National Conflict and International Intervention: A Media Discourse

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeyaseelan Gnanaseelan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thesam Publications, London

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Jeyaseelan Gnanaseelan

 

BA (Hons), PGD in Ed (TESL), MA (Linguistics), Msc (Human Security), MA & MPhil & Ph.D. (English); SEDA (UK) Accredited Teacher in Higher Education

 

Senior Lecturer in English Gr. I

Head/Department of English Language Teaching

Faculty of Business Studies

Vavuniya Campus, University of Jaffna,

Pambaimadhu, Mannar Road, Vavuniya- 43000, Sri Lanka

TP: 0094-24-2228235 (office), 0094-24-2223856 (Home)

Fax: 0094-24-2222265 (Office)

Mobile  0094-717477503 (Personal)

Email: jeya86@vau.jfn.ac.lk; jeya86@hotmail.com

 

 

 

First Edition published by Jeyaseelan Gnanaseelan. January  2021

 

 

 

© JEYASEELAN GNANASEELAN 2021

 

 

 

ISBN: 978-1-911 491-01-9

 

The right of Jeyaseelan Gnanaseelan as the Author of this work has been asserted by him under the Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act. All rights reserved; no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without either the prior written permission of the Author and Publisher.

 

 

January 2021

 

 

 

Thesam Publications, London

 

 

Cover and Picture Design: sazibalasingam@gmail.com

Book Design: Douglas Soosaipillai

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dedication

 

 

 

 

 

I dedicate this work  to more  than ONE and a HALF MILLION people who  have  died  due  to COVID19  Pandemic  the world over

and

The people in the conflict-affected areas  of Sri Lanka losing  life,  lives,  and limbs  in the wartimes

and

My Late Parents,

 

 

Gnanaseelan and Constantinamma,

 

who  lived  their  whole life  in the war  zone  and died  due to the consequences of the war.

 

 

 

 

“Long Live humanism  buttressed by human  rights,  jus- tice,  equality, and peace.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONTENTS

 

 

 

CHAPTER ONE EDITORIAL CONSTRUCTION, 1

CHAPTER TWO THEMATIC CONSTRUCTION, 37

CHAPTER THREE LINGUISTIC CONSTRUCTION, 131

CHAPTER FOUR METAPHORICAL CONSTRUCTION, 251

CHAPTER FIVE MEDIA CONSTRUCTION, 357

 

 

 

 

 

DETAILED CONTENTS

 

List of Tables, ix List of Figures, ix Publisher’s Note, xi Author’s Preface, xiii Acknowledgments, xv Words from Overseas:

Prof. Rajamanickam Azhagarasan, xvii

The late Prof. Chelva Kanaganayakam, xix

Acronyms, xxi

 

 

 

 

1. EDITORIAL CONSTRUCTION,1

 

1.1 Defining the Core, 6

1.2 Ideological Function, 9

1.3 Editorial Discourse Analysis, 13

 

 

2. THEMATIC CONSTRUCTION, 37

 

2.1. Conceptual Model for Editorial Construction and

Contextualization, 39

2.2. Ethnic Conflict, International Intervention and Peace Process, 40

2.3. Ethnic Conflict and International Relations, 60

2.4. Indo-Lanka Relations and Indian Intervention, 64

2.5. Sri Lankan Conflict and International Conflicts, 74

2.6. Ethnic Conflict, National Politics, and Peace Negotiations, 82

2.7. Tigers, Ethnic Conflict and International Relations, 95

2.8. Ethnic Conflict and Conflict Resolution, 103

 

Homeland Claim Background Separation vs. Unitarism Merged and De-merged

De-legitimizing and Sri Lankan Legal System

Indian Pressure and Pleasure Majority Resistance Colonization and Alienation

De-legitimizing Homeland Claim as Tiger Terrorism

 

 

 

 

 

Honourable Solution, Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity Buddha’s Peace and Legitimizing Unitary Sri Lanka Resistance to Federalism

