Mr. Phil Martin
Director - TV News and Current Affairs SBS
Locked Bag 028 Crows Nest
N S W 1585

Dear Mr. Martin,

Thank you for your letter dated 27 May regarding the item on the ceremony at the Springvale Cemetery in Melbourne shown on SBS TV World News on Sunday 16 May, 2004.

Your, pro forma, apology regarding the use of the phrase "Polish death camps" has been noted, however, I am unable to accept it for the following reasons:

1. There is no assurance that the problem regarding the misuse of the phrase, "Polish death camps" has been fully understood or appreciated and will not be misused by SBS again. While it is encouraging that action (albeit too late) regarding this issue had begun before you read my letter, the World News staff's acknowledgement of the possibility of ambiguity and an inappropriate description is not enough.

2. Especially that such undertaking has already been made when - I quote from "Expanding the Dialogue" page 19 - "Australian Institute of Polish Affairs representatives met with Ms Sawsan Medina, Head of SBS Television, who gave the undertaking that the notorious wording 'Polish Concentration Camps' would not be used in any future screenings [9 February 1996]"

3. There is no ambiguity or inappropriate use of the phrase, "Polish death camps" or "Polish Concentration Camps", which is why it is so offensive.

4. The phrase, "Polish death camps" is very straightforward and is both factually and historically incorrect. Hundreds of thousands of Poles died in those camps, which were set up in Poland and run by the Germans after Germany invaded Poland on 1 September 1939. This is historical fact which can not be rewritten or changed.

5. For the many hundreds of Poles who live with painful memories of World War II and tune into the SBS World News each evening, this is very disappointing. The other thousands of viewers who expect a less biased version of news from SBS, have been grossly misinformed. This is why a public apology and retraction is so important. This could only be made by means of using the same forum in which the original statement was made.

Yours sincerely,

Janusz Rygielski
President
Polish Community Council of Australia
June 6, 2004