Were ‘Dhesha Premi’ gundas behind Sirasa Attack?
Posted by Ajith on January 4, 2009
The studio complex of Sirasa Media Network at Depanama, Pannipitiya has come under a petrol bomb attack on Jan. 02nd, reported Lanka Dissent.
Around 10 men, masked and carrying arms, in a white-coloured van had arrived at the facility around 9.00 pm, threatened the security guards and thrown the bomb.
The security guards have lodged a complaint with Maharagama Police on the same night.
Earlier in the day, state media launched a scathing attack on Newsfirst of MTV/MBC, accusing it of not giving enough coverage for the capture of Kilinochchi.
Responding, the radio and television station said their 23-minute long main newscasts of the day allocated 13 minutes on the army’s gaining control of the northern town.
Sam said
In Sri Lanka any crack head can do any distraction to public or private property for whatever a reason and justify that by “Desha Premi” and they get instant immunity. When the whole village run after a suspected thief or a drug addict and beat him up to near death, they do that by name of greater good and become “desha premiyo”. When they burn down bus deport, radio stations, and even libraries they did that under the holly name of “desha premyo”. When university students demand unfortunate majority A/L fail students not be able to engage in higher education in Sri Lanka, they do that utter most evil thing by the name of “Desha Premi”. So Sirasa – really not worth of caring.
Wimalasiri Gamlath said
Perhaps Police should note that Wimal Weerawansa’s office is at Battaramulla – just few kilometers from Depanama Pannipitiya.
isanka said
what ever its good job………….
chathura said
I’m not happy with this, but my point is that Sirasa deserved this from a a long long time. anything other than a victory of SL forces, made head lines in sirasa news. in addition breaking news alerts were made regarding that.In kilinochchi victory every channel were broadcasting information regarding that.but sirasa was not interested about that. They remained silent until that bomb exploded. Then breaking news was started.Anyone see this is right?
Now all the media organizations + UNP will start barking. but majority of them + UNP were very silent when our heroes captured Kilinochchi. They will take this to international against government. Who will get the ultimate profit. Its LTTE.
Any media should have perfect freedom, but that media should use that freedom in a good manner without not working according to LTTE agenda.
Anyone can realize that sirasa works according to LTTE agenda. So they should be punished as well as LTTE. Now its time to stop watching “RAN DEPEYA” where the
Ruskshan said
In this morning there was a big attack to sirasa and huge damaged.
“Officials from MTV/MBC say armed gang of about 20 entered the premises of the transmission station in Pannipitiya, and held staff and security personnel at gunpoint before setting the main control room on fire. A hand grenade was used inside the Main Control Room, and the Bomb Disposal Unit have recovered another unexploded grenade from the location.”
source: DM
Anonymous said
Have they ever worked as SRILANKANS….???? Why they have not ever not think about the nation ? I dnt mind any political things but people in a nation should give the first priority to their nation.Witout this coutry wht they are goin to do ? Around the world its only in srilanka i saw this.Politics above nation…………
SriLanka said
WOW…,What a good job…!!! They had to completely destroy the media complex.
NIMAL said
Wht ever it is we must know one thing. Every body must have THE NATION ABOVE ALL
Sudheera said
@Anonymous,
They have always worked as Sri Lankans and gave us the truth while all state media lied. Only thing that do not run after Mahinda with a bucket in their hands when he went to toilet. Is that a reson to burn down the station?
Sudheera said
@Nimal,
What ever it is we must know one thing. Every body must have THE NATION ABOVE ALL
Yes, Yes, and burn down everybody who does not agree with you. Ane palayan ban yanna.
gode lamaya said
@ Sudheera
ubala wage un thamath me lanka polowe innawane………….
thooooooooooooo nodakin
dmmk said
Hi ,i dont accept what sabotage people did but as of chatura say i agree 100%.
wether UNP or SLFP ,JVP we need country for live .
see muslim they have lot of place to live,tamils also the same sinhalees where we have to go…no place in the world.
so we must protect our mother land thats it.
so what SIRASA doing.
they made head line if there is some incident from forces .can you remember rafe case in jafna and it affect to SLARMY.they made big story.why they did it, it indirectly they support for LTTE.this is popular secret.
it’s peoples favoration but MBC got licence for all the country not in jafna penisula.it is all right if they braodcast to jafna.
dmmk
Sudheera said
@gode lamaya
ow, ow, umbala wage gonnu innakan mahindayata puluvan ratama gonata anda gena inna. eyi prashnayak ahanna vath kavuruth nene. hamoma gon raja kiyana gal pelena boru visvasa karanavane. umbe oluve thiyenne gomada?
