TamilNet

Infobox Website
name = TamilNet



caption =
url = [http://www.tamilnet.com www.tamilnet.com]
type = Online Newspaper
slogan = "Reporting to the world on Tamil Affairs"
owner =
author =
founder =
CEO=
launch date = 1997
current status =Active

TamilNet is a news website that provides news and feature articles on current affairs in Sri Lanka, specifically related to the ongoing Sri Lankan Civil War. The website was formed by members of the Sri Lankan Tamil community residing in the United States and publishes articles in English cite journal|url=http://muse.jhu.edu/login?uri=/journals/anthropological_quarterly/v077/77.3whitaker.pdf| title= Tamilnet.com: Some Reflections on Popular Anthropology, Nationalism, and the Internet | date= 2006-08-31 | journal = Anthropological Quarterly] | first = Whittaker | last = Mark | accessdate = 2006-10-19 |format=PDF] , German and French

Its reporting is widely considered to be biased towards the militant Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) organization,cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10398943| title= Tamil Tigers warn Sri Lanka offensive could end truce | date= 2006-08-31 | publisher = Reuters | first = Simon | last = Gardner | accessdate = 2006-10-01 ] and although it is not officially affiliated with the rebel group, it is regarded as a propaganda instrument of the LTTE. [cite news|url=http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8PSF7700&show_article=1&cat=0| title= Sri Lanka gov't blocks access to Tiger website: media watchdog | date= 2007-06-20 | publisher = Associated Press | accessdate = 2007-06-21 ]

According to ARTICLE 19, a human rights organization, it is a popular news site that is relied upon as a credible source of news, by journalists, civil society and the diplomatic community both within Sri Lanka and globally and also to seek out the LTTE leadership’s perspective on the civil conflict. Tamilnet and non-governmental organizations such as Free Media Movement (FMM), Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and ARTICLE 19 confirm that the website is currently banned in Sri Lanka. [cite news|url=http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/ECFDCCB2-8401-4A3C-AE79-3BB434EF0055.htm| title=Sri Lanka military in jungle clash | date= 2007-06-20 | publisher = Al Jazeera | accessdate = 2007-06-21 ]

Operations

TamilNet articles are written in the elegant, simple and informitive style of reporting. This is in the neutral-authoritative tone of most Western wire news services.

TamilNet reporters are on the ground mostly in the provincial villages of the North and East of Sri Lanka, where reporters are supplied with digital equipment. Reports are generated in Tamil and emailed to bilingual translators and editors in United States, Europe, Australia or to Colombo, Sri Lanka. This network of on the ground reporters has allowed TamilNet to circumvent Sri Lankan government's censorship laws.

Perceptions

Reuters, Associated Press, Agence France Presse and Xinhua all refer to TamilNet as "the pro-LTTE website".cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10398943| title= Tamil Tigers warn Sri Lanka offensive could end truce | date= 2006-08-31 | publisher = Reuters | first = Simon | last = Gardner | accessdate = 2006-10-01 ] cite news | url = http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/09/09/asia/AS_GEN_Sri_Lanka.php | title = Sri Lankan military says 11 soldiers killed in fierce battle with rebels in the north | date= 2006-09-08 | publisher = Associated Press | accessdate = 2006-10-01 ] cite news | url = http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=109970&version=1&template_id=44&parent_id=24 | title = Peace hopes rise as Tigers ‘agree’ to talk | date= 2006-09-28 | publisher = AFP | accessdate = 2006-10-07 ] cite news | url = http://english.people.com.cn/200609/22/eng20060922_305173.html | title = Sri Lanka Air Force bombs rebel positions in north | date= 2006-09-22 | publisher = Xinhua | accessdate = 2006-10-07 ]

Mark Whittaker an Associate Professor of Anthropologycref|MW argues TamilNet merely shares the Sri Lankan Tamil Nationalistcref|Sri Lankan Tamil Nationalism ideology of the LTTE and is not an arm of the organization. For instance he says TamilNet had fired a sub-editor once he became an activist for the LTTE. He also says TamilNet has faced complaints and 'extreme displeasure' from both the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE. Whittaker also says the LTTE has been deeply unhappy of 'undue' coverage given on Tamilnet to criticism of the organization by international human rights organizations. However Whittaker believes much of the criticism directed at Tamilnet by the LTTE is off public view, since the LTTE considers such moves as weakening Tamil nationalism.

