Channel 4 News returns to Sri Lanka
All the latest from the Channel 4 News team – allowed back into Sri Lanka for the first time in four years to cover the Commonwealth summit.
A team from Channel 4 News has returned to Sri Lanka, having not been allowed in for four years, in order to cover the Commonwealth heads of government meeting (Chogm).
Channel 4 News has, since the end of the Sri Lankan civil war, reported on and revealed convincing evidence of war crimes allegedly carried out by the Sri Lankan regime and military. We have been allowed into the country because the British prime minister and foreign secretary insisted that a full complement of British media attend Chogm.
The return of Channel 4 News, as well as Callum Macrae, award-winning director of films on Sri Lanka’s alleged human rights violations such as No Fire Zone and Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields, is being closely monitored by the Sri Lankan media.
On arrival in Sri Lanka, international journalists are being handed a 222-page book entitled Corrupted Journalism: Channel 4 and Sri Lanka – an out-and-out attack on the journalism of Channel 4 News.
On this page, Channel 4 News will record the events and challenges for the Channel 4 News team inside Sri Lanka.
Sunday 17 November
As Chogm comes to an end, Channel 4 News Editor Ben de Pear reveals why he is pulling his team of the country in the face of intimidation: http://bit.ly/HTnMsl.
As it is impossible to operate as journalists due to unacceptable levels of control and intimidation @channel4news are leaving Sri Lanka.
— bendepear (@bendepear) November 17, 2013
Channel 4 News Foreign Affairs Correspondent Jonathan Miller writes an open letter to journalists in Sri Lanka as he returns from Chogm http://bit.ly/HY3pdU
Saturday 16 November
David Cameron threatens to push for an independent international inquiry into allegations of war crimes at the end of Sri Lanka’s civil war http://bit.ly/17ABUmt.
At a press conference, Jonathan Miller asks Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa if his government will launch an investigation into allegations of war crimes:
Thanks to @MuttiahM 4 wonderful hospitality today- watch him @1830 @Channel4News how Sri Lanka should move forward pic.twitter.com/YR3uXXTGWz — bendepear (@bendepear) November 16, 2013
Shaking hands with the poor van driver whose bill I paid after he was forced to return us to Colombo by the police. pic.twitter.com/qC7CechrjC — bendepear (@bendepear) November 16, 2013
Sri Lanka icon Muttyah Muralitharan tells Jon Snow that Cameron has been ‘misled’.
Friday 15 November
Channel 4 News may have been prevented from heading to the north of Sri Lanka earlier in the week, but Jon Snow has now made it. He is accompanying Prime Minister David Cameron to Jaffna.
Just arrive in jaffa sri lanka with UK PM — Jon Snow (@jonsnowC4) November 15, 2013
Helicopter overhead as Cameron drivw through area police all along route securing route some children wave as speed past — Jon Snow (@jonsnowC4) November 15, 2013
I’m the first PM or President to go to the north of Sri Lanka since 1948. I want to shine a light on chilling events there first hand #CHOGM — David Cameron (@David_Cameron) November 15, 2013
In Jaffna, Mr Cameron was met by hundreds of people calling for help in locating their missing loved ones, who disappeared at the end of Sri Lanka’s civil war.
A list of 200 journalists for @presrajapaksa has gone up. There are no @channel4news journalists on the list #CHOGM — bendepear (@bendepear) November 15, 2013
At the press conference Jonathan Miller asked why President Rajapaksa had not attended the conference, and were told it was a matter of “logistics”, and was told that the president was happy to answer difficult questions. Channel 4 News also asked if the government could intervene to prevent the news crew being followed everywhere and prevented from accessing parts of the country. Channel 4 News Editor Ben de Pear said he would prevent films of the people who have followed Channel 4 news to the government, and was told it would be looked into.
Thursday 14 November
Jon Snow has arrived in Sri Lanka. The rest of the Channel 4 News team has returned to the hotel in Colombo. Sri Lankan press also reported that a taxi driver who had driven the Channel 4 news team back from Anuradhapura to Colombo had made a complaint to police that he had not been paid. Channel 4 News Editor Ben de Pear responded on Twitter:
To update readers police this morning drove us, in high speed convoy back 2 Colombo. We are now being followed by motorbike & mini hatchback — bendepear (@bendepear) November 14, 2013
Apparently we have 2 pay 4 our enforced van rtn 2 Colombo. Do we also have to pay for police following us constantly, monitoring calls etc? — bendepear (@bendepear) November 14, 2013
We will pay if the driver was forced to take us against his will and at own cost but we were forced into van against wishes by poluce — bendepear (@bendepear) November 14, 2013
The team was spending the day with elderly relatives of Sri Lanka’s “disappeared”, ahead of a film to be shown on Channel 4 News on Thursday evening called “White Van Stories”.
