The AHRC forwards a reflection on the current workings of some sections of the Sri Lankan media in relation to a recent case involving a head of the international non-governmental organisation (INGO) and the death of a young journalist as a result of a car accident recently. The reflection is written by a writer who prefers to remain anonymous due to the fact of death threats being levelled against the head of the INGO.
The AHRC has been, for some time, highlighting the issue of press responsibility which we feel, is of crucial importance in Sri Lankan today where much of the culture of fear and suspicion is being fueled by irresponsible media reporting. As much as we are quick to stand up for media rights, when the occasion is appropriate, the question of media responsibility is no doubt, equally important. It is in this spirit of constructive criticism that we forward this piece of writing.
“Sri Lanka, with a population of 20 million, a high rate of literacy and a government committed to democracy and the rule of law, is a place where the interests of the individual should be protected. Sadly, the Sri Lankan media, it would seem, has yet to subscribe to these standards.
Indeed, a recent case following a tragic road accident involving a foreign diplomat, in which a young Sri Lankan journalist died, had most of the hallmarks of a medieval witch hunt, rather than 21st century media coverage.
The story, picked up by numerous media, started with a few lines based on a police report describing the accident. Like Tom Wolfe’s “Bonfire of the Vanities,” it then assumed an almost entirely fictional life of its own.
The young journalist, Rushana Prasadini, became a martyr, and the diplomat, Christopher Gascon, became the devil incarnate – a drunken, foreign monster flouting the law, refusing a breath test, fleeing the scene and then the country behind a cloak of diplomatic immunity.
The reality, as disclosed in a court hearing in Colombo on March 13th, was very different. But virtually none of the Sri Lankan media covering the tragedy were prepared to let the facts get in the way of a good story.
Within days of the accident leading media including the Daily Mirror, the Sunday Times and the Sunday Observer had judged and sentenced Gascon with headlines including “Humanitarian Agency Chief Kills Girl; Claims Diplomatic Immunity.”
They repeated completely unfounded allegations that Gascon was asked to submit to a medical test to determine whether he was under the influence of alcohol, refused and left the scene of the accident claiming diplomatic immunity.
As the court heard, on the morning of December 6th, Gascon was driving along Horton Place, on his way to the Royal Colombo Golf Course. Having stopped by to pick up a golf partner, he drove approximately 200 meters and was nearly halfway through the intersection of Horton Place and Kynsey Road when a white van, traveling at very high speed, hit his Toyota saloon.
The Toyota was badly damaged, immobilized and later that morning towed to the Cinnamon Garden Police station. The van, which was slightly impacted on its left side, immediately lost control and overturned, ending up on its roof nearly 100 meters north of the crossroads carried by its momentum.
Noting that two men promptly emerged from the van, Gascon immediately ran to get assistance from a police officer standing guard in front of a residence on Horton Place and immediately returned. Within minutes, another passing vehicle took both men and Ms. Prasadini and to hospital.
Contrary to the media reports, Gascon did not leave the scene claiming diplomatic immunity. He remained until asked to go, with his passenger, to make a statement at the Cinnamon Garden police station. After waiting for nearly an hour, he was asked to return at 9h30 with a written statement. At no time was he asked to take a medical test and no diplomatic immunity was invoked. At 2h30 p.m., the same afternoon, he again visited the police station.
Although these facts could have been easily checked, Sri Lankan media covering the story chose not to. Instead they rewrote and regurgitated factually incorrect stories.
The result has been the trial and conviction in the Sri Lankan media of a diplomat, resulting in death threats against Gascon and his family, forcing them to temporarily leave the country in late December, with the agreement of the government and again in early April.
In January Gascon returned to Sri Lanka, without his family, to resume his duties. On March 13th he was vindicated by the Colombo court, when the Attorney General concluded that he had no case to answer.
The media, however, does have a case to answer and we can only hope that in future, if a similar tragedy occurs, they will perform to the standards that Sri Lankan society expects and deserves.”
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About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation monitoring and lobbying human rights issues in Asia. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.
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