According to ARTICLE 19, a global human rights organization with a specific mandate and focus on the defense and promotion of freedom of expression and freedom of information worldwide, the news website although some claim it has an LTTE bias, it has over its ten-year life span, earned a solid reputation for providing alternative news and opinions with a particular focus on the North and East of the country, operating under the banner of “Reporting to the World on Tamil Affairs”. It is relied upon as a credible news source by journalists, civil society and the diplomatic community both within Sri Lanka and globally. Over the years, the site has endured various threats and attacks, including the gunning down in April 2005 of editor, Sivaram Dharmaratnam. cite news|url=http://www.article19.org/pdfs/press/sri-lanka-tamilnet-blocked.pdf|title= Sri Lanka:News Agency website blocked on Attack on Press Freedom| date= 2006-08-31| publisher = ARTICLE 19 | accessdate = 2006-10-01|format=PDF]

Criticism and Counter-Criticism

Experts in the field argue TamilNet's accuracy of its reporting has "rarely been successfully challenged that such charges ring hollow". According to V. Sambandan, Sri Lanka Special Correspondent for the prominent Indian English Daily The Hindu, "facts and figures are double sourced, checked and are considered 100% credible".

However a Sri Lanka analyst for the prominent Indian English daily "The Hindu", states "TamilNet (www.tamilnet.com) is the unofficial mouthpiece of the Tigers in English. It is a kind of news agency chronicling the conflict as perceived by the LTTE. The site is a `must hit' for any serious Sri Lanka watcher. A senior official in the Sri Lankan Presidential Secretariat told Frontline, "My first port of call on the internet is TamilNet. Though it is brazenly pro-Tigers, it is a good guide to know the mind of the Tiger leadership tucked away in the safe havens of the Wanni jungles." [http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=20070615004904600.htm&date=fl2411/&prd=fline&] .

Some of the instances in which Tamilnet is accused of inaccurate reporting include

* 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".cite news | url = http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=19107 | title = SLA shelling kills 15 civilians, injures 20 | publisher = Tamilnet | date = 2006-08-06 | accessdate = 2006-08-06 ] 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.. Fact|date=August 2008 TamilNet has subsequently acknowledged the timestamp on the pictures were incorrect.cite news | url = http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=19107 | title = SLA shelling kills 15 civilians, injures 20 | publisher = Tamilnet | date = 2006-08-06 | accessdate = 2006-08-06 ] . Asian Tribune, an anti-rebel website, 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.cite news | url = http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/1448 | title = LTTE propaganda boomerangs again | date = 2006-08-08 | accessdate = 2006-10-01 ] Asiantribune, the anti-rebel website, alleged that one of the images was subsequently removed from the website. The Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence claimed 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. [cite web | url = http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20060808_05 | work = Sri Lankan Military of Defence | title = LTTE propaganda boomerangs again | date = 2006-08-08 | accessdate = 2006-10-02 ]

* On August 11, 2006, TamilNet reported that LTTE aircraft had attacked a Sri Lankan Military base at Palaly, Jaffna.cite news | title = Tiger aircraft rockets Palaly base, curfew in Jaffna | url = http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=19186 | publisher = Tamilnet | date = 2006-08-11 | accessdate = 2006-10-02 ] The Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence claimed that this was a lie.cite web | url = http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20060813_01 | title = Tamilnet Exposed "Lying" once again | work = Sri Lankan Military of Defence | date = 2006-08-13 | accessdate = 2006-10-02 ] 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. Tamilnet later acknowledged that the attack itself was a speculation and LTTE did not accept or reject that report. [ [http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=21668 LTTE releases air mission pictures] March 262007] Currently some view the conflicting reports about the purported initial bombardment of the Palaly airport through the prism of propaganda and counter propaganda by both the combatants. [cite news | title = Tamileelam Air Force: Its Military, Political and Psychological Realities in the South
url=http://www.saag.org/papers23/paper2230.html
publisher = SAAG | accessdate = 2006-05-03 ]

Threats and murders

It has been alleged that members associated with various Sri Lankan political parties have threatened reporters of TamilNet with arrest for "treason", and once hinted, that "uncontrolled extremists might be inspired to perform some extra-judicial killing".cref|Extra Judicial killing(See additional information here)

