No Fire Zone

Press Coverage of the Australasian screening tour

Sri Lanka's Killing Fields filmmaker threatened by diplomat

Broadcast - 4 July, 2013
A Sri Lankan diplomat has launched an attack on Callum Macrae, the filmmaker behind Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields, threatening to bar him from entering the country.
Bandula Jayasekara has repeatedly tweeted against Macrae, branding him an “LTTE (Tamil Tiger) terrorist from London” and accusing him of making “blood money”.

Sri Lanka: Depicting things that should never have to be shown

Livewire - 7 March 2013
“No Fire Zone” is the third and final film in a series collectively known as Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields which has highlighted alleged war crimes by both sides in Sri Lanka’s armed conflict which came to its bloody end in May 2009.
The images presented in the films of apparent extrajudicial executions and other crimes under international law, and the war experiences of civilians – as well as the independent expert analysis of those images and other witness testimony – add to a growing body of evidence about what happened in the final days of this conflict.

Prince Charles here for CHOGM

Ceylon Today – 18 July 2013
The government yesterday confirmed that the Prince of Wales would be representing Queen Elizabeth II at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), scheduled to be held from 10 -17 November.Minister of External Affairs, Prof. G.L. Peiris, addressing the media, said none of the 53 Commonwealth nations had said 'it will not attend the CHOGM.'

I intend to be present at CHOGM

Ceylon Today – 16 June 2013
Callum Macrae, Co-Founder of Outsider Television, became a household name in Sri Lanka when he produced a documentary for UK’s Channel 4, on alleged war crimes committed by Sri Lankan Security Forces during the last phases of the war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2009. Allegations made in 'Sri Lanka's Killing Fields' and its follow-up documentary 'Sri Lanka's
Killing Fields: War Crimes Unpunished,' which gave rise to much international outrage, were fiercely denied by the Sri Lankan authorities, who contested the authenticity of the footage depicted in the documentaries. Undaunted by criticism, Macrae is now ready with his third documentary – a 93- minute feature called 'No Fire Zone.'

OUTRAGE AGAINST MERCENARIES

Daily News - July 15, 2013
The Maha Sanga and patriotic Lankans have expressed their strong opposition to the statements attributed to Channel 4 Director Callum Macrae and TNA MP S.Sridharan who had vowed to take President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Defence and Urban Development Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa before a War Crimes Tribunal and to the conduct of MP Mangala Samaraweera, who writes letters to Commonwealth countries providing incentives for Tamil separatism

Malaysian No Fire Zone screening raided by police

Tamil Guardian - 03 July 2013
Human rights activists that helped set up the screening of the ‘No Fire Zone’ documentary were detained by the Home Ministry in Malaysia today. The event was organised by the human rights group Pusat Komas, in an attempt to raise awareness about the war crimes and atrocities that happened at the end of 2009 in Sri Lanka. The Programme co-ordinator, Lena Hendry, said that officers entered the hall just as the screening was ending, and forced attendees to produce their identity cards. Three members of the rights group Pusat Komas were taken to Dang Wangi police station and detained, whilst having their statements
recorded.

Malaysian No Fire Zone screening raided by police

Tamil Guardian - 03 July 2013
Human rights activists that helped set up the screening of the ‘No Fire Zone’ documentary were detained by the Home Ministry in Malaysia today. The event was organised by the human rights group Pusat Komas, in an attempt to raise awareness about the war crimes and atrocities that happened at the end of 2009 in Sri Lanka. The Programme co-ordinator, Lena Hendry, said that officers entered the hall just as the screening was ending, and forced attendees to produce their identity cards. Three members of the rights group Pusat Komas were taken to Dang Wangi police station and detained, whilst having their statements
recorded.

Malaysian No Fire Zone screening raided by police

Tamil Guardian - 03 July 2013
Human rights activists that helped set up the screening of the ‘No Fire Zone’ documentary were detained by the Home Ministry in Malaysia today. The event was organised by the human rights group Pusat Komas, in an attempt to raise awareness about the war crimes and atrocities that happened at the end of 2009 in Sri Lanka. The Programme co-ordinator, Lena Hendry, said that officers entered the hall just as the screening was ending, and forced attendees to produce their identity cards. Three members of the rights group Pusat Komas were taken to Dang Wangi police station and detained, whilst having their statements
recorded.

