Members of the LTTE International network openly supporting the LTTE with its flags, map and images of megalomaniac terror leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran
In an age of rapidly evolving media landscapes, the power to shape perceptions and narratives is more significant than ever. The UK’s Channel 4 has once again raised its head to disrupt peace and harmony in Sri Lanka with a release of a controversial documentary relating to the Easter Sunday bombings that occurred in 2019, claiming that the Easter Attack in Sri Lanka was an inside job by the government.
The world grapples with conspiracy theories and the consequences of these theories have underlying effects on the country’s overall political and social stability. Channel 4, widely known to be a mouth piece of the LTTE, is to be released about an inside job conspiracy theory about the Easter Attacks in Sri Lanka. It is no secret to the international community that Channel 4 is heavily influenced by its LTTE-sympathetic paymasters, including the controversial British Tamil Forum (BTF).
Role of the British Tamil Forum (BTF) in Channel 4’s Agenda
The BTF, an organisation that has been proscribed as a terror group in Sri Lanka under UN Resolution 1973, has long been accused of lobbying, influencing, and funding Channel 4. Their alleged aim is to pave the way for a possible resurgence of the LTTE, a separatist militant organization that fought a brutal civil war against the Sri Lankan government for decades.
One of the most notable instances of the BTF’s influence on Channel 4 was the release of the documentary ‘Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields’ in the early 2010s. This documentary, though widely criticised for its gaps and loopholes, was utilised by the LTTE to damage Sri Lanka’s international reputation. The role of the BTF and the larger LTTE international network in influencing and facilitating the dissemination of such content is a matter of concern for those who seek lasting peace and reconciliation in Sri Lanka.
At the helm of Channel 4 stands Shirani Sabaratnam, who is involved as both editor and presenter. Shirani Sabaratnam is Sri Lankan by birth, with a burning desire to disrepute and damage the reputation of her birth place. Having been associated with the LTTE, she attempted to run captivating content against Sri Lanka in the early 2010s, but was deported from the island, along with her husband, Stuart Cosgrove, who himself is a director and producer at Channel 4. Prior to their deportation, Sabaratnam had utilised various passports to traverse Sri Lanka’s North during both the conflict against terrorism and its aftermath. This disclosure had further confirmed her affiliations with the LTTE even during the war.
Now, Channel 4 has once again stirred controversy with its latest documentary that implicates the Sri Lankan government in the Easter Attack of 2019. Ironically, or rather laughably, the very whistleblower that Channel 4 claims to be citing their documentary from is Hanzeer Azad Maulana, a former LTTE member from Sri Lanka’s East. After the war, Hanzeer Azad Maulana moved into politics, serving as the ‘Secretary of Propaganda’ for Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal, translating to Tamil People’s Liberation Tigers – the once-Eastern wing of the LTTE. Being from the Eastern province, Hanzeer Azad Maulana had connections to Zahran’s network, especially through Rilwan Hashim. It is laughable that Channel 4 and its LTTE donors pick an ex-LTTE propagandist with links to the Islamist terrorists as their primary whistleblower in this defamation campaign!
National Security Concerns
It is essential to emphasise that these allegations are vehemently denied by the Sri Lankan authorities, who maintain that the attack was orchestrated by extremist groups with foreign connections. Such conspiracies by Channel 4, have the potential to harm national security and diplomatic relations despite their unsubstantiated nature.
While it is crucial to uphold the principles of free speech and media freedom, the international community must exercise caution when dealing with content that can have far-reaching implications, especially in fragile post-conflict regions like Sri Lanka. The BTF’s influence over Channel 4 raises questions about the responsibility of media outlets to verify claims and ensure that their reporting is objective, fair, and based on credible evidence.
Furthermore, it is important not to conflate the actions of a particular organisation, in this case, the BTF, with the broader sentiments of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka. Many Tamils living in Sri Lanka are committed to peaceful co-existence and have been working towards reconciliation, bridging the gaps left by the decades-long conflict. It is their voices that need to be amplified, as they represent the aspirations of a community that has suffered the most from the conflict.
Channel 4 must resist the sway of LTTE terror funding and the divisive narratives it fosters. Rather than contributing to disharmony within the Sri Lankan community and potential instability within the nation, Channel 4 should uphold its journalistic integrity, substantiate its claims through concrete channels, and prioritise truthful reporting. In a world that hungers for unity and understanding, responsible journalism can be the beacon of hope that guides us toward a future where peace and reconciliation prevail.
Mohamad Azhar is a human rights activist from Kattankudy, the hub of radicalisation in Sri Lanka
Mohamad Azhar