-in-colombo-national-hospital/#comment-730 groundviews Sun, 30 Mar 2008 02:31:17 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/2008/03/28/my-abducted-brother-found-in-colombo-national-hospital/#comment-730 Bala, you ask a question which Publius in the article I have pointed to (and many others here) has already answered as have I in writing freely available on Groundviews and elsewhere on the web. What do others feel about this? Bala, you ask a question which Publius in the article I have pointed to (and many others here) has already answered as have I in writing freely available on Groundviews and elsewhere on the web. What do others feel about this?

]]> By: Bala http://www.groundviews.org/2008/03/28/my-abducted-brother-found-in-colombo-national-hospital/#comment-729 Bala Sat, 29 Mar 2008 15:34:52 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/2008/03/28/my-abducted-brother-found-in-colombo-national-hospital/#comment-729 Thank you for that link. I would like to know your view on if Tamils had any grievances before the creation of LTTE. Thank you for that link. I would like to know your view on if Tamils had any grievances before the creation of LTTE.

]]> By: NGO http://www.groundviews.org/2008/03/28/my-abducted-brother-found-in-colombo-national-hospital/#comment-728 NGO Sat, 29 Mar 2008 05:22:29 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/2008/03/28/my-abducted-brother-found-in-colombo-national-hospital/#comment-728 So, in brief, one abducted civilian is in the hospital. When he is awake we can find why he was abducted. So, in brief, one abducted civilian is in the hospital.

When he is awake we can find why he was abducted.

]]> By: groundviews http://www.groundviews.org/2008/03/28/my-abducted-brother-found-in-colombo-national-hospital/#comment-727 groundviews Fri, 28 Mar 2008 23:00:30 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/2008/03/28/my-abducted-brother-found-in-colombo-national-hospital/#comment-727 Dear Bala, just to point out that our shared opprobrium of the incumbent regime must not blind us to the fact it is not the GOSL alone that is significantly responsible for the self-destructive path you point to in your comment. The most recent article by Publius in this forum, <a href="http://www.groundviews.org/2008/02/01/ethnos-or-demos-questioning-tamil-nationalism/" rel="nofollow">ETHNOS OR DEMOS? - QUESTIONING TAMIL NATIONALISM</a> is key reading in this regard. Best, Sanjana Dear Bala, just to point out that our shared opprobrium of the incumbent regime must not blind us to the fact it is not the GOSL alone that is significantly responsible for the self-destructive path you point to in your comment.

The most recent article by Publius in this forum, ETHNOS OR DEMOS? - QUESTIONING TAMIL NATIONALISM is key reading in this regard.

Best,

Sanjana

]]> By: Bala http://www.groundviews.org/2008/03/28/my-abducted-brother-found-in-colombo-national-hospital/#comment-726 Bala Fri, 28 Mar 2008 17:17:53 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/2008/03/28/my-abducted-brother-found-in-colombo-national-hospital/#comment-726 Unfortunately Tamils in Sri Lanka doesn’t have that luxury, as the other citizen, to go and report the abuses with proof to authorities, that includes murder, kidnaps and rape for obvious reasons. As the saying goes “ you can wake up a sleeping person but can’t wake up a person pretend to be sleeping”, same goes to people who tries to disregard some one real life story as fiction and false. I don’t think GOSL need anyone’s help to damage their reputation because so far they have done and doing a good job, to not only destroy the reputation also the whole country. Rope on the throat is getting tighter by the day for SRI LANKA and I hope Sri Lankan will wake up and see the self destructive path the GOSL taken. Unfortunately Tamils in Sri Lanka doesn’t have that luxury, as the other citizen, to go and report the abuses with proof to authorities, that includes murder, kidnaps and rape for obvious reasons. As the saying goes “ you can wake up a sleeping person but can’t wake up a person pretend to be sleeping”, same goes to people who tries to disregard some one real life story as fiction and false. I don’t think GOSL need anyone’s help to damage their reputation because so far they have done and doing a good job, to not only destroy the reputation also the whole country. Rope on the throat is getting tighter by the day for SRI LANKA and I hope Sri Lankan will wake up and see the self destructive path the GOSL taken.

