BBC closed– Anti-Sri Lanka Sinhala radio broadcast
The BBC has closed the Sinhala Radio service broadcast due to financial crisis, effective from November 30. This Sinhala service frequently broadcasted anti-Sri Lanka programme in particularly for the pro-LTTE Tamil terrorism and Tamil separatism favour.
The anti-Sri Lankan but pro-LTTE Tamil terrorism and pro-Tamil separatism NGO like International Federation of Journalists, and its Sri Lankan affiliates the infamous and corruption ridden Free Media Movement (FMM) and the Federation of Media Employees Trade Union (FMETU) has started expressing their great concerns at the closure of their anti-Sri Lanka mouth piece of BBC’s Sinhala Radio service and has urged to reconsider its decision.
The BBC made the urgent ruling to cease the broadcast from the end of November, stating that the closure would save £180,000 annually, despite original intentions to close the radio service from March 2021.
Employees who were expecting to work till March, 2021, were informed of the decision on November 20, just ten days before the closure of the broadcast. The BBC has said it will continue its service via social media and online services; the Sinhala service was previously comprised of a radio broadcast with regular bulletins transmitted through partner stations across the island, and the deliverance of journalism through various social media platforms.
The closure has been linked with so called human rights issue of Sri Lanka by pro-LTTE British MPS in the parliament. Three such members of parliament in the UK has tabled a motion named ‘Human Rights in Sri Lanka and the Relocation of the BBC Sinhala Service’, to highlight the need for continuity of the Sinhala radio broadcast at the time of political instability, increased human rights violations and degenerating security in Sri Lanka.
In the alleged motion, the pro-LTTE Tamil terrorists UK MPs had said that the human rights environment in Sri Lanka worsened, with the continuation of surveillance and intimidation of activists and human rights defenders, the detention without charge of a high profile human rights lawyer (referring to a lawyer who is linked to Easter Sunday attack), and a presidential pardon of the only member of the armed forces convicted of a wartime atrocity.
They said the House of Commons further noted Sri Lankan Government’s withdrawal support for UNHRC resolutions on post-conflict transitional justice, accountability and reconciliation, coupled with the Sri Lankan military forming task forces operating beyond parliamentary scrutiny and being given oversight of civilian functions, as a result of the delays to parliamentary elections without the reconvening of the Sri Lankan Parliament.
“The House believes now is not the time to be re-locating the BBC Sinhala service to India with the consequent loss of jobs in the UK as well as the experience, continuity and ability to report impartially on events and to hold the government and military of Sri Lanka to account for their actions; and therefore urges the BBC to reconsider its decision,” the motion said
Anti-Sri Lanka NGO activists from The FMM Convener, Seetha Ranjanee, and the FMETU General Secretary, Dharmasiri Lankapeli had issued separate press statements against the closure of BBC Sinhala Radio service and supporting the motion tabled by pro-LTTE Tamil terrorist MPs in the parliament.
The full text of the politicized Motion presented by MP Moris Grahame, of Easington, Labour is as follows;
https://edm.parliament.uk/early-day-motion/57786
That this House notes with concern the decision of BBC World Service to close the Sinhala radio broadcast service, which serves the Sinhalese majority in Sri Lanka who constitute around three-quarters of the population; notes that Sri Lanka has experienced much unrest in the last several decades, and is currently the subject of warnings from human rights organisations regarding the deteriorating situation, resulting in its inclusion in the FCO’s top 30 Human RIghts Priority Countries; further notes the potential security implications posed by the country’s developing relationship with the People’s Republic of China; understands the long term strategy of investing in building digital audiences, but observes that currently 7% of the SInhalese population listen to the radio service each week, compared to just 0.6% who use digital services; and therefore calls on BBC management to reverse the closure announcement and continue to invest in this valuable news service.
The first 6 Members who have signed to support the motion are the sponsors.
The primary sponsor is generally the person who tabled the motion and has responsibility for it. The date shown is when the Member signed the motion.
Moris Graheme
Labour
Easington
The primary sponsor
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