Sri Lanka media minister failed to provide info on webcensorship to the Paliament

The Minister of Mass Media and Information Keheliya Rambukwella at the parliament yesterday (June 06) was careful not to reveal the identities of those who imposed an access control over 8 news websites.

He did not reveal information related to the particular matter when it was taken up in the parliament  following a  suggestion made by the General Secretary of United National Party (UNP),Tissa Attanayake, when the parliament was adjourned on May 26.

Sri Lanka: theindependent.lk complaints to HRC over blockade

After the complaint was made

Editor of theindependent.lk website, Subhash Jayawardhana, lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission today (29) that the website has been blocked from access from all local viewers by all local internet service providing companies.

He says in the complaint that it is a violation of fundamental rights granted by 14(1)(a) of the constitution with regard to freedom of expression, and also the right to engage in a profession to one’s liking and the freedom from unlawful arrest.

Sri Lanka: Petition to HRC on blocking websites

Political leaders and journalists
leaving the NHRC after the complaint

A petition was handed over to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRC) yesterday (21), against illegal blocking of websites in Sri Lanka that being unofficially conducted by the Government.
The petition was handed over to the NHRC by the Professional Web Journalists Association and the editor of Sri Lanka Mirror website in the presence of media rights groups and opposition politicians.
The petition had named the Media Minister, the secretary of the Media Ministry, Internet Service Provider companies and the Telecommunication Regulations Authority (TRC) as respondents.

Sri Lanka: 'The Independent' web site too blocked by internet service providers

Internet Service Providers - Dialog and Etisalat has imposed an access control over the news website www.theindependent.lk within the country. The block has been imposed in the same manner in which our website - Sri Lanka Mirror was blocked by these two ISPs before a complete access control was imposed within the island.

Sri Lanka: Police remove film cutouts of opposition politician

MP Ramanayaka as Ranja

On an order by the political authorities, police have removed the big cuouts erected in front of Ritz Cinema in Borella to announce the commencement of the screening of the film ‘Ranja’ on May 28.

The reason for their removal is that the cutouts carried wordings to the effect of a call to ‘Expose Rathupaswala Ranja and kings of anarchy.’

Sri Lanka: Rajapaksas have banned 5 news websites – UNP

The Rajapaksa regime has yet again demonstrated its callous disrespect for democratic practices, by banning five popular websites without giving any regard to the constitutionally-enshrined freedom to right to information, says the UNP in a statement.

Sri Lanka Government blocks Sri Lanka Mirror website again

Internet Service Providers in Sri Lanka have blocked direct access to the website - 'Sri Lanka Mirror'.

The site has been blocked since this morning (May 12) and on inquiring from the ISPs they have informed us the website has been blocked after the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) informed them to do so.

Sri Lanka: Police ( PSD) wants to drop 'exposes the enthronement of injustice and the lawless Kings' form a film cutout

Rathupaswala Ranja

An individual who claimed that he is from the Presidential security division had arrived with a group of police officers and threatened the Ritz cinema manager Martin Wickremeratne demanding him to pull down the entire advertisement cutout of the film ‘Rathupaswala Ranja’that was displayed at the Ritz cinema , Borella.

“Crowd Censoring”: Tamil nationalist groups are again displaying an intolerant streak- Editorial, The Hindu

Tamil nationalist groups are again displaying an intolerant streak. They want Madras Café, a film loosely based on the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, to be banned because it shows the Tamil Eelam struggle in Sri Lanka in a poor light. Though the Madras High Court has rightly declined to stay the release of the film, some groups seeking to ban the film are readying themselves to create a law and order problem as a form of protest.

Congress should respond to opinions Madras Cafe has its backing: BJP

Chennai: The controversy surrounding actor John Abraham's bilingual flick 'Madras Cafe' assumed more political overtones on Wednesday, with BJP asking Congress to respond to "opinions" that the film had its backing and sought a national ban against it, warning of "unwanted consequences" subsequent to its release.

Sri Lanka Government wants to ban the Channel 4 film 'No Fire Zone' at UNHRC

In a strange move the Government of Sri Lanka send a letter to the President of the UNHRC on the first day of the 22^nd session calling for censorship within the UN premises. In two page letter GoSL said that the GoSL strongly protest the use of the premises of UN for the screening of this film, No Fire Zone produced by the Channel 4. The film is a documentary on the alleged war crimes that has taken place during the last phase of the war in Sri Lanka.

Female Journalists Walk on Eggshells in Sri Lanka

Dilrukshi Handunnetti holds the wallet containing the media accreditation card of slain journalist and editor Lasantha Wickrematunge. Credit: Amantha Perera/IPS

  Amantha Perera

(IPS) - The year was 1998 and porters at the wholesale vegetable market in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo had gone on strike, virtually suspending vegetable distribution in the city and its suburbs.
A national news channel, Sri Lanka Maharaja Television, had dispatched a crew of reporters to cover the porters’ union general meeting; the atmosphere was charged and tension was palpable.