]]> By: Hilal http://www.groundviews.org/2008/03/28/my-abducted-brother-found-in-colombo-national-hospital/#comment-725 Hilal Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:34:12 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/2008/03/28/my-abducted-brother-found-in-colombo-national-hospital/#comment-725 If the authors wanted to give this piece a sense of credibility they would have waited for the "brother" to recover and got more details than the above. Even sensible moderates can be dumbfounded by brilliant propaganda, after 20+ years I can safely say that the LTTE propaganda machine has been more succesful than the Nazi's propaganda arm run by Joseph Goebbels. Ask yourself this, what justice am I doing to Sri Lanka and it's people &#38; what justice am I doing to 'Groundviews' by publishing stories based on hear say? Good journalist must investigate the story further and present the facts to a largely sceptical audience. And not just publish a statement and expect people to consider it gospel. If the authors wanted to give this piece a sense of credibility they would have waited for the “brother” to recover and got more details than the above. Even sensible moderates can be dumbfounded by brilliant propaganda, after 20+ years I can safely say that the LTTE propaganda machine has been more succesful than the Nazi’s propaganda arm run by Joseph Goebbels.

Ask yourself this, what justice am I doing to Sri Lanka and it’s people &#38; what justice am I doing to ‘Groundviews’ by publishing stories based on hear say? Good journalist must investigate the story further and present the facts to a largely sceptical audience. And not just publish a statement and expect people to consider it gospel.

]]> By: groundviews http://www.groundviews.org/2008/03/28/my-abducted-brother-found-in-colombo-national-hospital/#comment-724 groundviews Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:48:19 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/2008/03/28/my-abducted-brother-found-in-colombo-national-hospital/#comment-724 Some argue that this entire website and all human rights concerns articulated by NGOs and civil society are works of fiction. As for the point about tarnishing Sri Lanka's image and its reputation, I believe this Government does that with far more mindless alacrity than I or anyone else in NGOs and civil society could ever muster, or care to. Some argue that this entire website and all human rights concerns articulated by NGOs and civil society are works of fiction.

As for the point about tarnishing Sri Lanka’s image and its reputation, I believe this Government does that with far more mindless alacrity than I or anyone else in NGOs and civil society could ever muster, or care to.

]]> By: Dhammika Dharmawardhane http://www.groundviews.org/2008/03/28/my-abducted-brother-found-in-colombo-national-hospital/#comment-723 Dhammika Dharmawardhane Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:27:52 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/2008/03/28/my-abducted-brother-found-in-colombo-national-hospital/#comment-723 For the sense of journalism for what it is fair enough. Fair unbiased journalism is important. Usually this means you quote source or add quantitate information to justify publishing your story. However, as a responsible journalist and a Sri Lankan, do you not feel that this little story has a sense of being what it probably is not; a piece of fiction. And while you will feel obligated as a journalist to publish these stories, I beg you to also consider that as a Sri Lankan do you not damage Sri Lanka and our reputation internationally? However the GOV of SL may or may not conduct themselves in a democratic or non-manner, I sure do hope you realise that these stories may do our country more harm than correct the situation. Thanks. For the sense of journalism for what it is fair enough. Fair unbiased journalism is important. Usually this means you quote source or add quantitate information to justify publishing your story.

However, as a responsible journalist and a Sri Lankan, do you not feel that this little story has a sense of being what it probably is not; a piece of fiction.

And while you will feel obligated as a journalist to publish these stories, I beg you to also consider that as a Sri Lankan do you not damage Sri Lanka and our reputation internationally?

However the GOV of SL may or may not conduct themselves in a democratic or non-manner, I sure do hope you realise that these stories may do our country more harm than correct the situation.

Thanks.

]]> By: groundviews http://www.groundviews.org/2008/03/28/my-abducted-brother-found-in-colombo-national-hospital/#comment-722 groundviews Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:53:15 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/2008/03/28/my-abducted-brother-found-in-colombo-national-hospital/#comment-722 On request, the names and other markers of identification have been stripped from the original story that Groundviews received to protect the privacy and security of those mentioned in this article. On request, the names and other markers of identification have been stripped from the original story that Groundviews received to protect the privacy and security of those mentioned in this article.

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