Colombo: A group of Sri Lankans living in
the UK plan to sue the UK TV station Channel 4 for defamation
over recent documentaries linked to Sri Lanka`s bloody ethnic
conflict which they alleged were aimed at tarnishing the image
of the country, a media report said on Monday.
The UK-based Sri Lankans who are members of the
anti-terrorism group - comprising Sinhalese and Tamils - said
that a team comprising several lawyers in the forum have
carefully studied the videos in question and have obtained
expert views and recommendation on the modus operandi of the
aired videos, state news agency Lankapuwath reported.
"We will file our action in the Westminster court
based on five points," Anura Medagedara, a spokesman for the
group said.
He said that the one trillion sterling pounds claimed
as compensation would be used towards the welfare of the
government troops.
The Channel 4 has put out documentaries alleging that
large-scale civilian deaths had occurred during the government
troops` military offensives against the LTTE and that some of
the senior members of the rebel group who wanted to surrender
had been killed.
Their latest video showed two ex-Sri Lankan soldiers
narrating the alleged killing of civilians.
The government had dismissed the Channel 4
documentaries as pro-LTTE diaspora propaganda to discredit the
government.
Sri Lankans living in the UK recently staged a noisy
protest opposite the Channel 4 offices in London.
PTI