In 2004, Ramasamy Thurairatnam, a correspondent for the Lakehouse press group and the TamilNet.com news website, claimed that his life was in danger because a local warlord's supporters have formed death squads whose job is to eliminate those who don't support their point of view in the civil conflict. Due to the same threats the BBC’s Tamil and Sinhalese services have stopped broadcasting reports from their correspondents in eastern Sri Lanka. [ [http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=10956 Nine recommendations for improving the state of press freedom] (July 19 2004)]
[
Taraki Sivaram was found behind the Parliament of Sri Lanka's high security zone. Source:TamilNet.com]
Mylvaganam Nimalarajan, a Jaffna based reporter for the BBC, [http://www.cpj.org/attacks00/asia00/Sri_Lanka.html CPJ Report] Mylvaganam Nimalarajan, free-lancer killed (December 12000)] who also filed news reports for TamilNet [ [http://www.asiafoundation.org/pdf/SL_Media_Survey.pdf Sri Lanka’s vernacular press and the peace process] ] was shot and killed in 2000. The accused who is an ex-member of Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EDPD) headed by cabinet minister Douglas Devananda, a coalition member of many ruling alliances, has been absconding since his bailout. [ [http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=7154 Ex EPDP confesses to the killing] TamilNet report (July 04, 2002)]

In 2005, TamilNet's editor Taraki Sivaram, was kidnapped and then shot and killed in Colombo by unknown gunmen. His body was found near the Sri Lankan parliament inside the high security zone. [ [http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2211/stories/20050603001305200.htm Frontline report] End of a dissenter (May 21, 2005)] Currently a former member of the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), a minor political organization and a known paramilitary group [ [http://web.amnesty.org/aidoc/aidoc_pdf.nsf/index/ASA370102001ENGLISH/$File/ASA3701001.pdf Amnesty International report] ASA 37/010/2001(2001)] has been accused in the murder. [cite news | title = TamilNet editor's murder still unpunished after one year | url = http://www.ifj-asia.org/page/srilanka060428.html | publisher = International Federation of Journalists | date = 2005-04-28 | accessdate = 2007-04-06 ] [ [http://www.freemediasrilanka.org/index.php?action=con_news_full&id=272&section=news Sivaram killing: AG indicts PLOTE leader’s driver] (July 21 2006)]

The LTTE has accused the government of complicity in his murder, [cite news | url = http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=14775 | title = LTTE accuses SLA Intelligence, para-militaries for Sivaram's murder | publisher = TamilNet | date = 2005-04-30 | accessdate = 2006-10-02 ] while the government has denied any responsibility. To the accusation that self styled Colonel Karuna, a government aligned [ [http://www.slmm.lk/intros/FINAL%20GENEVA%20REPORT%20AFTER%20CORRECTIONS%20ON%201st%20of%20JUNE.pdf SLMM June Report] 2006] [ [http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2007/03/28/slanka15584.htm Child Soldiers: Government Failing to Investigate or Stop Karuna Group] Human Rights Watch (March 29, 2007)] regional political party leader and a former LTTE member was personally involved in the murder of Taraki Sivaram, Karuna has categorically denied it. [ [http://www.tamilweek.com/Karuna_Sivaram_0010.html Did Karuna Personally kill "Taraki" Sivaram?] 2006] [ [http://www.lankalibrary.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=1317 Karuna's response to accusations about Taraki murder] 2007]

Ban in Sri Lanka

According to Free Media Movement (FMM), a media rights watchdog from Sri Lanka, on June 19, 2007, on the orders of the Sri Lankan Government, all major Internet Service Providers (ISP) in Sri Lanka, blocked users from being able to access the TamilNet website. [cite news | url = http://www.freemediasrilanka.org/index.php?action=con_news_full&id=625&section=news | title = Clamping down on the Internet: The ban on Tamilnet in Sri Lanka | publisher = FMM | date = 2007-06-20 | accessdate = 2007-06-20 ] The FMM said that it is "deeply disturbed" with the news and also that;When questioned by reporters, Government Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said he was not aware of the shutdown but, Bquote|"We are looking for hackers to disable the Tamilnet but could not find anyone yet." [cite news | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2007/06/070620_tamilnet.shtml | title = Tamilnet blocked in Sri Lanka| publisher = BBC | date = 2007-06-21 | accessdate = 2007-06-21 ] [cite news|url=http://www.japantoday.com/jp/news/410007
title = Popular website shut down| publisher = Japan Today | date = 2007-06-21 | accessdate = 2007-06-21 ] to which FMM responded by saying that it was Cyber terrorism by a government. [cite news|url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=22529|title = Colombo admits to cyber terrorism- FMM
publisher = Tamilnet | date = 2007-06-22 | accessdate = 2007-06-22 ]

