Military spokesman quizzed on his comments

The allegations recently levelled by military spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara, against The Sunday Times (TST) Defence Correspondent and Consultant Editor Iqbal Athas, figured at the weekly defence news briefing held on Friday. Following are the responses by Brigadier Nanayakkara and Defence spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella to the questions posed by The Sunday Times.

TST: A few weeks ago you went on state television and called The Sunday Times Defence correspondent Iqbal Athas a person who writes false reports and you went to the extent of calling him a traitor. I would like to know on what basis you made this comment.

Brigadier Nanayakkara: Do you want to take the can any further. I don’t want to comment on it.

TST: Well you made these comments openly. I am just asking on what basis was he called a traitor? How do you justify this?

Brigadier Nanayakkara: (abrupt silence for a few seconds) Well in one of his recent articles he had given the wrong picture. There was wrong information in it. Like the figures of the number of soldiers killed which was false. Articles such as this can demoralise the soldiers. All I am asking from him is to stop insulting the soldiers’ sacrifice by making such false statements.

TST: (Interrupted him talking by raising a question) That is all taken Brigadier but where is the act of treachery. If he had certain errors and omissions in his report why didn’t the Defence Ministry or the MCNS send a letter to clarify his figures? Why go on a campaign slinging mud at him and personally criticizing him?

Brigadier Nanayakkara: (Looks at Defence spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella who was seated on his left)

Keheliya Rambukwella: You look at some of the journalists, they criticize the family life and children of leading public figures which is irresponsible journalism. You don’t go around doing things like that by misusing the pen. So far as Mr. Athas’s issue the MCNS has written to him. He hasn’t clarified any of his facts.

TST: So does that mean he is a traitor. Minister I don’t see the act of treachery here. The issue is not about journalists criticizing the family life of public figures. It’s about him being called a traitor openly. In this case he had exposed corruption in the Defence Establishment is that why he is being targeted and being slandered?

Keheliya Rambukwella: We haven’t got any reply from him. If he is being slandered he can file for defamation.

TST: But Minister isn’t Iqbal Athas the person who was invited to brief the officers of the three armed forces and police when the MCNS was established? Didn’t the MCNS call him a “Key Defence Correspondent” at onetime? Now you’ll are calling him a traitor?

Keheliya Rambukwella: Yes I saw that article which spoke about that. Well there have been several instances where people who have been loyal earlier being traitors now.

TST: Minister, isn’t it coming in the wake of the exposure of the MiG 27 deal?

Keheliya Rambukwella: Well that is your interpretation. If there was anything wrong in the MiG deal there is a Select Committee and he could go before it. Our consultant editor Iqbal Athas says he received no such letter from the MCNS