Malaysia stops Channel 4 documentary screening

Daily Mirror - 04 JULY 2013
The organizers of a screening of the controversial Channel 4 documentary on the last stages of the war in Sri Lanka, were detained by the Malaysian Police today, according to the Sri Lankan Ministry of External Affairs. Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Malaysia.I. Ansar had protested to Malaysian authorities when he received information that the film “No Fire Zone”, which portrays the actions of the government during the last stages of the Sri Lankan conflict in an unfavourable manner, was to be screened, External
Affairs Ministry sources said.

Review: No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka

Toronto Film Scene - June 28, 2013
No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka is a documentary focusing on the final months of the civil
war in Sri Lanka. Beginning in early 2009, the Sri Lankan government pushed into Tamil lands in northern Sri Lanka, battling the Tamil Tigers as the end of a 26 year long war was drawing to a close. Using footage captured inside of the war zone, covering a 138 day period, viewers witness first hand the truly horrifying war crimes perpetrated by the Sri Lankan government, and the incredible amount of lies created to keep the international community from interfering with the war.

'Matter for humanity that justice is done'- Interview with Callum Macrae

Salem-News.com – 17 July 2013
This is about human rights, and this is about the rule of international law. And I know that whenever I've shown this film to people who didn't know about the situation - it changes minds. Tamil Guardian's correspondent based in Toronto, Canada, caught up with the director of the documentaries 'Sri Lanka's Killing Fields' and 'No Fire Zone - the killing fields of Sri Lanka', Callum Macrae, at the
sidelines of FETNA 2013, to find out how he viewed Sri Lanka's reaction to the documentaries, himself and others who are speaking out against the massacre of tens of thousands of Tamils.

NO FIRE ZONE – MID-WEEK REVIEW

Right Now - July 17, 2013
Not since John Pilger’s 1979 Year Zero documentary on the Khmer Rouge slaughter of civilians in Cambodia has there been a documentary as important in bearing witness and raising awareness of the grave contraventions of international law and human rights as Callum Macrae’s No Fire Zone: Killing Fields of Sri Lanka.

Malaysian screening of Sri Lanka documentary raided

Radio Australia - 5 July 2013
Malaysian authorities have raided the screening of a documentary on the last days of Sri Lanka's civil
war. Malaysian screening of Sri Lanka documentary raided (Credit: ABC) The Kuala Lumpur screening of No Fire Zone was organised by human rights group Pusat Komas.
Three members of the group were taken into police custody before being released in the early hours of the morning. The film is a searing critique of Sri Lanka's treatment of Tamils as the 26 year conflict drew to a close in 2009.

Home Ministry continues to harass NGO

FMT - July 17, 2013
Despite having recorded statements for three hours on July 3, Pusat Komas director Tan Jo Haan, is told to present himself at the ministry’s office over ‘No Fire Zone’.
PETALING JAYA: Human rights NGO Pusat Komas said today the Home Ministry is still harassing it over the screening of controversial documentary ‘No Fire Zone’ on July 3.
Pusat Komas director, Tan Jo Haan, described the ministry’s request yesterday for him to present himself at the Home Ministry’s office to give a statement as “highly unnecessary”.

Three held for questioning following screening of 'No Fire Zone'

astro Awani - July 04, 2013
KUALA LUMPUR: The police held a raid after the screening of "No Fire Zone" which took place at theKL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall last night.The raid took place after the screening ended at around 8:30 pm. Following the raid, 150 audience members were only asked to show their MyKad.
Three individuals from Pusat Komas, a non-governmental organization believed to be the organizer of the event, were taken to the Dang Wangi Police District Headquarters. According to reports, the trio are Arul Prakkash, Lena Hendry and Anna Har.

Human rights groups condemn shutting down of film screening

MSN - 05 Jul 2013
KDN officials, Immigration officials and the police had descended on KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, where a screening on Sri Lankan civil war was playing. Several human rights groups in Malaysia are condemning Home Ministry (KDN), Immigration officers and the police for stopping mid-way a screening of documentary film called “No Fire Zone” directed by Callum Macrae. Representatives of the KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall Civil Right Committee (KLSCH CRC), Komas and Suaram held a press conference to explain the violation of rights

Organisers detained for screening controversial documentary on Tamils in Sri Lanka

The Star – 04 July 2013
Three organisers of a controversial documentary film screening at the KL/Selangor Chinese Assembly
Hall were detained by Home Ministry, Immigration and police officials here Wednesday. The screening of the movie, No Fire Zone, which explores the oppression of Tamils in Sri Lanka, was organised by human rights group Pusat Komas.

