Mad Milk Mayhem For P & P
By Kusal Perera -August 17, 2013
Kusal Perera
DCD (dicyandiamide) –
Chlostridium (C.) Botulinum –
Whey Protein –
What do I know about all those medical and specialised lingo ? Nothing until a huge uproar broke out in media about a week ago and prompted some digging in. How much would a nurses’ trade unionists in Sri Lanka know ? Doubt they know it right. The medical doctors in government service ? They may know something, but what is their credibility ? What do journalists know ? They know what others say. This is everything about the on going battle against imported milk foods, especially the “Fonterra” brand from New Zealand. Little is now said about “Maliban” non fat and “Diamond” that were also marked as contaminated. It is now just plain “Fonterra”.
This uproar reminds me of a similar campaign over two years ago, against imported pesticides and fertiliser. The origin was then an academic from Kelaniya university, a gold medallist in mathematics turned “fiction theorist” claiming “Naatha Deviyo” (god) informed of cyanide in fertiliser and was thus researched and proved right. Another publicist Channa Jayasumana of Rajarata University who sat with Rev. Athuraliye Rathana thero, the Sinhala introvert, told media on 04 August 2011, “…… These (pesticides from Germany, Switzerland and Europe) had high content of arsenic, mercury and cyanide and can have damaging side effects such as sensory impairment, disturbed sensations, lack of co-ordination, kidney dysfunction, damage to the skin and infertility.”
These publicity campaigns were later shot down by few other academics, who questioned the methodology and rationality of the “so called research done on Naatha deviyo’s information”. Any way, the Sinhala mindset created by these pseudo academics and Sinhala introverts, does not fade off with logical answers. They get life through other similar social campaigns by violent groups like the BBS and RB. Their campaigns too harp on “other forces” and attempts at making Sinhala people “infertile”, a symptom linked to imported fertiliser by Jayasumana.
Kusal Perera
Chlostridium (C.) Botulinum –Right To Information – “Mea Culpa”
Rasika Jayakody
Sri Lanka Press Institute last week organized a panel discussion on right to information where Kevin M. Goldberg, a general counsel of the American Society of News Editors, gave the keynote address. The American journalist turned lawyer gave some insight into the importance of right to information and the manner in which the Sri Lankan media should pursue it. His patronizing speech should be analyzed in the light of the recent developments arising from the NSA and Edward Snowden controversies. It was nothing more than a ‘pot-calling-the- kettle- black’.
Nevertheless, some insightful thoughts were also shared at the forum. In my view, the most important speech of the session was delivered by Manik de Silva, Editor in Chief of the Sunday Island. Being a journalist at the forefront of print media for more than five decades, Manik mainly spoke of the conduct of journalists with regard to freedom of expression and right to information in Sri Lanka. He asked whether the journalists who are fervent advocates of right to information have actually done their part in their capacity. He ended his speech saying “mea culpa” accepting the failure of the journalistic fraternity in making an effective approach towards ensuring right to information.
Media is gagged in Sri Lanka directly and indirectly, covering all bases of the media industry. This government, like all the other governments who governed this country after 1960, is geared towards suppressing media institutions that do not ‘toe the line’ of the government. The Rajapaksa regime may have taken it to another level by introducing a hitherto unprecedented formula of stifling media, particularly at the organizational level. But, it is interesting to see whether journalists, as a community, can distance themselves from the present trend of suppression and take the moral high ground, saintly vis-à-vis the conduct of the government.