The Human Rights group Article 19 in a press release on June 20, 2007, said on the ban on Tamilnet as Bquote| “Until now, control measures have largely been directed at local media. Applying these measures to the Internet represents a serious escalation which threatens to cut off an important source of independent and alternative news. This not only threatens press freedom but also undermines efforts to address the conflict.”

ee also

*Afghan Times
*Kurdish Media
*Sudan Tribune
*Tangatawhenua

Notes

*cnote|MW|Dr. Mark Whitaker, an assistant professor of anthropology at University of South Carolina was a research collaborator of Taraki Sivaram the editor of Tamilnet. Mark had written extensively about Eastern Sri Lankan Tamil rituals and customs ["Amiable Incoherence: Manipulating Histories and Modernities in a Batticaloa Hindu Temple" By Professor Mark Whitaker, Publisher: Vu University Press July 1999 (ISBN 9-053-83644-6)] along with Tamilnet and its editor [ [http://www.usca.edu/sociology/faculty.html USCA faculty] Professor Mark Whitaker,1986]
*cnote|Sri Lankan Tamil Nationalism|Sri Lankan Tamil nationalism is expressed in the political desire by some to form an independent nation state called Tamil Eelam for the minority Sri Lankan Tamil people. Both moderate Tamil United Liberation Front and Tamil National Alliance and militant groups such as LTTE, Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front, PLOTE, EPDP etc. have expressed such political goals either in the past or now. ["Sri Lankan Tamil Nationalism: Its Origins and Development in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries", By Professor A. Jeyaratnam Wilson Publisher: University of British Columbia Press (March 2000) (ISBN 1-850-65338-0)]
*cnote|Extra Judicial killing|Sri Lankans have suffered an a spate of extra judicial killings since the beginning of the civil war. The UN and other international bodies have expressed grave concern over the spate of extra judicial killings in Sri Lanka. [ [http://www.apwld.org/ejk.htm APWLD/FA Statement on extrajudicial killing in Sri Lanka, Philippines and Chechnya at the UN Human Rights Council] Asia Pacific forum on Women, Law and Development 2006]

References

Further reading

* "Nurturing a Nation on the Net: The Case of Tamil Eelam", by Maya Ranganathan, NATIONALISM AND ETHNIC POLITICS; 2002, VOL 8; PART 2, pages 51-66. ISSN; 1353-7113
* "Nurturing Eelam on the net : the transmission of nationalist ideologies through Sri Lankan Tamil websites", by Maya Ranganathan, Clayton, Vic.: Monash Asia Institute, 2006 [http://www.lib.monash.edu.au/collections/monash-authors/2006/9781876924409.html See infor here]
* "Potential of the Net to Construct and Convey Ethnic and National Identities: Comparison of the Use in the Sri Lankan Tamil and Kashmir Situations", by Maya Ranganathan, "Asian Ethnicity": Taylor & Francis Group, 2004
*"Learning Politics from Sivaram, The Life and Death of a Revolutionary Tamil Journalist in Sri Lanka", by Mark P. Whitaker Publisher: Pluto Press (UK) 2007 (ISBN 0-745-32353-7)
*"Internet and media freedom: Media censorship in Sri Lanka and the emergence of Web-based rebel media" by Kasun Ubayasiri. "AsiaPacific MediaEducator", Issue 12/13, December 2002 [http://www.uow.edu.au/crearts/journalism/APME/apme1213.pdf See info here]
*"A virtual Eelam: Democracy, Internet and Sri Lanka’s Tamil struggle" by Kasun Ubayasiri in "Asian Cyberactivism: freedom of expression & media censorship" by Steven Gann, James Gomez and Uwe Johannen [http://www.amazon.com/dp/9749177533/ See info here] (ISBN 0-974-91775-3)

External links

* [http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~tamils/tsc2006/programme/mwhitaker.html Tropes, Territories and Competing Realities:A Death and the Tamil Diaspora]
* [http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=10956 Nine recommendations for improving media freedom in Sri Lanka – RSF]
* [http://www.tamilnet.fr/ Tamilnet in French]
* [http://www.tamilnet.de/ Tamilnet in German]