Jibba said
Hai Guys STOP fighting. Be united. This is not a problem with SIRASA, but it is a problem with people behind the screen. I mean RATA KANA HATHTHA.
Hashi said
Here when i read some article what i felt was there are sick ppl still existing among above 13 comments. OMG, cant u just mind u r own business without talking the things what actually u dont know. Some idiot is criticisin ‘Ran Depaya’ what the deal with that. If u dont want to watch just watch something else… If u r family is addicted to that then cant help…
I 100% agree with Sam. And ppl dont waste ur time by cursing Sirasa as there doing great … Please do some productive thing for urself.
Poor ppl.
Ru said
A Story of my Father, a man of fine virtue, who seduced and taxed my Mother(land) inside her Reinforced Underground Shelter
A Life After an Event…
Iqbal Athas, the reputed military analyst, in his Situation Report published weekly in the Sunday Times, the newspaper of the commercial bourgeoisie, states that the dawn of 2009 will usher Sri Lanka into a new era, though what it portends exactly remains unclear for him, while the Sri Lankan Army is suffering from bad weather, a “mortar monsoon” bestowed upon them by the Tigers.
On the 18th December 2008, His Excellency the Prime Minister of Ceylon, Mr. Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, said, “We need money to develop the country as well as to protect the country from terrorism. As a government our revenue comes from taxes. No one who loves the country should block taxes and prevent the country from being protected”.
He said: “We should not send the wrong signals to the soldiers in the battle field; we should show them that we are with them”.
He made this comment at a ceremony to award scholarship to two hundred and thirty nine children –defining their future as those of their parents- whose parents were soldiers who died or were missing in action or injured in the war. Each student who passed the Year Five scholarship was given Rs. twenty five thousand. Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse, Chief of Defense Staff Donald Perera, the commanders of the three forces, the police chief and the Labour Ministry Secretary Sunil. S. Sirisena also attended the ceremony.
- Daily Mirror, 19 December 2008
Therefore, who is the provider to the Ceylonist State with an abundance of capital to produce this ‘meritorious’ act of national liberation, this unifying of the divided nation, this euphoria of violence in legal means? Whose private property is this venture of death, and who are the well cultured gentlemen who suffice the legal right to appropriate its luminous profits, while their heroic laborers produce the callisthenic act? The Sinhala patriots, ‘the soldiers outside the battle field’, devour and demand this soul searching trade of liberation, which will be praised in all newspapers in all ages…
mangala said
What is going to happen to sri lanka.we must stop these kind of things. At least there should be a one opposite media for a country. other wise who is going to reveal gov mistakes to the nation. But mahinda wants to get all the media to his side then mahinda can do anything what he wants.
RJ said
Awesome guys.. keep it up!!
Prasanna said
SADU !! SAADU!! SAAADU!!
Tony said
After a tough day’s work, I came back home and settle in front of my TV, to watch the news at ten, to see what the local electronic media have to say about the days most talked about news; SLAF attacks on X-ray base. I already knew, most of the story from Defencenet, and Dailymirror, but I just wanted to re-assure the news on TV. (Just like in the old days, where we read the morning newspaper to verify what we already seen on TV). There were huge speculations about Prabhakaran been hit by these attacks, and it was most definitely the “best selling story of the day”.
But for my surprise, Sirasa didn’t mention a single word about this attack, in their headlines! Derana covered it as the second top story, after the all party conference discussions. And I waited, to see if Sirasa is going to cover the news, at least as a minor story in a later part of the local news. But they were too busy covering the funeral house of an underworld thug, who got killed on a police encounter. They were trying to drag some sympathy into this guy’s death, who is said to be the killer of 6 people.
It’s simply UNBELIEVABLE! I have blogged about these dodgy behaviors of Sirasa News First people, when covering news items unfavorable to the LTTE. But, I have never expected them to be this cheap, when doing that.
