AFP puts spin on TamilNet report

[TamilNet, Friday, 17 April 2009, 11:04 GMT]
A TamilNet news report citing political observers in Colombo that appeared Thursday became a ‘view of the LTTE’ for the Agence France-Presse (AFP). Since its inception, TamilNet has been an independent news agency committed to reporting news with a Tamil perspective. However, it has become an objectionable practice with a section of the international media, including AFP, to refer to TamilNet as a pro-rebel, pro-LTTE etc. medium. But, Friday’s reporting by AFP has gone a step further by treating TamilNet report as LTTE’s belief or opinion. TamilNet does not such reporting as just oversight.

The AFP Colombo report titled ‘UN tacitly backing SLanka offensive : Tamil rebels’, read: “Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers believe the United Nations and foreign governments are tacitly supporting a military offensive that risks the lives of civilians, according to a pro-rebel website.”

In the next paragraph, it said: “Tamilnet.com said accusing Tiger rebels of holding civilians hostage in the conflict zone was a signal that the international community supported Colombo's preparations for a final assault against the remaining guerrillas in the long-running ethnic war."

The AFP also quoted a line from a TamilNet report, titled, ‘UN and IC signal civilian carnage,’ appeared on Thursday: "All witnesses out, international community winking, India abetting and international media failing in its duty, the civilian massacre and subjugation can be completed with much ease.”

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16.04.09   UN and IC signal civilian carnage


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Tamil rebels say UN tacitly backing Sri Lanka govt