Resistance against Homeland Based Solution

 

 

3. LINGUISTIC CONSTRUCTION, 131

 

 

3.1. Extract Analysis, 131

 

Intervention versus Interference

Terrorism versus Freedom Struggle

Indian Relations versus Indian Interference

Financial intervention versus Diplomatic Intervention International relations versus Intra-national Relations Federalism versus Separatism

Ceasefire and Peace Process versus Violation and War Preparation

 

 

3.2. Full-Text Analysis, 170

 

Participant Relations Community Relations Indo-Lanka Relations

International Intervention

 

 

3.3. Holistic Analysis, 231

 

 

4. METAPHORICAL CONSTRUCTION, 251

 

4.1 International Intervention: Scripts and Frames, 252

 

Intervention as a powerful and paternalist force Intervention as an inappropriate intrusion Intervention as aids, guaranty, and insurance

 

 

4.2. India’s Intervention as an Invasion, 271

4.3. Militant and Government Participation, 277

 

Militant participation as blackmail

Militants as savages, barbarians, and hijacker Government and Forces as defenders and offenders The Cheated versus the Cheat

 

 

 

 

 

4.4. People and Country, 304

 

Sri Lanka, Sri Lankans, and Sinhalese as victims

Tamils and Northeast as the exploited and biased

 

 

4.5. Conflict, Peace Process, and Resolution, 311

 

Flaw, Infection, and Difficulty

Security Forces as Saviors and Rescuers

Ceasefire and Violations as Serious and Glaring

 

 

4.6. Special Metaphorical Strategies, 322

 

Personification, abstraction, and concretization

Moving Vehicle, Vessel, and Entities

Play and Game

Other Metaphorical Styles

 

 

05. MEDIA CONSTRUCTION, 357

 

5.1. Lessons Learnt from Retrospection, 357

 

 

5.2. Theoretical Implications, 364

 

Island of the majority? Demonstrating a Devolution Model? Disclaiming Homeland based Tamil Identity Avoiding Majoritarian Criticism

Outdated thinking of Media Role? Can the Media be a Radical Partner?

 

 

5.3. Methodological Implications, 361

5.4. Contributions, 372

5.5. Limitations and Suggestions, 373

5.6. Holistic Statement , 375

REFERENCE, 377

APPENDIX, 388

 

 

 

 

 

List of Tables

 

Table 1.1         Definitions of the Discourse Strategies and

Structures, 23 - 32

Table 3.1         Macro and Micro Structure of the Editorial, 174 - 175

List of Figures

Figure 1.1             Functional Model of Editorial Discouse, 5

Figure 1.2             Model of the Editorial Discourse Analysis, 14

Figure 1.3             Model of the Contextualization of the Editorial Discourse, 16

Figure1.4              Organization of the Editorial Discourse Analysis, 18

Figure 2.1             Thematic Construction Model of Editorial Discourse, 39

Figure 2.2             Internationalization of the Conflict and International

Intervention, 42 -  43

Figure 2.3             Intervention versus Interference, 45 - 46

Figure 2.4             Praising the versus accusing theSri Lanka Monitoring Mission,

50 - 51

Figure 2.5             International Relations and Intra-national Relations, 68 - 69

Figure 2.6             National Conflict versus International or Global Conflicts,

79- 80

Figure 2.7             Political Solution versus Military Solution, 87 - 88

Figure 2.8             National Conflict versus Party Conflict, 96 - 97

Figure 2.9             Nation Building versus Power Building, 100 - 101

Figure 2.10           Terrorism versus Freedom Struggle, 107 - 108

Figure 2.11           Tamil Homeland versus ‘Sri Lankan Homeland’, 116 - 117

Figure 3.1             Linguistic Construction of   the Relations of the Participants,

172 - 173

Figure 3.2             Linguistic Construction of the Community Relations, 184 - 185

Figure 3.3             Linguistic Construction of the Indo-Lanka Relations, 201 - 202

