Wikipedia talk:Requests for mediation/Sri Lankan Civil War

Mediator comment

OK. In light of Realstarslayer's lack of activity and the amount of time that has already accrued since this request for mediation was made, I suggest we get started. As a few starting points:

1. I understand that this is issue is controversial and invokes strong feelings, but please try to be civil and show respect for other's points of view
2. I you have any questions, you may contact me at any time, either via my talkpage or by email if you prefer (my email address is WJBscribe at gmail dot com). I will treat all email correspondence as strictly confidential

I have read all the previous discussions that were flagged up on the page. WjBscribe 19:05, 17 May 2007 (UTC)

Opening statements

I think it would be helpful to start by letting everyone have a chance to make clear their stance on Image:Aranthalawa Massacare 1.jpg. I am going to create a section for each participant below. Please state your opinion on:

1. Do you think the image should be included in the article at all?
2. Should the image displayed on the page, or should it be linked to (the compromise suggested by Khoikhoi)
3. Any prefered text you have for the caption if the image is included (or linked to)
4. Your reasons for those answers

I would suggest you try to express youself as briefly and clearly as possible. This should provide a foundation on which to build further discussion. WjBscribe 19:05, 17 May 2007 (UTC)

Krankman

1. Definitely not.
2. Neither displayed nor linked to.
3. "Bodies of young Buddhist monks killed by the LTTE in Aranthalawa in 1987"
4. • The picture is too graphic for an online encyclopedia where everyone--including children and faint-hearted people--comes to look for information.
   • It is unneccessary to illustrate a text dealing with massacres with photos.
   • The inclusion of the picture is demanded by the respective users not for encyclopedic reasons but to cause bad blood against the Tamil rebels.
   • Anyone can google "ltte massacre photo" (or something similar) and find hundreds of pictures like the one concerned.

The freddinator

1. If an alternative image is not available I am OK with the inclusion of this picture but only as a linked image. I understand that the image is, as snowolf said, one of the more recognizable pictures from the war, but I also think that the image should not be included based on its ability to produce bias because of its graphic nature.
2. As stated before, unless an acceptable alternative can be found, I think the image should be linked to
3. None.

The freddinator 19:28, 17 May 2007 (UTC)

Voidvector

1. No, I don't think the image is needed in any of the current three articles (List of terrorist incidents, Sri Lankan Civil War, List of terrorist attacks attributed to the LTTE), linked or otherwise.
2. Linked.
3. No opinion.
4. Reasons:
   1. I feel the image is too graphic for encyclopedia. None of the article is about the Aranthalawa massacare. Even if a future article is composed on the Aranthalawa massacare, a less graphic image is available for it. (That image is pretty graphic as well, but acceptable to me as thumbnail)
   2. Given the binary choice of "linked" vs "displayed", I highly prefer "linked" because the image is too graphic for an encyclopedia.
   3. I am not an expert on this topic.

--Voidvector 23:32, 17 May 2007 (UTC)

Watchdogb

1. No

2. Possibly linked

3. Text can remain the same

Reason : Its a very gory image. People reading this article may not necessarily want to see this image. If we can have a link (as suggested) then they have a choice to view the picture or not. If they do not wish to see it then they will not be show the picture. Best compromise...

Watchdogb 01:57, 19 May 2007 (UTC)