Comments on: Media, Civil Society and Social Mobilisation

By: Anupama R

Anupama R — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:38:26 +0000

Niranjan

The Sri Lanka I left a year or so ago was teeming with brilliant brains. They just need to translate this over into action. Not activism mind you. The concept of a civil society operates on a contradiction that violence must be taken out of society. To do so is in itself a violent act. What I suggest is that instead of remaining in such odd ideal of liberalism, some thought be taken into organising an effective buffer that taps action from the ‘masses’. spread, inform and disseminate ideas and create consciousness that can rewrite a national story.

By: SLast

SLast — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 11:14:26 +0000

Civil society should engage in positive advocacy not confrontational politics…meaning, the brains of the country that conceive such ‘Platforms’ don’t understand why and what civil society activism is all about. Try to take a leaf from other functioning and proven think-tank initiatives and get support for a sustainable effort. We need some prime TV to bring on the big boys for a pow-wow in front of the nation….shall we start with discussing ‘Education Reform?’

By: Idealist?

Idealist? — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:04:07 +0000

Thank you for this… Yes, we need a civil society that will mobilise people and function as an effective check and balance to the state (and market for that matter). The recent Platform for Freedom gave some hope that civil society was at last mobilising society at large when the state became unbearably overbearing. However, it too easily allowed itself to be co-opted by the Opposition with their political agenda, and lost the independence it needs to truly play the role of ‘civil society’ as described in the article… What a shame!!! And we’re back to square one!

By: niranjan

niranjan — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:58:48 +0000

Anupama,

There is a need for an active civil society in this country. But the problem is from where are we to find such people?

By: SLast

SLast — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:06:11 +0000

What must be grieved is the inertia of civil society to question the inability of government to render the peace dividend to all of us who have endured 30 years of brutal war, moral degradation, corruption, nepotism, poverty, inequality, elitist-power mongering, bad governance, economic mismanagement, state-sanctioned brutality and torture and human rights abuses which include complete disregard to the right to economic opportunity for all. We are all a bloody complacent lot and deserve what we get!

By: Pearl Thevanayagam

Pearl Thevanayagam — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:21:21 +0000

The Sun and Weekend produced the most liberal journalists for the last 6o years but alas it folded thanks to the government then in power and the relative of the Gunasena, Percy, who in no small measure played into the hands of the govt in that he could not keep his hands off the children’s fund.
There’s always a black sheep in the family to shame them.
Those of us who were rendered jobless on Dec. 26, 1990 know very well that these two mitigating factors silenced an independent media.
Having said that I am proud to say those who were inculcated in media freedom by the Gunasenas are still voicing their free thoughts.
Arjuna has a lot to say and he says with a deep sense of justice adn fairplay.
Late Ajith Samaranayake, Late Lasantha, his wife Raine were such fearless and interpid journalists that they could not hold sway to those pimps of journalists who sold their souls to a mess of pottage in that they only saw money in journalism.
They became disinformation officers and information counsellors in DPL missions to pander to any govt in power so that they coudl enjoy the perks of high fllying diplomats without actualy earning them.
Llife is so much easiler if yo compromise your values and to hell with your conscicence.
In Uk where I am currently residing tabloids pay better than broadsheets.
Materialism has taken over moral responsibillity.

i need not name them sinceI have vilified them enough with just cause.

By: Anupama R

Anupama R — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:29:30 +0000

@ Chee Lanka: This is a piece written by two authors, a seasoned journalist and his semi-academic daughter. My father remains the interesting and accessible writer he has always been

@ Niranjan: Thanks. A lot of the thinking behind the article the recognition of the need to strengthen civil society – or perhaps the concept of it- in Sri Lanka. Now, more than ever. as it were.

@ Dr. Jayatilleke: Shouldn’t it be?

By: niranjan

niranjan — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:42:18 +0000

Anupama,

“the hysteria of nationalism;”- You can say that again. Nationalism is mixed up with racism. It is a deadly combination.

The private run newspapers have chosen not to challenge state ideology. The reasons are only known to them. They have supported the war effort and is still supporting state ideology.

Civil society?- when did we ever have such a society?

Nevertheless a good peice Anupama.

By: Off the Cuff

Off the Cuff — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 05:41:47 +0000

The following paragraph appears to be eroneus

“The government is the biggest owner of popular media. The state runs and owns most of the electronic media in the country covering the whole island â€“ SLRC, ITN, SLBC and Lakhanda â€“ as well as the biggest publisher via Lake House. No private group comes close to that in terms of sheer resources.”

The assertion that the Govt owns the larger chunk of “Popular” media is questionable. The Govt certainly owns the largest chunk of resources but it does not follow that it “OWNS” the largest chunk of Popularity.

Just examine which newspapers have the larger circulation.
The Wijeya Group of Newspapers privately owned by Mr Wijeyawardene publishes the very popular Daily Mirror, Sunday Times, Lankadeepa etc
The Upali Group privately owned by Mrs Wijeyawardena publishes The Island, The Sunday Island and the Divaina. The Virakesary is privately owned by Express Newspapers. and the Lakbima is privately owned by Sumathi Group. I believe the Richard Peiris Group owns another newspaper. Together, these publications dominate the “Popular” printed media. It is to be noted that the famous DBS Jayaraj wrote regular columns in the Island and still writes to the Mirror

Electronic media is dominated by the Private channels, MTV, Swarnawahini, ETV, TNL TV Lanka and now Derana. their are two other new comers that do not have the same popularity of those named

Popularity cannot be forced down peoples throats as it is a matter of individual choice. The number of advertisements (non govt) appearing in the media (advertisers have access to circulation research) is an indicator to its popularity with the masses.

The govt of course can control where their advertisements are placed but at election time the private media is inundated with election adverts.

By: CheeLanka

CheeLanka — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:13:21 +0000

Thanks for these insights, and I cannot agree more. However, one thing puzzles me a bit: how come a seasoned journalist like Arjuna Ranawana writes this long-winded, semi-academic prose? It just doesn’t read like the Asiaweek journalist we used to read and enjoy….