Upto to you readers; two versions of one event

The art of spin doctoring - getting people to interpret an event the way you want them to is practised at the highest offices of most countries. The phrase gathered speed when one Alastair Campbell was the Press Secretary to British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

It seems some of that spinning and doctoring has rubbed off on the Presidential Media Division - or was it on the UN Secretary General’s office. Readers can take the two versions put out by the UN Spokesman and the PMD on the same event - the meeting this week between President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

The UN SG’s office said in its release following the meeting, inter-alia; that Gueterres “reiterated the UN’s view on the importance of ensuring protection of minority rights and civic engagement”.

The PMD saw it differently. In its release it said; the UN “will provide its full support to Sri Lanka in moving forward to promote unity among different communities”.