Sri Lanka won’t sue Channel – 4

The Sri Lankan Government has decided not to sue Channel-4 for its telecast of videos on Sri Lanka as it had adopted more effective strategies to deal with such situations, External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris told Parliament today.

The minister, who responded to a question asked by United National Party (UNP) MP Ravi Karunanayake, said the Government had effectively countered such allegations.

He said a video titled, ‘Lies agreed upon’ was screened while the government was having a discussion with Callum McRae, who was instrumental in preparing the Channel-4 documentary on the war in Sri Lanka. The minister said the Sri Lankan Government had in no uncertain terms told BBC, Al Jazeera and those in charge of Hard Talk TV what it felt about all this.

Mr. Karunanayake who raised a supplementary question asked whether the UNP should file legal action against channel-4 on behalf of the country.

The minister said there was no need to do so because the Government had already dealt with the issue through alternate methods.(Yohan Perera)