When Mervin Silva stormed into Rupavahini that day, it was the biggest news of the day. (Any doubts?). And, Sirasa did dedicated 20 minutes of their 30 minutes news bulletin, to cover that incident. When T.Maheshwaran was killed on 1st of January, this year, it was the biggest news of the day. And Sirasa dedicated another 15 minutes, to cover that story, in their bulletin, and still keep covering the court case regarding that incident. And, they are over and over again, try to emphasize a relationship with Douglas Devananda, to the assassination of T.Maheshwaran, by quoting a voice cut given by Keheliya Rambukwella, to the BBC. And, any moderate Sri Lankan will agree with me, that the SLAF attack on X-Ray base camp, is the biggest news of today. So, why can’t Sirasa dedicate 5 minutes covering that story?
This further adds evidence for us to believe, the allegation made by certain political movements against Maharaja Broadcasting Company, Sirasa, and News First team. They are purposely devalue the importance of the military victories of the Sri Lankan forces, and will go and fire all their guns, when something advantageous to the tigers do take place. This again is good evidence for us to believe that Sirasa and News First is operating according to a hidden agenda of some one. And that SOME ONE wants Sirasa to give low profile to the stories on victories by the Sri Lankan forces, and over emphasize the news that give some advantage to the tigers.
We end up at the same point! Sirasa. The Voice of Tigers. I report. You Decide!
Ajith said
Firstly, Sirasa TV is not a government channel run on public money, so they can decide what to run and what to not. Not some idiot in government.
Secondly, out of courtesy Sirasa TV has offered three minutes of its prime news time at no cost to Defence Ministry to run whatever they like, so if the Ministry had not used it, that is not Sirasa’s fault.
Sad that we have fallen to such low levels that sheer act of violence to stop dissident voices are wholeheartedly approved by a section of the society. This is like the German people of the day giving a license to Hitler doing whatever he wanted.
Mind you, Hitler to was elected constitutionally and stood for a nationalits and socialist government.
Nalaka Gunawardene said
Ajith: I fully agree with your last remark. What is the greater tragedy: the fact that we are all being intimidated and forced into surrendering all independent thinking and opinions; or the fact that there are some among us who seem to welcome and cheer it (all in the name of a tribal label)?
The reference to Hitler’s Germany invariably reminds us of the famously apt verse attributed to Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) who wrote about the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power and the purging of their chosen targets, group after group. It bears repetition every day in this country:
When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I was not a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.
We must remember, also, the well-known Sinhala saying: “Labbata thibba athamai puhulatath thiyanne”. Hard to translate that one, but basically it’s a caution that what happens to others will soon happen to the rest of us….
malik said
Kawru unath elakiri game ekak deela thiyenne. Aparade ara raja mahendran tath kelala demmanam iwarai….. UUU no.1 kotiya….
Sanjeewa said
This may be Wimal Weeranvansha’s bull work…..
wicky said
As a man who loves our nation; i really appreciate this attack. It’s a great job.I would like to ask from the gang who did this – please destroy the rest of what ever in Sirasa media. This is the only media which kicks our asses through living in our mother land
wicky said
Sudheera
Me rate sirasa balanne umbala wage evun thama wedipurama, umbalata kisi terumak ne ape ratata wenne mokadda kiyala, ratata hena gehuwath umbalata sindu kiyala natala aatal eke inna puluwannam hari saneepai, jaathake warada thama! Hondata es deka erala balapan sirasa mokadda karanne kiyala,
(1) ape podi evun tika metto karavanava
(2) kellange vilisange nethi karanava
(3) Rate abhimanaya baaldu karanava
(4) Kotinta help karanava
(5) umbakla wage evunta tharanga thiyala giftz denava
Ajith said
If anyone hates Sirasa, there is a simple option to silence it. On the front panel of any TV you will find either a knob or a button to change channels. Just use it.
Opting a harder and more dangerous option of bashing it, only shows there is either
a) a serious physical disability that prevents someone from turning the knob (like not having both hands)
b) a serious mental block that prevents the users from switching even if they are physically able to
If (b) is the case Sirasa has hypnotised their audience (including ones who critisise Sirasa). Better meet a psychiatrist.
