Attention: Presidential Candidates! The Case for a 'Media Commission'
By Amrit Muttukumaru
In the final analysis, it is the media that can give true meaning to democratic values and ensure 'good governance' not withstanding the existence of even an enlightened constitution and a 'Right to Information' law (which we do not have!).
If the media as it exists at present in this country were to continue in the same vein, these measures even if introduced, to a large extent would not serve their purpose. It is apparent that the responsibility for this state of affairs is not wholly due to the transgressions of the State controlled media.
For example, an objective analysis of the stance of the media - print and electronic, in relation to the ongoing presidential election campaign will indicate that while the State controlled media are abominable in their partisan coverage, influential sections of the purported 'independent' media are not too far behind either. This is a phenomenon that has existed under several political dispensations although it could be argued that it has reached dizzying heights at present.
This has even prompted the Elections Commissioner to articulate the need for the appointment of a 'Competent Authority' to monitor the media. However, given the disconnect between what he postulates and what he actually implements, the chances are that nothing meaningful will happen!
While there is no argument about the transgressions of the State controlled media under different political dispensations, there is less appreciation of the unacceptable conduct of influential sections of the private media under the control of business interests and highly dependent on advertising patronage. Under the circumstances, is not their purported 'independence' questionable? If not, how could for example (1) the entities concerned in the Ceylinco Group have functioned for so long without being exposed? (2) in the aftermath of the damning LMSL supreme court judgment (i) Dr. P.B. Jayasundera be able to resume public office as the Secretary to the Treasury? (ii) Mr. Susantha Ratnayake not only continue as Chairman – JKH, but worse, continue as Deputy Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and be its next Chairman? It should be noted that the Ceylinco Group and JKH are among the biggest advertisers in the country.
The purported ‘self regulation’ of the private media currently in force through its 'Press Complaints Commission of Sri Lanka' apparently dominated by a few is clearly not satisfactory.
Media Commission
It is proposed that a ‘Media Commission’ applicable to all media be brought under the ambit of a greatly improved 17th Amendment with the simultaneous abrogation of the 'Press Council' law and other laws inimical to media freedom.
Right to Information
It is of the utmost importance that further to a transparent process enabling public participation, the ‘Right to Information’ law be passed without any undue delay. Under the RTI, any citizen should have the right to seek relevant information from any institution that purports to serve the public. Hence, the RTI in addition to the public sector should also include the private and NGO sectors. Likewise, ‘whistle blowing’ protection should also extend to the private and NGO sectors. I understand that the draft RTI law questionably omits the private and NGO sectors!
Presidential Candidates
Should not these proposals amongst other pertinent issues, engage the attention of the presidential candidates? It will be useful to have the views of readers
2 Comments
A democracy exists insofar as its ideals and values remain. What democracy is cannot be separated from what democracy should be. The ideals and values come from an overflow of life, by being at peace with self and others.
Democracy as practiced in Sri Lanka(SL), has failed to produce an overflow of meanigful life, to enable the manifestation of the needed ideals and values.
With totalitarian intent, solely to enjoy the benefits of power, oppress and frustrate others, and be the elite in the island; the SLFP and UNP politicos and "Budhist" priesthood, abused Buddhism for the past six decades to create a "state within the state" of SL.
The Sinhalese masses, unknowingly, made these political and religious zeroes into heroes. The able Tamils, close to a million, picked up their bags and left this "Buddhist" country, to be in exile, in Christian countries.
During the third week of December 2009, the "Buddhist" monk in charge of Mahiyangana temple, thrashed Mr T.M.Wijeratne, a veddah aboriginee, mercilessly. The monk shouted out abusive words and a junior monk kicked off Wijeratne to the ground with a "football kick". The public and the police were helplessly watching this ugly storm of "monk rage".
The police refused to record the complaint of Wijeratne and the magistrate refused to grant justice. The monks probably felt that if they threw a few flowers at the feet of an idol of Buddha they were alright !!
Wijeratne and many other Sinhalese have had the bitter taste of terror by the "state within the state" of SL, silently, which the Tamils have faced with agony and multiplicity of problems for the past six decaeds, on a corporate scale.
Real Buddhism says "let all beings be happy". But the "Buddhist" priesthood "blessed" the soldiers and instigated Human Rights violations and war crimes against Tamils, and have themselves become war criminals.
Real Buddhism believes the physical world as an illusion. But the politicos and "Buddhist" priesthood, driven by greed for Tamil land, powered by anti-Tamilism, grabbed land by force, without paying any compensation whatsoever.
They wilfully colonised Tamil homeland with Sinhalese, to mark down, humiliate and subjugate Tamils. This paved way for Human Rights violations and genocide.
Spiritually, Sri Lankans have decayed and democratically SL has fallen apart.
Replacement of totalitarianism with freedom; injustice with justice; and war with political peace are essentials to instil democratic values.
And, the people of the island need to put on the canopy of love, and wellness to others, to come right spiritually.
Then, the ideals and values of democracy will come from an overflow of life at peace with inner self and others.
Life is not to get the worst or second best, but to get the best.
Dear Amrit:
Alongside the general decline of all those excellent features of governance this counry was ahead of most countries in the region during mid-20th century, the standards of the media too declined. Those giants of the media we were proud of earlier have now been succeeded by pygmies whose domain is now termed the
"Kept Press" You have yourself seen the collapse of the system before your eyes. PBJ is one example of this decline. Any official worth his name would have gone into eclipse gracefully. Not this type. See the way he unabashedly stormed back to the Finance Ministry - after a trail of proven rackets. Men like you take the trouble to blow the whistle and bring back the system.
We have seen your call as a citizen in bringing to public notice huge rackets recently - but the culture of impunity has taken strong hold. The kleptomaniacs in charge want Yes men for their purposes. It will take another century of good governance to take us back into the tracks - as things are. Thats the good news.
Cheers