Figure 3.4             Linguistic Construction of the International Intervention,

216 - 217

Figure 3.5             Holistic Analysis of Linguistic Construction, 234 - 235

Figure 3.6             Triangular Relationship of the Discourse Strategies and Structures, 242

Figure 4.1             Intervention in the Peace Process as a Powerful and Paternalist

Force, 253 - 254

Figure4.2              Intervention as Inappropriate Intrusion, 260 - 261

Figure 4.3             Intervention as Aids, Guaranty, and Insurance, 270

Figure 4.4             India’s Intervention as Invasion and Hegemony, 274 - 275

Figure 4.5             Tigers’ Participation as Blackmail, 281 - 282

Figure 4.6             Tigers as Savages, Barbarians, and Hijacker, 286 - 287

Figure 4.7             Government and Forces as Defenders and Offenders to

Sovereignty, 295 - 296

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 4.8             Government versus the Tigers as the Cheated versus the Cheat,

301 - 302

Figure 4.9             Sri Lanka, Sri Lankans, and Sinhalese as Victims, 309 - 310

Figure 4.10           Tamils and the Northeast Area as the Exploited and the Biased,

313 - 314

Figure 4.11           Conflict and Peace Process as Flawed, Infected, and Most

Difficult, 317 - 318

Figure 4.12           Sri Lankan Security Forces as Saviors and Rescuers, 323 - 324

Figure 4.13           CFA and Conflict Violations as Most Serious and Glaring, 326

Figure 4.14           States and Institutions as a Person, 329

Figure 4.15           Peace Process and Intervention as Moving Entities, 331 - 332

Figure 4.16           Peace Process and Intervention as a Play/Game, 338 - 349

Figure 4.17           Metaphorical Construction of the Sri Lankan English

Newspapers, 350

Figure 5.1             the Ideological and Attitudinal Positions of the Editorial

Discourse of the four newspaper groups in Sri Lanka, 361

 

 

 

 

 

Publisher's Note

 

Thesam Publication is proud to announce the publication of this book on National Conflict and International Intervention: a Media Discourse by Dr. Jeyaseelan Gnanaseelan. It is about how

the Sri Lankan media construct ethnic conflict, conflict resolution, international intervention, and relations. Thesam Publication feels that this research on political media discourse on the protracted ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka has reached the depth of the media's ideological and attitudinal positions.

 

An original contribution to the Sri Lankan media discourse on the conflict issues is long overdue. Especially now, its need

is all the more tremendous and urgent. However, there is a little

reservation about such a publication being welcomed officially

by the Sri Lankan Media elites and cultural nationalists. However,

several findings not covered by the Sri Lankan official publications

are available in this book. Internationally, media discourse analysis,

mostly editorial discourse analysis, lies scattered in some English

editions by western scholars and in some remote research journals

etc. We realize that this investigation of Sri Lankan media will

even be a rare contribution to this topic. Nevertheless, we hope

the content presentation will undoubtedly facilitate easy and ready

reference, further stimulating Sri Lankan media discourse works.

 

Sri Lankan media on the role of guiding and representing the people's views about the conflict should perform self-reflection and self-criticism. The media's role in coping with the conflict situation is indispensable.

 

Many more works on this line might exist in English publications. However, they are out of our reach. However, we do

not vouchsafe for this research project's completeness to come to the qualitative analysis in this book. We appeal to the readers to bear any inevitable limitations if found while reading this book. We earnestly hope the author may rectify them in future editions if any objective observations differ from this book's content and approach. We

fondly hope that much more additional material could come to light, enabling us to improve on this edition substantially.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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We, Thesam Publication, believe that since our origin and roots trail back to our Island, and there is the need for finding a permanent solution to this conflict of historical ramification. This research is published to expose the media discourse for its positive and negative contribution in addressing the national question in

Sri Lanka. As publishers, we have contributed to the literature of Sri Lankan conflict very much in different forms, and we are now obliged to contribute this way by publishing this qualitative research in book form so that the message can reach not only the media houses in Sri Lanka. It should also reach the international media and media researchers to trace the thematic, linguistic, and metaphorical representation of the conflict discourse in Sri Lanka. Further, we believe that the book reaches out to all the relevant leaders, political parties, and the Sri Lankan government to make their 'retreat' on the conflict causes and consequences.

