The UNP, the Sunday Paper and the Defence Secretary

Onlanka News – By N.Iresha Ratnayake

It was ironic to read a scurrilous article by a Sunday newspaper regarding a provocative interview between its Editor and the Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. From the reading of the contents, one could realize that the Editor deliberately provoked the Defence Secretary as that has been the forte of the newspaper and its breadwinners. The more sensation they create, the more newspapers they could sell. More than policy issues such newspapers thrive on petty matters and the private affairs of public men which is against the journalistic ethics. Journalistic harlots would be the ideal words for such trash.

The same Editor was the cause of creating sensation to Gen.Fonseka and then exaggerating the issues of threat to self  to obtain security.

No decent newspaper or newsline would have published the contents of the alleged conversation. Gotabhaya would not waste his time trying to deny or affirm any part of the content published. He is far above trash talk, far above the scurrilous literature that this Editor and her corporate Masters could provide for the public. Moreover the public is not concerned of such trivial issues. In law the maxim “De minimis non curat lex” would apply. The matter is so trivial that a reasonable person would not care.

First the Editor who loves to attract public attention should put her house in order and worry about her puppets and puppies before creating sensation especially distracting the public from more serious issues of urban development, defence etc which should  been the subjects discussed with the Defence Secretary who is also the Secretary for Urban Development. It takes one to know one and in this case it took this Editor to worry about its own kind and write a story – a bedtime story for the UNP.