We r with a group of 30 elderly parents of disappeared people. The building is besieged by police who want to question them about terrorism — bendepear (@bendepear) November 14, 2013
Wednesday 13 November
The Channel 4 News journalists head north on the train, but encounter some problems:
Mob holding train we are on North at Anuradhapura -well organised & controlled mob @Channel4News welcome anywhere in SL said @PresRajapaksa — bendepear (@bendepear) November 13, 2013
Protestors blocking train literally in its tracks north at anuradhupura @Channel4News #CHOGM @PresRajapaksa invited us but who formed mob ? — bendepear (@bendepear) November 13, 2013
We r still stuck at Anuradhapura mob now hundreds inside ans outside and in front if train atmospherr has changed now poluce have arrived — bendepear (@bendepear) November 13, 2013
The autorities are niw saying we have ti return to Cilombo as all stations north are blockaded @PresRajapaksa #CHOGM values — bendepear (@bendepear) November 13, 2013
Police demanding we return to Colombo but since we have freedim to roam and not under arrest see no reason. Currently enjoying chai #CHOGM — bendepear (@bendepear) November 13, 2013
Escorted by police off train through yelling mob. We are now driving south under police escort. For updates: @bendepear @callum_macrae #lka — Jonathan Miller (@millerC4) November 13, 2013
The protest was also posted on Youtube. British Foreign Secretary William Hague, who had insisted the full complement of British media be allowed into Sri Lanka for CHOGM, thereby enabling Channel 4 News to enter, gets involved:
Concerned to hear of incident with @Channel4News. Have raised with Foreign Minister Peiris — William Hague (@WilliamJHague) November 13, 2013
Channel 4 News was driven back towards Colombo by a police escort.
Have lost police escort who were scrupulously polite now starting to get pics ready to semd to London — bendepear (@bendepear) November 13, 2013
We now have police outside place where we are but we r staying put here.Seems @presrajapaksa pledge of unfettered access countrywide limited — bendepear (@bendepear) November 13, 2013
The police r now trying to force back to Colombo in dark situation has not xhanged in 5 hours @WilliamJHague they are threatening moba rtn — bendepear (@bendepear) November 13, 2013
We r in Cen. Sri Lanka. foreign affairs & defence min.want us driven to Colombo “for our own protection from undesirable elements” #CHOGM — bendepear (@bendepear) November 13, 2013
Tuesday 12 November
Channel 4 News making the news – here’s what’s on the front page in the country on Tuesday. 
1pm (local time): At a business event, Channel 4 News Foreign Affairs Correspondent Jonathan Miller “doorsteps” President Mahinda Rajapaksa:
@Channel4News I have just asked @PresRajapaksa if hes concerned about allegations of war crimes. “I am not worried about anything,” he said — Jonathan Miller (@millerC4) November 12, 2013
@PresRajapaksa of #SriLanka has invited @Channel4News to meet him to discuss allegations of war crimes against him. Looking forward to it! — Jonathan Miller (@millerC4) November 12, 2013
2:30pm: At a press conference, the team finds themselves the topic of conversation.
We have gone to a press conference but have become the subject of it @millerC4 @Callum_Macrae @Channel4Newse — bendepear (@bendepear) November 12, 2013
Local journalists apologising 4 negative coverage of @channel4news speak of threats to all journalists here SL 162nd in CPJ index — bendepear (@bendepear) November 12, 2013
Huge interest in @Callum_Macrae hacks desperate to ask about @nofirezonemovie acutely aware of SL gov disinformation — bendepear (@bendepear) November 12, 2013
And later at the hotel, Channel 4 News Editor Ben de Pear discovers why the Channel 4 News team seems to have a constant tail.
Just had confirmation from source hotel staff have to inform security/intell every time we leave hotel hence constant tails #CHOGM values — bendepear (@bendepear) November 12, 2013
Monday 11 November
2pm (local time): The team from Channel 4 News arrived in Sri Lanka at the Bandaranaike International Airport at around 2pm on Monday 11 November, the start of the Commonwealth heads of government meeting week.
Arrived in colombo to find media scrum and demo against us at airpprt currently stuck here waiting for transport — bendepear (@bendepear) November 11, 2013
#nofirezone director @Callum_Macrae mobbed by #lka press accusing him of being anti-#srilanka @c4news @Channel4 pic.twitter.com/hhVKC3TA9d — Jonathan Miller (@millerC4) November 11, 2013
Thought-provoking: Gihan’s cartoon on state of media freedom in #srilanka. pic.twitter.com/5vEAjSYoB6 @CHOGMSriLanka #lka via @groundviews — Charles Haviland (@cfhaviland) November 11, 2013
We are now in van en route to COlombo demo seems to have dissolved in v organised fashion strange they knew when we were arriving #CHOGM — bendepear (@bendepear) November 11, 2013
#CHOGM @channel4news same mob greeted us @ airport is now outside hotel -funny as demos banned. how do they know where we staying — bendepear (@bendepear) November 11, 2013
Same car with plates ending 4612 seems to have followed @channel4news from airport to hotel and now from hotel out. Enforcing #CHOGM values.
— bendepear (@bendepear) November 11, 2013
#CHOGM @channel4news same mob greeted us @ airport is now outside hotel -funny as demos banned. how do they know where we staying
— bendepear (@bendepear) November 11, 2013