 

We feel delighted in publishing this book and congratulate the author wholeheartedly. We hope to bring out more books on Sri Lankan Tamil issues. We fondly hope our effort will be well rewarded by our esteemed readers' warm and enthusiastic response.

 

T Jeyabalan

Thesam Publications, London.

 

 

 

 

 

Author’s Preface

 

 

This book attempts at a discourse analysis of the Sri Lankan English newspapers’ selected editorials on the ethnic conflict, intra- national relations, international intervention, and international relations during the peace talk period 2001- 2006 between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. It develops a multi-faceted view of the construction and representation of the Sri Lankan Press’ stand on the Sri Lankan national conflict and resolution issues under the international interventions.

 

On Friday, February 22, 2002, a Ceasefire Agreement was

made based on a Memorandum of Understanding. Consequently,

the peace process commenced but was not successful. It came under

the scrutiny of the media. The `master narratives’ of ‘War against

Terrorism’ and ‘National Security and Sovereignty of the State,’

‘threatened by intra-national conflicts and ethnic conflicts’ worldwide

situate the Sri Lankan press discourse.

 

This book addresses the question, ‘how does the Sri Lankan English newspaper editorial discourse discursively and historically construct social and political reality in the national and international relations of Sri Lanka?’ It looks at the ideological and social cognitive systems used in the editorials. It traces the ideological and attitudinal positions of the Sri Lankan media. It takes up the Social Constructionist Approach, Critical Discourse, and Metaphorical Discourse Analysis Approaches to develop new interpretation methods.

 

It discusses textual characteristics like recurring themes, discursive practices and interpretative repertoires, metaphors and scripts or frames, argumentation strategies, syntactical and lexical choices of each editorial construction.

 

There are five significant semantic dichotomy discourses in

the pragmatic context of the Sri Lankan ethnic conflict: international

relations versus intra-national relations, ethnic conflict versus

terrorism, devolution versus unitarism, economic globalization

versus ‘political’ globalization, and international intervention versus

international interference. The editorials textualize the binaries in

thematic, linguistic, and metaphorical constructions.

 

 

 

 

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The book also implicates a productive analysis of international politics in harmony with that of domestic politics. Previous research conducted in the West has documented an understanding of the media discourse analyses and approaches, but rarely Sri Lankan scholars have undertaken it in Sri Lanka.  The research thus hopes to contribute to the discourse studies of Sri Lankan media.

 

The author understands that even this book on discourse analysis or this book’s topic can become a text for discourse analysis by some other authors. I accept that the ideational, interpersonal,

and textual contexts of this analysis may differ from theirs. However, a systematic application of discourse analysis approaches by any scholar may not deviate from this book’s analysis and findings.

 

The end of the national conflict and international intervention needs a moderate context. The National Question should toe a middle line rather than the extremes of the ideological line: separatism and unitarism. Devolution dissolves differences and discriminations. Constitutional nationalism should defeat cultural nationalism. The Sinhala people should devolve maximum power with the Tamil-speaking people. All the communities should equally enjoy all human and political rights and security. The Sri Lankan Constitution and the Legislature should firmly ensure the availability of these concerns of social harmony. The Executive and Judicial arms of the government should implement the measures fairly

and legally without any bias. The Fourth Estate should neutrally and continuously monitor, report, comment, and campaign for the sustainable preservation of these core values and practices of democracy.

 

Jeyaseelan Gnanaseelan

Vavuniya

 

 

 

 

 

Acknowledgments

 

 

 

I am indebted to all those who have helped me publish this Book on National Conflict and International Intervention: A Media Discourse. It would not have been possible without the support of many people.

