MUSLIM religious leaders yesterday criticized the controversial Arabic News Channel, Al-Jazeera stating that the channel was sending shock waves of falsehood on air about the situation of Tamil civilians and how they are treated and cared for by the Government of Sri Lanka and its Security Forces.
The leader of Muslim Thelological Council, All Ceylon Ulema Party, Mowlavi Mubarak Abdul Majid said they regret that the station of Al-Jazeera has transmitted news items alleging Sri Lankan Government and its Security Forces of killing and attacking Tamil civilians in the conflict zone with heavy weapons.
Mawlavi Majid said, it is disheartening and disgusting that a Channel such as Al-Jazeera, which saw its origin as an alternative for BBC and CNN news networks against the broadcast of false propaganda on the Afghan and Iraq wars, has gone on to spread such falsehood at a time the Government of Sri Lanka is doing its best to look after the welfare and the safety of civilians in the conflict zone as well as those civilians in IDP camps.
"We condemn Al-Jazeera for broadcasting false propaganda against the Government of Sri Lanka and its Security Forces.
Mowlavi said they request as representatives of the Muslim community in Sri Lanka, from Al-Jazeera, to refrain from broadcasting baseless reports on the Sri Lankan Government and its Security Forces in relation to its civilian situation in the North, without verifying the actual ground situation." Meanwhile, President Counsel and former Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Yugoslavia and Hungary and former High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Singapore, Razik Zarook said, it is regrettable that certain foreign radio and TV channels, including Al-Jazeera have come up with news items regarding civilians in the No-Fire Zone as being killed and injured in large numbers due to military operations.
Referring to news item to have been aired by the Al-Jazeera channel on the situation, Zarook said, "this news item was totally false and the sources have not been verified."
"It is obvious that false representation has been made with vested interest in an attempt to bring the Government and the Security Forces into disrepute."
The Government is more concerned about the welfare of them as is apparent from the large number of camps that the Government has set up as it is fully committed to look after the IDPs the best way it can with all necessary resources.
This has been appreciated by various fact finding foreign missions including the British Parliamentary delegation that visited the IDP camps, Zarook said. "The Government should not be deterred from its campaign to wipe out the scourge of terrorism.
He said , foreign news channels should endeavor to verify their sources and information before rushing to publish "sensational" news. (Courtesy: Daily News)