Sudheera said
@විකී,
වැඩි හරියක් සිරස බලන්නේ අපි නම් උඹට තියෙන රුදාව මොකද්ද ගොන් නාම්බෝ? උඹ රූපවාහිනී බලා ගනින්. උඹේ පොඩි එවුන්ටත් කියපන් රූපවාහිනී බලන්න කියලා. එතකොට ඉවරයිනේ. අපි තෑගි ගන්නවට උඹට ඉරිසියාවද? උඹ රූපවාහිනියෙන් තෑගි ඉල්ලා ගනින්.
wicky said
Sudheera
umbala Sirasa bala bala moda chuun ganilla mata kisi amarwak ne gono, umbata den sirasa kiyana visabeeje effect wela ivarai, e nisa umbata mona kiuwath wedak ne, sirasa thama umbage deyya(modaya)ohoma yaman
wicky said
Sudheera
umbanam sure ekatama Maharaajage putek
Ratata hena gehuwath umbalata moda chuun tiyanavanam hari joly
Noddakin moda gona
Ape rate iskola walinma akuru liyanna igenagena umba koti hithawaadee Sirasata kade yanava hambei umbata loku —-k
wicky said
SriLanka
Machan I love your wordz
tnx
Sudheera said
අනේ විකියෝ, උඹ සිංහලෙන් ලියන්න දන්නේ වත් නැතුව මට උගන්නන්න එනවද? ඉස්කෝලේ ගිහින් අකුරු ඉගෙන ගනින් මහින්දයට කඩේ යන්න කලින්. උඹල වගෙ ගොන් නාම්බෝ නිසා තමා මේ රටට හෙණ ගැහිලා තියෙන්නේ.
Sakvithi Ranasinghe said
MAY SIRASA GO TO HELL
Sakvithi Ranasinghe said
SUDEERA: YOU SHOULD TAKE MEDICINE. YOU ARE A DAMN FOOL.
Chulantha Kulasekere said
If you ever think why Sri Lanka is doing so bad one should read this blog. We are a bunch of idiots who have no sense of right and wrong. `Destroy who we hate’ `Destroy who oppose us’ are things from the rock age. We seem to thrive on practicing these. We should be friends with the Taliban to say the least.
Lilani Deepika said
——————————
——————————
Everyone,
Please read this blog.
http://lakbima.wordpress.com/2009/01/06/sirasa-attack-motives-and-beneficiaries/
Thank you.
——————————
——————————
dula said
*most people here have expressed their views about the “content”of media as well this incident.this is food for thought.
if you can change the chanel if you don’t like the content, why are XXX films(blue films)illegal on TV and cinema?isn’t it unfair for these?
*another question,why would a successful govenment(i mean the war not the economy)who captured even killinochi go after a media network(which is labled koti by some people)now in the peak of popularity,rather than,say 2 years ago.(i ask this question because many hardline UNPers are more than happy to blame this on government)
*What is the use of security guards who didn’t fire so much as a warning shot at a armed mob entering their premises when they had shot guns and even the previous day was attacked with a petrol bomb? “yuddeta nathi kaduwa kos kotannada”
dula said
according to the statements by security guards which were aired on TV one guard who was patroling outside has warned others inside to close the gates.and another security guard said while he was picking up his gun,he was ordered to surrender the weapon by one member of the mob.would’nt it mean these guards were not ready even with prior warnings?
Ajith said
@Dula,
Good question. Why the guards didn’t shoot back?
When the small airplanes of tigers (aka mosquitoes) bombed Colombo, not once but multiple times, and returned safely people asked similar questions. Why they were never shot? (or in this case why they were not shot in target?)
My response: (a) incompetence or (b) fear
Are there any other answers?
(BTW, unlike what happens in the military, the wives of the guards at Sirasa do not get paid pensions till their death. So it is natural for them not to take too many risks. It they don’t act they may lose the job, but if they act they may lose life)
dula said
small correction i would like to mention in Ajith’s answer is that, the small planes were shot at, but they weren’t hit(except one possible missle attack)instead some private buildings were damaged,whereas in this situation the guards apprently did’nt fire at all,and possibly too late in their response.
but certainly you have made a good point which would make them reluctant at engaging an attaker,but that alone will not answer all questions.
i hope the truth will be revealed which would help in preveting such things in future
chanaka said
Anyone of us may wonder, how those people came and did such a thing to this terrorist media company,after all they are having such a good security…
they try to make the country fool and become much more popular…
“GONRASA” ATTACK BY OWN MASTER PLAN…………..