 

I owe it to many whose guidance and assistance in completing this work. Their generosity, honesty, and encouragement reassured

me that it was worth undertaking and that the voices of the ‘Other’

deserved to be heard.

 

This book mainly draws its references and information from the research conducted by the author during his Doctorate Degree program at the University of Madras, India. I am grateful to Prof. R. Azhagarasan, my doctorate studies supervisor, who sowed confidence to undertake this effort. He took me on and instilled in me an academic spirit, which is critical and creditable. He showed constant support and enthusiasm while, at the same time, rigorously shaped

the content with his challenging questions and comments.

 

I extend my gratitude to the academic staff of the Department of English, University of Madras. Their comments proved a vital ingredient as I endeavored to make sense of so many seemingly disparate threads.

 

I thank the University of Madras and the Vavuniya Campus of the University of Jaffna for providing this opportunity and supported me. I am grateful to the National Centre for Advanced Studies, University Grants Commission, Sri Lanka, for granting a scholarship to do  this research.

 

I appreciate Thesam Publishers and the proprieter, Mr. T. Jeyabalan for publishing my book amidst all the difficulties experienced due to the Covid19 pandemic.

 

I thank my friends and colleagues, Dr.T. Mangaleswaran, Rector, Vavuniya Campus, Ms. Kulathilaham Mangaleswaran, and their family and Dr. S. Krishnakumar, former Dean, Dr.

S. Wijeyamohan, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Applied Science, Vavvvuniya Campus, and Dr.Rajaluxmi Senathiraja, senior lecturer, the University of Colombo, Mr. Senathirajah, Senior Lawyer, and their families for their moral and physical support.

 

 

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I am pleased and appreciate Mr. Sazi Balasingam, the artist cum designer, Vavuniya, for his genius and skills in making  the chapter discussions visually alive, creating meaningful pictorial representation for each chapter, and the cover design.

 

Book designing is a careful, artful, and technical commitment to writing a book of excellence. Our Instructor, Mr. Douglas Soosaipillai, at the Department of ELT, Vavuniya Campus, has mastered it. The proof is my book. I thank him.

 

Further, I am grateful to Mr. Kartheeswaran, Lecturer, Faculty of Applied Science, Ms. Sinthu, Ms. Anusika, Mr. Suhudhi and Mr. Ravindran, Mr. Roshan at the DELT, Vavuniya Campus, for their  assistance.

 

I owe an enormous debt to my wife, Subajana, senior lecturer, Vavuniya Campus, my father-in-law, Mr. Poobalasingam, mother-in-law, Ms. Nagaraththinam, my siblings, Dr.Gunaseelan, Dr.Thavaseelan, Eng.Santhaseelan, Mr. Vasanthaseelan, and Ms. Nancy, and their spouses, my brothers-in-law, and sisters-in-law, my cousin, Jesuthasan and Susi for their help and encouragement.

 

Jeyaseelan Gnanaseelan

Vavuniya

 

 

 

 

 

Words from overseas:

Prof. Rajamanickam Azhagarasan

 

 

Editorials’ political discourse in their thematic, linguistic, and metaphorical constructions is justified in critical perceptions. The book, in the process of deciphering the editorial discourse, unravels the linguistic structures and strategies. How Sri Lankan Media’s linguistic construction paves the way for the intervention of International entry is also well-argued and presented.

 

The book goes deep into the metaphorical construction and argues the politics of framing the ethnic conflict and branding a minority discourse as the violent discourse.

 

This book on National Conflict and International Intervention: A Media Discourse is perfect in every research aspect. Overall, the book is published mainly based

on the contents of the authentic doctoral research, and it is a breakthrough in providing many

solutions with the subscription of critical theory to present the Sri

Lankan Tamil situation.

 

 

The relevance of the book is very high. It could be an

eye-opener to many cultural analysts who try to comprehend the

situation. I appreciate the publication.

