Battle for truth in Sri Lanka

Alongside Sri Lanka's military conflict, a second war is playing out between the Government and its supporters, and those who oppose its actions.

For every comment posted on a website by a government supporter, there will be one posted by a detractor. Many of those in the latter category come from members of the Tamil diaspora in Britain and Canada. This struggle is taking place within a vacuum of verifiable information.

Access to the conflict zone and the refugee camps is prohibited, except for occasional escorted trips sanctioned by the military. Likewise, claims made on websites such as TamilNet and purportedly emanating from the war zone, are also impossible to check.

In a move that highlights the sensitivity of the Government to what it considers unfair criticism, a team of journalists from Britain's Channel Four News was deported from Sri Lanka after broadcasting a report which showed disturbing conditions in one of the refugee camps. The Government dismissed the reports as Tamil Tigers' propaganda and revoked the journalists' visas.

- INDEPENDENT