Is the Sri Lanka Guardian the mouthpiece of Dr T C Rajaratnam?

By Jayan Devendra
A letter to the editor

(February 22, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) Sri Lanka Guardian has earned a good name as a media of great integrity and a forum of various issues especially on Sri Lanka. The LTTE sees it as pro-government and the government sees it as pro-LTTE and many others recognize it as a vehicle to express their views freely. This web-media appears to have the services of a vast array of good experienced writers and even professionals who freely express their views not just on Sri Lankan politics alone. It is welcome.

Recently I met one of your regular writers in Canada who said that was a privilege for him to be one of Sri Lanka Guardian writers and appreciated the space given to him to focus on issues that are crucial to the good health of public opinion. The website is futuristic in its ideals and goals.

On the Sri Lankan issue, one can feel that Sri Lankan Guardian advocates the principle of one united nation that should seek a political solution whether unitary, provincial or federal whatever that will keep all the communities at peace.

My views are strongly for a federal solution but through the Sri Lanka Guardian forum, I am able to understand and appreciate the reservations of some about a federal solution. This kind of exposure helps the nation to seek a good consensus in reaching a solution to the ethnic crisis. Sri Lanka could work towards an ideal multicultural society rising from the ashes of the nightmare the country is going through now. This is a great challenge and Sri Lanka Guardian could be foundational to that spirit.

In its technical presentation too Sri Lanka Guardian gives an excellent system of coverage and this is very much appreciated. The cartoons are hilarious and their messages are clear, profound and most meaningful. The Tamilnadu toilet factor was a streak of genius. I have on many occasions congratulated the editor for his communicating craftsmanship.

However, sometimes, there is cause to wonder whether Sri Lanka Guardian is advocating narrower interests or the personal meanderings of some people. As an example, there were four features from Dr T C Rajaratnam in recent days in each of which much effort was made to state his qualifications and the jobs he held under two ministers and other details.

In the first feature it was all praises for Minister Rohitha Bogollagama as if a savior himself had come down from heaven. This is the minister whose expense account is beyond astronomical proportions. In the second feature, he has advocated – “reiterated” – that Douglas Devananda will be the chief minister of the north. This advocacy is not healthy at all. We all need to look for a pacifist and unfortunately Devananda does not belong to that class.

The third feature was too personal about Dr Rajaratnam himself and how he brought up his daughters when his wife ran away with another man. But he does not say why she went away with another man. She too must have had her good reasons. But this is all a very private matter and must remain private for all times.

Why does Dr Rajaratnam has to indulge in such matters? Parentage is a privilege and obligation and he cannot canvass credit for doing what a parent is expected to do especially in a public forum. Had he failed in such an obligation he would have been hauled up before a criminal court. Bringing up children is a labour of great love and privilege and Mr Rajaratnam must pride in it even more as a single father.

Now the fourth feature appears all praises about President Mahinda Rajapakse and that he will be head of state until 2017. It is the people of Sri Lanka who will decide that and not Mr Rajaratnam and 2012 is way too far away especially in politics; even a day is too long in politics as the former British Prime Minister Harold Wilson recounted in the 1980s.

Mr Rajaratnam has also announced his candidature for the Colombo elections in the Sri Lanka Guardian. Under these circumstances it could be presumed that the Sri Lanka Guardian is the mouthpiece of Dr T C Rajaratnam. I must say this is not good journalism.

One can presume that both Minister Bogollagama and President Rajapakse would not have been happy with such cheap praises if they are the kind of people he has chosen to praise so much. Sri Lanka is embroiled in a terrible racial nightmare but the country has come a long way from such cheap politics.

One would have appreciated that a man who is believed to be very close to the Rajapakse brothers, would have served the larger interests of the country and helped towards creating a greater understanding among the leaders of all communities who are committed to rooting out terrorism of all kinds. We have to search the nation for peace-makers and people of proven integrity and wisdom and on this and this alone, the future good of the nation are assured.

It is sincerely hoped the Sri Lanka Guardian will stand by its ideals and integrity at all times and serve the people of Sri Lanka with guts, courage and wisdom.


-Sri Lanka Guardian