 

 

Prof. Rajamanickam Azhagarasan

Department of English University of Madras Chepauk 600 005

Tamilnadu, India

 

 

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Words from overseas:

The late Prof. Chelva Kanaganayakam

 

 

 

 

The project is well-researched, thorough, original, and valuable. It is a substantial contribution to English studies. Gnanaseelan offers a comprehensive and nuanced study of how English newspapers in Sri Lanka, over six years, demonstrate or mask their various ideological stances in their editorials and their reporting practices. Expressed in such terms, one does immediately grasp the scope of the project or its importance.

 

As against ethnic newspapers that were read by specific groups, English newspapers were read widely,

and they had the power to shape national and international opinion. They reflected and refracted the time’s events,

always providing a reading that gave the impression of truth. Jeyaseelan focuses on four important newspapers, partly because of their long history

and partly because of their reputation, having a broad readership.

 

 

Jeyaseelan pays attention to these influential newspapers and looks at their reporting practices and editorials carefully, deconstructing them to show how their language betrays their ideological stances. The research understandingly tackles the subtext of the editorials during these six years.

 

Having done this, Jeyaseelan proceeds to analyze the editorials, classifying the material under several essential topics. He looks carefully at what is said and what remains unsaid but implied.

 

 

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Looking at language as discourse, he shows how these editorials shape reader response through many strategies. Using many theorists to further his argument, he provides a brilliant analysis of editorial practice.

 

If there is one minor aspect that could have been included, myth criticism is practiced in contemporary times. In some

ways, editorials create their myths about nation, identity, religion, language, and ethnicity. The binarism they promote is very much a myth-making process that draws on legends and pseudo-historical accounts.

Overall, this research is outstanding. Jeyaseelan demonstrates an excellent grasp of the material, and the argument he offers is both timely and vital. The research significantly contributes to current scholarship and is likely to remain a reference source for scholars and students in many disciplines. There is a genuine need for this book along these lines. It was a pleasure to read.

 

The late Prof. ChelvaKanaganayakam

Department of English

Former Director/Centre for South Asian Studies

University of Toronto

Canada

 

(This response was given before his passing away on November 22,

2014. RIP)

 

 

 

 

 

Acronyms

 

 

APRC              All-Party Recommendation Committee

BP                   Binary Positions

CBK                Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge

CDA               Critical Discourse Analysis

CFA                Ceasefire Agreement

CL                   Critical Linguistics

DA                  Discourse Analysis

DD                 Discourse of Dichotomy

DMK              Dravidian MunnetraKazhaham

DP                  Discursive Practices

EU                  European Union

FM                  Foreign Minister

GoSL              Government of Sri Lanka

HR & HS        Human Rights and Human security

IAPs                Ideological and Attitudinal Positions

IC                    International Community

IDA                Ideological Discourse Analysis

INGO             International Non-governmental Organization

IPKF               Indian Peace Keeping Force

IR                    International Relations

IRA                 Irish Revolutionary Army

ISGA              Interim Self-Governing Authority

JHU                Jathika Hela Urumaya

JVP                 Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna

LTTE              Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam

MoU               Memorandum of Understanding

MR                  Mahinda Rajapakse

NGO              Non-governmental Organization

PA                   People’s Alliance

PM                  Prime Minister

POTA             Prevention of Terrorism Act

P-TOMS         Post-Tsunami Operational Management Structure

RAW               Research and Analysis Wing

RR                   Research Review

RRR                Reconstruction, Resettlement and Rehabilitation

RW                  Ranil Wickremasinghe

SLFP               Sri Lanka Freedom Party

SLMM             Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission

SLSF               Sri Lankan Security Forces

SMC                Sinhala Majority Community

TMC               Tamil-speaking Minority Communities

TNA               Tamil National Alliance

 

xxi

 

 

 

 

 

TNAFRC        Tamil National Alliance Foreign Relations Committee

UK                  United Kingdom of Britain

UNF               United National Front

UNP               United National Party

UFPA              United Freedom People’s Alliance

USA                United States of America