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TamilNet is an online news portal that provides original news and feature articles on current affairs in Sri Lanka, specifically related to the minority Sri Lankan Tamil community, the ongoing civil war and the Human rights situation in Northeastern province of Sri Lanka.

LTTE perspective

In its reporting, Tamilnet is widely considered sympathetic to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a politico-military organization fighting to carve out a separate homeland for Tamils in Sri Lanka. It is often used by the international news media outlets such as BBC, CNN, Reuters, AP, AFP and Xinhua to report the LTTE perspective of incidents in Sri Lanka.


Controversy

Tamilnet has been accused of false reporting by the government of Sri Lanka and adhering to a Tamil Nationalist perspective. The Sri Lankan government however has been accused of pressuring media to "toe the government line" through presidential meetings with heads and editor of these media institutions .

  • On August 6, 2006, a Tamilnet article titled "SLA shelling kills 15 civilians, injures 20" included published photographs of people it said died from "shells fired by the Sri Lanka Army and Sri Lanka Navy." The report stated that "the shelling" took place at "around 7 p.m." on August 6. However, the camera timestamp on the pictures indicated a time of between between 12.37 p.m. and 12.40 p.m. Asian Tribune reported that unnamed analysts questioned as to how an incident that took place "around 7.15 p.m." on August 6 presuming it was photographed over five hours earlier. It is alleged by the Asiantribune that one of the images was subsequently removed from the website. The Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence posted a copy of the Asian Tribune article and added that, since all the photographs were of women, it speculated that they were from the LTTE "Women Brigade", and had been dressed as civilians after they were killed in previous fighting. The Sri Lankan Defence ministry nor Asian Tribune has not been able to substantiate these allegation and independent verification of these allegations has not been possible. In addition the Sri Lankan Defence Ministry has also not categorically denied shelling civilian targets during the stated time period. However, Asiantribune has been accused of plagiarism by the Media Foundation, an independent media watchdog and has been accused of "disseminating incorrect information of a highly defamatory nature" by the International Berghof Foundation (involved in Peace and Conflict Studies) .
  • On August 11, 2006, Tamilnet reported that LTTE aircraft had attacked a Sri Lankan Military base at Palaly, Jaffna. The Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence claimed that this was a lie. While Tamilnet claimed that the attack had started at around 9.30 p.m. Sri Lanka time, the article itself was posted at 15:29 Greenwich Mean Time or 9:29 p.m. Sri Lanka Time. The Defence Ministry argues the Tamilnet article was prepared well before the supposed attack occurred although it doesn't provide evidence other than supposed timestamp discrepancy to substantiate its claim. Tamilnet references an independent source who had claimed the attack occurred around 9:30 pm local time. Palaly airbase falls within a Sri Lankan Army High Security Zone and therefore independent observers or media are not allowed without Defence Ministry permission and escort. Tamilnet in turn reports on August 14th " Communication facilities at the Sri Lankan military base complex at Palaly were damaged when an unidentified aircraft fired rockets at the airbase Friday night (August 11th), a military source said Monday" , which contradicts the Sri Lankan military's official stance to media sources in Colombo where they mention, "we didn't even see an LTTE kite!"

Murder of its editor

In 2005, Tamilnet's editor Taraki Sivaram, who media organizations including the New York Times said favored the LTTE in his articles, was kidnapped and then shot and killed in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The LTTE has accused the government of complicity in his murder, while the government has denied any responsibility. David Jeyaraj a Canada based freelance journalist known for his neutral stance in the current Sri Lankan civil war had written that Karuna, was personally involved in the murder of famed journalist Taraki Sivaram But Karuna has denied this categorically.. Both the LTTE and SLMM have accused the Sri Lankan government of arming, sheltering and supporting Karuna group .

References

  1. Gardner, Simon (2006-08-31). "Tamil Tigers warn Sri Lanka offensive could end truce". Reuters. Retrieved 2006-10-01. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. "Sri Lankan military says 11 soldiers killed in fierce battle with rebels in the north". Associated Press. 2006-09-08. Retrieved 2006-10-01. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. "Peace hopes rise as Tigers 'agree' to talk". AFP. 2006-09-28. Retrieved 2006-10-07. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. "Sri Lanka Air Force bombs rebel positions in north". Xinhua. 2006-09-22. Retrieved 2006-10-07. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. Pirani, Cenan (August 2005). "Charting Tamilnet's Influence on International Media Reporting". Retrieved 2006-10-01.
  6. ^ "SLA shelling kills 15 civilians, injures 20". Tamilnet. 2006-08-06. Retrieved 2006-08-06. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ "LTTE propaganda boomerangs again". 2006-08-08. Retrieved 2006-10-01. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. "LTTE propaganda boomerangs again". Sri Lankan Military of Defence. 2006-08-08. Retrieved 2006-10-02. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ "Tiger aircraft rockets Palaly base, curfew in Jaffna". Tamilnet. 2006-08-11. Retrieved 2006-10-02. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ "Tamilnet Exposed "Lying" once again". Sri Lankan Military of Defence. 2006-08-13. Retrieved 2006-10-02. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  11. "Tamil Journalist Shot Dead". New York Times. 2005-04-30. Retrieved 2006-10-02. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. "LTTE accuses SLA Intelligence, para-militaries for Sivaram's murder". Tamilnet. 2005-04-30. Retrieved 2006-10-02. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

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