A few weeks back i tuned into UK's Channel Four's web broadcast of a documentary regarding the final push by the Sri Lankan Government into the Tamil controlled territory back in early 2009.
To be honest, this documentary was one of the most horrific and eye opening pieces of journalism Ive seen. Its graphic. Very graphic. More than once it had me questioning how humans could do such things to each other.
These people are animals. Worse than animals.
That is not to say that there needs to be a defence for what the LTTE were capable of. Forced child soldiers and brutal acts of terrorism over decades. But it goes without saying that there are usually always atrocities on both sides. And generally propaganda to follow.
Arguments are now running that some of the footage from the documentary has been faked. Maybe, maybe not. But some of the most graphic footage certainly has not been. Women and children - innocents - running for their lives and sheltering in makeshift bunkers. Hospitals shelled. Women raped and brutally murdered.
How anyone can sit back and run a political argument about this is beyond me. This is not a question about whether someone supports the LTTE or the Sri Lankan government. This is a question of what so called human beings are capable of doing to each other and not just to enemy combatants.
Innocent people, probably in their thousands - maybe tens of thousands - were killed. Many died in the most awful way imaginable. However it happened and whoever perpetrated it, the west chose to look the other way. There was a clear duty to protect. We failed in that regard.
Whatever its shortcomings, the Channel 4 documentary is worth watching. Airs on ABC 4 Corners, 8.30pm, Monday July 4.
About Just Grumpy
0 comments
Post a Comment