The Situation Report

2nd August 1998

The truth may hurt, but it is the truth

By Iqbal Athas

"As we have a very large work force of Tamil staff it is not practically possible to identify suspects with LTTE connections but we make every endeavour to screen our staff as much as possible at the time of recruitment," writes M.G. Wenceslaus, Managing Director of Express Newspapers (Ceylon) Limited commenting on last week's Situation Report.

He says: "This statement is issued in reference to the Situation Report by Iqbal Athas in Page 9 of The Sunday Times of 26th July, 1998, which refers to the arrest of three (3) journalists suspected to be having LTTE connection by the TID.

"We feel that linking our company to this arrest is blown up and out of proportion giving a wrong picture to the reading public.

"As a matter of fact the correct position is that only one employee of Virakesari namely S. Sri Gajan is alleged to be involved. The Vavuniya Correspondent Mr. Manickavasagar is not an employee of Virakesari but a stringer who sends reports to Virakesari and also to other news agencies like BBC and Reuters. The third suspect K. Thevanayagam has no connection with Virakesari at all.

"Our Tamil Publication "Virakesari" is the largest circulated Tamil Daily and Weekly in Sri Lanka and has been in existence for over 68 years and duly recognised as an Independent National Newspaper not only by the Tamil speaking population but also by other communities and our credibility has never been questioned.

As we have a large work force of Tamil staff, it is not practically possible to identify suspects with LTTE connections, but we make every endeavour to screen our staff as much as possible at the time of recruitment.

"We are also a member of the Newspaper Society of Sri Lanka which consists of members of all National Newspaper Publishers in the Island and stand for these policies and principles.

"We also wish to point out that our company is an equal opportunity employer and has in its employment Sinhalese, Muslims and Tamils including the General Manager and the Personnel Manager who are Sinhalese."

Iqbal Athas adds:

Mr Wenceslaus does not in any way dispute the facts contained in my report. He, in fact, admits that since "we have a very large work force of Tamil staff it is not practically possible to identify suspects with LTTE connections…."

He claims that "linking our company to this arrest is blown up and out of proportion giving a wrong picture to the reading public."

However, he does not explain what is "blown up", what is "out of proportion" and what gives "a wrong picture to the reading public." Since he has not challenged any of the facts I have presented, what he has expressed is only his point of view. One need hardly mention that the Situation Report is not written on the basis of what one feels how it should be the volume to which it should be "blown up", the "proportions" to which it should be kept or what "picture" should be given to the public. It is based only on truth however hurtful and upalatable it may be to some.

The Situation Report which Mr. Wenceslaus refers to, says quite categorically that the arrest of an LTTE woman suicide cadre (Ganesh Thanarani) by TID detectives bared the existence of an alleged plot to assassinate President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga. I reported that eight persons, including three journalists, have been arrested in this regard. An alleged plot to kill the President of a country is a serious matter and one that is of public interest.

Mr. Wenceslaus claims that only S. Sri Gajan is an employee of Virakesari and disowns Mr. Manickavasagar and Mr. Theivanayagam. Nowhere in my report did I use the word "employee" when I referred to the three names.

All Mr. Wenceslaus has to do is read what I wrote. I said "…on July 20 Ponniah Manickavasagam, Virakesari's Vavuniya Correspondent was arrested… Mr. Manickavasagam is also a stringer for Reuters news agency and BBC.."

In fact Mr. Wenceslaus admits that "Mr. Manickavasagar'' is a stringer who "sends reports to Virakesari." In other words, both Mr. Gajan and Mr. Manickavasagam, function as journalists of the Virakesari, as I have reported. Hence, the use of the word "employee" to separate the two does not alter the facts I have reported.

Mr. Wenceslaus says "The third suspect, K. Thevanayagam, has no connection with Virakesari at all."

I stand corrected by this statement but wish to add that Mr. Theivanayagam was a former astrological columnist of the Virakesari. He now contributes to another Tamil newspaper. Although Mr. Wenceslaus says "Mr. Thevanayagam has no connection with the Virakesari at all," he (Mr.Thevanayagam) has in his statement to the TID detectives admitted he was a contributor to the Virakesari.

I do not challenge Mr. Wenceslaus's assertion that Virakesari is the largest circulated Tamil daily and weekly. I do agree it is an independent Tamil newspaper and take pride that many of the professional journalists there, who uphold time honoured journalistic traditions and values, are my personal friends.

Therefore, in short, I stand by every word of the Situation Report last week.

Fifth Column

Editorial/Opinion Contents