The Mtv/ Mbc attack was orchestrated by them selves. They had already moved all important equipment to the there new studio complex at Ratmalana (old S-Lon factory) so that the Depanama complex can be given/ rented out to Airtel. All this was done to descredit the government and to take away focus from the victorious armed forces and most of all to upgrade their equipment with the US $ 6,000,000 insurance claim (as they did before). Even after a petrol bomb was thrown at the studios 3 days ago, why did they have only 2 security guards on duty??????? WHY????
The truth hurts ???
සාගර said
US $ 6,000,000 insurance claim
ඒ කියන්නේ රු. මිලියන 660 ක්.
ලංකාවේ දළ ජාතික නිෂ්පාදිතය (GDP) රු. බිලියන 2.
අපූරුයි. සිරස ආයතනයෙ එක ගොඩනැඟිල්ලක වටිනාකම ලංකාවෙ සියලුම දෙනා වසරක ඉපයූ මුදලින් තුනෙන් එකක්.
බොරුවක් වත් හරියට කියා ගන්න බැහැ.
Ponnambalam said
Ajith,
Your party is talking big about tamil rights. but your party site doesnt have an Tamil version. http://www.unp.lk
dula said
i too heard this story that Sirasa is vacating depanama to airtel and setting up in Galle road.and vacating was already underway,because a friend of mine is a former employee of Sirasa.this was before these attacks on 6-1-2008.
anyway as i heard in Sirasa news this building complex and control room is one of the most advanced in Asia.therefore this is the countries wealth which was burnt
janith said
Why are Ranil W. hating Sinhalese and their culture, We know that he are anglican christian,but he should have at least respected our culture. Rajamahendran is also same person. He needs to destroy our country’s culture.. Please think Ajith,about our country. We have only one country. I am also unp supporter as well as our family since our grand father.. But now we are very frustrating about present vision of unp. We are very respecting another nationalist. So as a sinhalese we need to live proudly. Don’t destroy our culture for your political future. Please think again as you Anandian.. I am not talking about another political parties. We need to talk publicly about our unp proudly. Please describe it your leader. I know that you may be patriot , but our leader never will be patriot. He is hating our nationalist and religion buddhism. I think that you can lead to be gone correct psth our party. So you came from village. Likewise Mr. thilak talked about you and your family very proudly at Derana. At that time we knew about you. But you have proved that Mr. karunarathna said wrong about you after reading your blog. Please think once again. When you are thinking the people, Please think as whole people are same,don’t think about them according to their political background.Then you will be having great future. I wish you all the best for your life Mr.Ajith.
Thilak said
Dear Ajith,
Our thoughts are with you on these trying times. I know how you must be feeling about the Killinochchi defeat and most of all the Sirasa attack although you try not to show it. Events which should not have happened in a country like Sri Lanka.
How is Mr. Raja Mahendran feeling? He must be devastated after all he has done for this country. Please convey our deepest sympathies to him too and to your wife.
ishara said
This is to Guys who think They are patriots.They talk about our culture while distorying it.They Say attak on sirasa and death of Lasantha Wikramathunga is good .Then they think we are the patriots.Dont be fools.Do something to meke this country better.Then put apprpiate word to it.
ishara said
I Know this,People Who blame to sirasa,
they are the best fans
they do this to show They are Patriots
X said
Sirasa destroying our girls minds. Then how we go to future. That tv channel is the worst enamy. (Hathura) why do you waiting for, go and destroy it.
Anu said
Moda Sudheera
I saw u’r comments about sirsa attak.
Oya wage ayata godak duka ati neda may dawas wala rate wena dewal gana.
Hondata balagena inna issarahata rate monawada wenne kiyala
Mahinda is the great person. Oyala wage ayata ehema kenek ge watina kamak therum gannawath molayak na.