Yesterday we published an open letter relating to false and defamatory material which also amounted to the publication of a death list. Kindly see : SRI LANKA: AHRC tells the Canada-based Sri Lankan intellectual to stop distribution of false and defamatory material and a death list, at: http://www.humanrights.asia/news/ahrc-news/AHRC-OLT-001-2011.
We have subsequently received replies from Dr. Chandre Dharma-Wardana and the Webmaster which we reproduce below.
The AHRC is not satisfied with the excuse and explanation provided by Dr. Chandre Dharma-Wardana or that of the Webmaster of A WHO’S WHO OF SOME LTTE ACTIVISTS, OPPONENTS etc., PAST AND PRESENT.
The AHRC will take up the matter again with both sources in relation to the seriousness of the transgressions involved and their legal and moral liabilities.
While Dr. Chandre Dharma-Wardana and the Webmaster seem to pass the responsibility to an unnamed source called ‘the Colombo Editor’, this does not excuse their culpability. The AHRC requests them to reveal the name or names of the ‘the Colombo Editor’.
While it is claimed that the original publication was based on materials published on the internet this is, in fact, false. A quick scrutiny of internet sources through Google clearly reveals that there were no internet references on which to base the false and defamatory material published. The publication was completely fabricated.
The AHRC repeats the demand to Dr. Chandre Dharma-Wardana and the Webmaster to immediately remove all references made under the relevant publication to the AHRC and to Mr. Basil Fernando. We also demand an unconditional apology to be published on the website immediately. Such apology and publication should not be delayed by the excuse of ‘conducting further inquiries.’
Such publications exposing individuals and organisations to serious danger need to be condemned and the AHRC will proceed to take appropriate legal action relating to this publications.
The reply to the Asian Human Rights Commission’s letter by Dr. Dharma-wardana.
Dear Sir
Thank you for your e-mailed letter expressing your feelings regarding the entry on Mr. Basil Fernando.
Indeed, the entry falls below our academic standards, and I have asked the webmaster to disable the entry, and take it up with our editors in South Asia. We have a point system for evaluating the entry of a name into this website. That could not have been followed in this entry. The place-names webmaster informs me that they have got a copy of your e-mail, and he has forwarded the e-mail to our Colombo editor.
The original entry on Mr. Basil Fernando was very short, and merely had a link to one of his Sri Lanka Guardian Articles. I will review how and when this longer entry came about.
I don’t think this has been on the web for very long.
In the mean time, please excuse our lapses and accept out apologies.
All the best
Chandre Dharma-wardana
Reply by the webmaster from place.names (slplz_nm) place.names@yahoo.com
Dear Sir
Thank you for your communication regarding one of the webpages pages that we have continued to host on our main website as a service to our Asian Editors. Our website is devoted to many topics and issues, political, economic and scientific.
We are forwarding your letter to our Asian Editors who maintain this webpage, to taken suitable action. They will most probably modify the write up in the light of your submissions, and would also display your letter as justification for taking such corrections, after verification of the claims and counter-claims, to the maximum extent possible. We hope one of them may be able to meet you if necessary.
I am sure they welcome all additional information that would help in correcting the informational write ups given on the website, as this website is based mainly on internet sources and other information which are already available in the public domain, and culled from it.
However, such information needs to take account of all inputs.
As such, your submission is particularly welcome. In fact, we get such submissions regularly, and they are submitted to the respective country editors for verification and re-editing. This week we have had three such submissions besides yours.
Your communique is regarding the entry under the name of Mr. Basil Fernando.
We have had no communication from Mr. Fernando so far. We assume your communique is prompted by Mr. Basil Fernando himself. If not, please forward your material to him, and send us his e-mail address. Perhaps you could send us a CV of Mr. Basil Fernando so that we can have a more authentic information basis than what is available regarding him from Internet publications by Fernando, and the blogs that have been written by others countering his statements.
This reply will also be copied to Prof. Dharma-wardana who initiated the stem website for scientific and toponymic purposes, and who has also been keenly interested in this project of our Asian Editors and agreed to host the page that has attracted your attention.
If you notice any other write ups on individuals known to you, that you feel needs to be corrected, please inform this website at your earliest convenience.
Thank you
webmaster
place.names@yahoo.com
