As Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom maintain a centuries-long relationship, we believe that your kind attention to this urgent matter and redress to those whose fundamental rights have been violated by manipulating sentiments and traumatic memories of victims for shameless objectives is of paramount importance.
EDITORIAL TEAM OF SRI LANKA GUARDIAN
In a scathing open letter addressed to Channel 4, we at Sri Lanka Guardian as an independent and volunteer-based media entity, have demanded accountability for what it describes as unethical journalism in the recent documentary titled “Sri Lanka Bombings: Were 269 People Killed for Political Power?” The documentary, part of Channel 4’s Dispatches exclusive series, was narrated by Krishnan Guru-Murthy and directed and produced by Ben de Pear, among others.
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| Sir Ian Michael Cheshire, Chairman of Channel 4 and Ben with Guru-Murthy [File Photo] |
The open letter, signed by Sri Lanka Guardian’s representatives, expresses deep concern and dismay over the content and production of the documentary, which aired on September 5th, 2023. It accuses Channel 4 of jeopardizing the safety and security of the people of Sri Lanka by failing to adhere to ethical journalism standards.
The open letter also highlights Channel 4’s own Handbook for Producers, which advises caution when filming with criminals or covering criminal activities. It emphasizes the potential legal consequences for airing content involving criminal behaviour without proper verification.
Sri Lanka Guardian calls upon Channel 4 to rectify the situation promptly and comprehensively, provide a public explanation to the people of Sri Lanka, and take steps to prevent such unethical practices from recurring in the future. It also suggests that Channel 4 should consider taking strong legal action against those responsible for the questionable content in the documentary.
The open letter concludes by emphasizing the longstanding relationship between Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom and the importance of addressing this matter to maintain mutual trust and respect. Channel 4 has yet to respond to the open letter; however, the controversy surrounding the documentary continues to garner attention from media outlets and the public alike.
The full text of the open letter is as follows;
***
BY EMAIL
To
Sir Ian Michael Cheshire
Chairman
Channel 4 News
ITN
200 Gray’s Inn Road
London WC1X 8XZ
United Kingdom
6 September 2023
Subject: Demanding Accountability; An Open Letter to Chairman of Channel 4
Dear Sir Ian Michael Cheshire,
We pen this open letter to you with a sense of profound dismay and concern regarding the recent broadcast of a documentary titled “Sri Lanka Bombings: Were 269 People Killed for Political Power?” as part of the Dispatches exclusive series, narrated by Krishnan Guru-Murthy and directed & produced by Ben de Pear, among others.
As the representatives of Sri Lanka Guardian, an independent and volunteer-based media entity that has had its own share of struggles for independent reporting, we feel it is our moral obligation to bring to your attention the egregious misrepresentation of facts observed in your program aired on September 5th 2023. We implore you to consider our words carefully, as they reflect the collective outrage and concern of a nation that has been unjustly maligned and misrepresented.
The program in question has not only failed in its journalistic duty to present unbiased, fact-based reporting but has also endangered the safety and security of the people of Sri Lanka. Our nation has endured a painful and protracted battle against terrorism, spanning nearly three decades, culminating in the horrific Easter Sunday attacks of 2019. These attacks, carried out by Islamic State-inspired fanatics, resulted in the loss of nearly 270 innocent lives and wound many more.
Rather than approaching this tragedy with the seriousness and impartiality it deserves, your program has chosen to focus on defaming select individuals and jeopardizing the national security of our country. Without substantial evidence, Channel 4 aired a work based solely on the opinions of a few individuals. This reckless behaviour has not only violated journalistic ethics but has also exploited the traumatic memories of the victims of Easter Sunday massacre for personal gain, all without due diligence in source verification.
The very essence of ethical journalism lies in a commitment to truth, impartiality, and responsibility. It is disheartening to witness how the team behind this documentary altered, published, deleted, and republished content within a few days, creating confusion and uncertainty even within their own ranks. Such actions only serve to further erode the already fragile trust that the public places in media outlets.
We understand the importance of a free press and the role it plays in holding power accountable. However, with that freedom comes a solemn responsibility to report facts accurately and ethically. Your documentary not only fell short of this responsibility but also actively worked against it, causing harm to a nation that has already suffered immeasurable pain.
We urge you to rectify this situation promptly and comprehensively. It is our hope that Channel 4 takes immediate action to address the ethical violations in this program, provide a public explanation to the people of Sri Lanka, and take steps to prevent such unethical practices from recurring in the future.
In a world where information is a powerful tool, we must use it responsibly, with empathy for those whose lives are affected by the stories we tell. We trust that you will consider our plea seriously and work toward a more ethical and truthful representation of global events.
One significant observation to be made is the team at Channel 4 subsequently opted to discreetly modify the title of the documentary in question. Initially slated for broadcast on August 15, it bore the title ‘Special Documentary Investigating one of the biggest atrocities of recent years, featuring exclusive testimony of three whistle-blowers and what they say about who was behind the huge attack.’ However, two weeks later, it underwent another alteration, emerging as ‘Sri Lanka’s Easter… Bombings – Dispatches: Shocking new revelations about Sri Lanka’s deadly Easter bombings of 2019, as high-placed whistle-blowers allege complicity by officials inside the government.’ This is one of many changes raise questions regarding the documentary’s sources and underscores the doubts that have since arisen within its ownership. Not only the titles, but the content of the entire product has selectively targeted a few individuals, including politicians, which is within your freedom as a media entity. However, this action has created social upheavals and disunity among ethnicities by generating a new wave of suspicion without indecently verified sources and materials. This is where the team responsible for this feeble product must be held accountable.
However, it is appreciated that you have published a critical legal note in your Handbook for Producers, strictly stating, ‘Programme-makers should proceed with caution when filming with criminals or when filming criminal activity generally, and should seek legal advice before filming takes place if possible.’ It further underscores that ‘the person admitting the criminal behaviour could be prosecuted after transmission, and the film, including rushes, could be obtained by the police by a court order and used as evidence.’ We strongly believe that you will encourage taking strong legal action against what your team has produced by encouraging known criminals to manipulate your platform and ultimately misuse taxpayers’ money in the United Kingdom.
As Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom maintain a centuries-long relationship, we believe that your kind attention to this urgent matter and redress to those whose fundamental rights have been violated by manipulating sentiments and traumatic memories of victims for shameless objectives is of paramount importance.
We look forward to your prompt response and hope that Channel 4 will uphold the values of truth, fairness, and ethical journalism in the future.
Sincerely,
Editorial Team
Sri Lanka Guardian
Email: editor@slguardian.org
Websites: slguardian.org and srilankaguardian.org
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