No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka

DocGeeks - June 10th, 2013
Two years ago Channel 4 aired a shocking documentary. The film, directed by Callum Macrae, was almost made entirely out of extremely distressing amateur videos depicting the gruesome horrors of the Sri Lankan civil war in 2009. Presented by Jon Snow, ‘Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields’ became known as one of the most graphic and disturbing documentaries in British television history and won the
team a Nobel Peace Prize-nomination.

Handed a snack, and then executed: the last hours of the 12-year old son of a Tamil Tiger

The Independent – Feb 18, 2013
London, Feb 18 - New photographs have emerged which raise fresh questions about the conduct of Sri Lanka’s armed forces during the final stages of the operation against Tamil rebels and have led to claims the 12-year-old son of the militants’ leader may have been summarily executed.

No Fire Zone : An investigation and call to action for Sri Lanka's killing fields

This explosive feature documentary exposes some of the worst war crimes of the 21st century
No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka has renewed international controversy over the issue of accountability in Sri Lanka at its premiere at the UN Human Rights Council meeting on 1 March 2013.
The film is the culmination of three years of journalistic investigation and contains deeply disturbing new evidence. It is a devastating indictment of the men responsible for the crimes and an exposé of the failure of the international community to prevent this catastrophe. It also addresses the culpability of the Tamil Tigers, themselves responsible for war crimes and for preventing civilians from escaping
the carnage.

No Fire Zone – The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka

Free Movement — 13 May 2013
As most of you know, Renaissance Chambers has developed expertise in conducting Tamil asylum
claims. The issues involved in these cases have been previously covered on Free Movement here and these include in particular Chambers’ and the NGOs’ efforts to combat recent charter flights set by the UK Border Agency to remove en masse failed Tamil asylum seekers to
Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Anger over ‘No Fire Zone’ raid

Colombo Gazette - July 4, 2013
Human rights activists have condemned the Malaysian Home Ministry for raiding the private screening of a documentary depicting war crimes in Sri Lanka and arresting three activists without following due process, FZ.com reported. They say the raid was uncalled for and accuse the authorities of intimidation.

I Have Difficulty With The Word ‘Impartial’ Says Documentary Maker – Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields

Colombo Telegraph - June 05, 2013
“If you are a journalist and you have discovered a hidden truth that you are determined to expose, then by definition you become a campaigner. I have difficulty with the word ‘impartial’. A journalist has an overwhelming duty to be accurate and fair but if you are being neutral in a society that is not equal, you are responsible for helping to maintain that status quo.” says the Documentary-Maker – Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields Callum Macrae.

Making of Callum Macrae, via Tamil Tigers, Adel and ‘Operation Discredit Sri Lanka’

Daily News - July 25, 2013
When the terrorist group Tamil Tigers played havoc and created mayhem and bloodshed in Sri Lanka for thirty years, their members and supporters overseas hardly did any paid job in the countries they were settled in. They survived by the monies collected from innocent and
unsuspecting Tamils living abroad through extortion, harassment and the promise of a separate state in Sri Lanka. If those innocent Tamils did not give money to these groups, they were threatened of bodily harm.

Organisers detained for screening 'No Fire Zone'

JDS - 04 JULY 2013
Three organisers of a controversial documentary film screening at the KL/Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall were detained by Home Ministry, Immigration and police officials here Wednesday. The screening of the movie, No Fire Zone, which explores the oppression of Tamils in Sri Lanka, was
organised by human rights group Pusat Komas. Programme coordinator Lena Hendry said the officers entered the hall after the movie had finished at around 8.30pm.

Organisers detained for screening 'No Fire Zone'

JDS - 04 JULY 2013
Three organisers of a controversial documentary film screening at the KL/Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall were detained by Home Ministry, Immigration and police officials here Wednesday. The screening of the movie, No Fire Zone, which explores the oppression of Tamils in Sri Lanka, was
organised by human rights group Pusat Komas. Programme coordinator Lena Hendry said the officers entered the hall after the movie had finished at around 8.30pm.

Organisers detained for screening ‘No Fire Zone’ documentary

Tamil News - July 4, 2013
Three organisers of a controversial documentary film screening at the KL/Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall were detained by Home Ministry, Immigration and police officials here Wednesday. The screening of the movie, No Fire Zone, which explores the oppression of Tamils in Sri Lanka, was organised by human rights group Pusat Komas.

