BBC, do not judge us by your double standards

The 2019 Presidential election has just been concluded.The international election monitors have confirmed that this was the most peaceful and troublefree elections held in this country.

In a sad twist of irony however, was the BBC broadcast following the election gave the world a completely biased and distorted account of the situation, giving the impression that Sri Lanka is now under some kind of military rule. The report also made the deplorable attempt to attribute the victory to a racial divide in the country which is furthest from the truth. The minority communities voted for the current President. Without them he could never have secured the massive majority. His win symbolises the yearning of the people of Sri Lanka to live in an undivided land where all communities can live in dignity and peace.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa is referred to as coming from the country’s ‘most prominent military family’.This is not only incorrect but also highly misleading and is seen by many as an attempt to vitiate the results of a hard and cleanly fought election. There was a well orchestrated campaign to not only denigrate Rajapaksa in every way possible including fake news stories but also make statements ostensibly by the United States embassy which the spokesperson of the embassy had to appear in person at a news conference and refute.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was a professional military officer who served in the Army with distinction 25 years ago, long before his brother ever became the President. He came back many years later and assumed the position of Defence Secretary. Yoshitha Rajapaksa, Mahinda Rajapaksa’s younger son joined the Navy at a time when the battle for a separate state was raging.Mahinda Rajapaksa sought to give an example to the Sri Lankan public by sending his son to the Navy to serve the country at the time of war.

The Rajapaksa family is big. Many have served the country elected by the popular will of the people. There were only two members from a family of almost 25 who had anything to do with the military. To call them a prominent military family therefore is such an exaggerated and misleading statement calculated to add a military flavour to a family most of whose members served the country having been elected by the people in the most overwhelming manner. In fact the Rajapaksas defeated Premadasa in his own electorates in the Hambantota and Tissamaharama constituencies with the most convincing margins.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa gave strategic and administrative leadership as

Defence Secretary to the 30- year bitter conflict that completely ravaged this country. The BBC also claimed that he was responsible for many acts of torture and disappearances and killings, a story completely refuted by Lord Naseby who went on to say that the Sri Lankan military fought the war in the most compassionate manner abiding by all the covenants of conflict. The BBC went on to use euphemisms like ‘ it is believed’. ‘It has been reported’ etc.

To say that President Gotabaya was elected exclusively by the Sinhala Buddhist votes is another attempt to deny his successful unification of the country. He got a considerable number of votes from the Tamil and Muslim communities living outside and in the Northern and Eastern provinces. The BBC comments have angered those Muslims and Tamils who selected Gotabaya as the best man to run Sri Lanka.

BBC, your Royal family is also a prominent military family more so than the Rajapaksas. Let me refresh your memory.

Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh

was a naval officer.

Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales

was a Royal Naval officer.

Prince Andrew is a career naval offic

er

Prince Harry is an officer of the

British Army.

Sir Winston Churchill voted as the greatest Briton of all time was an Army officer.

The list is long BBC but you will not call them a prominent military family.

Sri Lanka, a land bountifully blessed by nature and God is just recovering from a four- year disastrous rule culminating in the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks targeting innocent Catholics claiming over 300 lives. Gotabaya Rajapksa was elected because he has a proven track record of providing security to this country.

BBC report, report as much as you like but please remember we are a sovereign country and do not judge us by double standards.

Malinga Herman Gunaratne Via email