Oct 17 2006
Teledrama “Sudu Kapuru Pethi” is banned in Sri Lanka
“I only found out about the ban by watching it on TV,” says Athula Peris, director of Sudu Kapuru Pethi.
“Rupavahini initially asked me to do it, but now some of the episodes have been taken off”.
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| SLRC says the teledrama is a ‘disgrace’ to security forces |
Sudu Kapuru Pethi, which was set upon the ongoing conflict between the Sri Lankan government forces and the Tamil Tigers, was recently banned by the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC).
The SLRC says the teledrama ‘disgraced’ the security forces at a time of war.
“Some parts of this teledrama brings disgrace to these soldiers and their self respect, on the other hand if we were to take episodes off and telecast it that would have been unfair on the audience so we had to discontinue it,” explains head of SLRC Newton Gunarathne.
Consent given
Award winning film director Somarathna Dissanayake’s Avasanda was also banned earlier by the SLRC.
A member of the ‘Manel Mal’ movement, that is organised for the well being of Army soldiers, Dissanayake says banning a teledrama for whatever reason is unacceptable.
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| “I still don’t know the exact reason why they stopped this teledrama” |
“They gave their consent to these teledramas as suitable for the audience at first, and now they say they are not suitable. If it was suitable then it has to be suitable now” He said.
The teledrama on Sri Lanka soldiers abusing Tamil women was one of the reasons for the ban according to the director of the SLRC.
“Even though we have heard of soldiers abusing Tamil women in minor scales, the teledrama makes it look like every soldier is in the wrong” Newton Gunerathne told BBC Sandeshaya.
The teledrama was based upon the award winning novel Sudu Kapuru Pethi by Thushari Abesekara.
Abusing Tamil women
The writer says the story does not insult decent soldiers in any form.
“In one episode the character Revathi says that she is pregnant by the people who are there to save the country. I have not insulted the soldiers by this as this is a common issue in Sri Lanka.”
“This is about how women- Sinhalese or Tamil- get abused by men.” The author told bbcsinhala.com.
“If this teledrama can discourage the soldiers how did they win their battles last few weeks? This was broadcasting at the time they were fighting” questions a disappointed Athula Pieris.