No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka

Now – 27 June 2013
Callum Macrae’s No Fire Zone surveys the final months of Sri Lanka’s recent civil war, but not merely to bring attention to yet another little-understood and woefully neglected Third World conflict. By making extensive use of video clips clandestinely recorded by victims and perpetrators alike,
Macrae and his collaborators set out to expose an astonishing list of crimes against humanity systematically committed by Sri Lankan government forces – crimes the government continues to vehemently deny.

No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka

Dork Shelf - June 28, 2013
No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka charts the final weeks of perhaps the most misunderstood and least mainstream covered conflicts of our time, the Sri Lankan Civil War. This war was conducted in secret with the Sri Lankan government booting the UN and foreign press reporters from the combat zone. More than 70,000 civilians lost their lives during this 26-year long war, but most of these deaths occurred during illegal government
shelling that took place in its final months. Director Callum Macrae chronicles the final months of the battle with footage and interviews from both sides of the war.

Malaysian Police Raid Screening of “No Fire Zone”

Pulitzer Center - July 6, 2013
The global tour of Pulitzer grantee Callum Macrae’s film on Sri Lanka continues to generate controversy, with screenings for parliamentary audiences in Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia and a public screening in Kuala Lumpur that was disrupted by a police raid and the arrest of local
organizers. “No Fire Zone” documents the final weeks of Sri Lanka’s civil war in 2009, the deaths of as many as
70,000 civilians during that period and the government’s resistance since to accusations of war crimes and demands that those responsible be held to account.

Film shows new evidence of war crimes in Sri Lanka

The Wire - 25 June 2013
A new film claims to show hard evidence of atrocities in the closing days of Sri Lanka's civil war. As Commonwealth leaders prepare to meet in the country for the Commonwealth Heads of Government
meeting later in the year, the film is raising questions about the behaviour of the country's military
forces. Next week on the show we'll speak to Sri Lanka's High Commissioner in Australia about the
film.

Arbitrary arrest, release on bail of three Komas staff members

Aliran - 16 July 2013
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders condemns the disruption of the private screening of the documentary “No Fire Zone” by the Home Ministry and the police. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World
Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Malaysia.

Censorship in the No Fire Zone

Malaysiakini - 5 July 2013
"By investiga ting war crimes in Sri Lanka I am acting no differently than when I made films investigating allegations of war crimes by British and American forces in Iraq." Callum Macrea, director of ‘No Fire Zone'. COMMENT Certain news items get lost in the shuffle. We begin to expect certain reactions from the current regime when it comes to the censorship of certain "sensitive matters". However, when the
security apparatus of the state is used on the behest of others or the perception of this is created, that really sticks in my craw.

NO FIRE ZONE: Zahid, police shut down NGOs' film screening

Malaysia Chronicle - 04 July 2013
On the evening of the 3rd of July (Wednesday night) KOMAS a human rights NGO together with the KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall Civil Right Committee (KLSCAH CRC) co-organized a film screening of the moving documentary film called “No Fire Zone” directed by Callum Macrae.
At about 8.30, after 30 minutes from the time the screening started, KDN officials, Immigration officials and the police were present in mass numbers in the venue of Chinese Assembly hall and requested to enter the venue to check the film.

NGOs condemn disruption of movie screening

FTM - July 4, 2013
They claim violation of rights by KDN and police who tried to stop the showing of a documentary on the Sri Lanka civil war. KUALA LUMPUR: Several human rights groups have condemned the Home Ministry (KDN) and the police for disrupting a private screening of a documentary film at the Chinese Assembly Hall last night and harassing the organisers and audience.

Filmmaker Callum Macrae on Sri Lanka documentary ‘No Fire Zone’

Gulf News – 18 July 2013
The Sri Lankan army thought no one was watching as it shelled unarmed civilians. Then the filmmaker sprang a rather unpleasant surprise Callum Macrae’s documentary “No Fire Zone” is not a story, rather several stories strung together, of people like you and me, of families and children like yours and mine, who were rendered homeless
during a 26-year-long civilian war. And what you see on screen are real, gory, bloody scenes.

This is proof, beyond reasonable doubt, of the execution of a child – not a battlefield death

The Independent – Feb 18, 2013
London, Feb 18 - Compared to most of the terrible images which have emerged from the final weeks of Sri Lanka’s civil war, it seems innocuous. A young boy sits, like a child lost in a supermarket. He has been given some kind of snack.

Sri Lanka: Questioning the killing fields

The Guardian – March 1, 2013
London, March 1 - After the showing of the documentary No Fire Zone in the Palais des Nations in Geneva yesterday, the Sri Lankan ambassador denounced it and criticised the UN human rights council for permitting the event to take place in a United Nations building.