Extremists in Sri Lanka used Facebook to organize deadly violence against Muslims. Facebook is accused of not doing enough to prevent it. DIGANA, Sri Lanka — When the Sri Lankan government temporarily blocked access to Facebook last month amid a wave of violence against Muslims, it seemed like a radical move against new technology. But […]

Two related developments indicating a need to control the media show that the trust factor in the government is vitiated. It was an irony that did not generate mirth but fear. The Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting (I&B), Smriti Irani, who took up the task of confronting “fake news” through an ill-conceived notification, herself believed false […]

Image: Rajapaksa lobbyist Shenali Waduge tweeted this photo to colour Wickremasinghe’s victory in a racist brush.  “A Lion used to prowl about a field in which Four Oxen dwelt. Many a time he tried to attack them; but they turned their tails to one another, so that whichever way he approached them he was met […]

Jayadeva Uyangoda. Amidst so many stories about the ever – exciting twists and turns in the crisis faced by our Government, we seem to ignore so many other significant political questions. One such question is: what is happening in Sri Lanka’s political parties? As visible from the unfolding power struggles, Sri Lanka’s two main parties […]

It was fairly clear even before yesterday’s debate that the Prime Minister would not easily be defeated on the no-confidence motion, given the configuration of party representation in the current Parliament. The motion relied on generalities instead of specific charges, on perceptions rather than concrete evidence, and it was given what life it had more […]

Image: Kumuduni Vithana, Regional Coordinator, Kandy Regional Office, Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka. The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka will investigate complaints made by the public with regard to the aforementioned issue by virtue of their powers vested under the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka Act No.21 of 1996. As the initial step of the […]

By Uditha Jayasinghe Progress on key legislative and policy reforms needed to keep GSP+ were developing well, believes a monitoring delegation of the European Parliament, which yesterday said it remained committed to improving human rights in Sri Lanka. The six-member delegation of the European Parliament Committee on International Trade (INTA) arrived in Sri Lanka on […]

Image: TNA  meeting EU delegation. ( TNA photo) (Press release/05 April 2018) A European delegation comprising of six members including the Standing Rapporteur for South Asia, from the European Parliament Committee on International Trade, met with the Leader of the Opposition and the Tamil National Alliance Hon R. Sampanthan at the Office of the Leader […]

Former Military Intelligence Director and Chief of Staff of the Army, Major General (Retired) Amal Karunasekara has been arrested by the CID in connection with the abduction and assault of journalist Keith Noyahr in 2008. Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekara said Major General Karunasekara who was also the Commandant at Defence Services Command and Staff […]

The Hon. Rajavarothiam Sampanthan – Leader of the Opposition). Mr. Speaker, we are debating today a Motion of No-Confidence against no less a person than the Prime Minister and the Motion substantially deals with the question of corruption. Corruption has been the worst disease that has afflicted our country. There was a time when there […]

The South Asian Free Media Association Sri Lanka Chapter condemns the attack on the Head Office of Sirasa News First [Maharaja Group] in Colombo on Wednesday April 4th night as an alarming and shameful attack on the news media freedom in the country. We are reliably informed that an unruly mob exploded large amounts of […]

The country’s much-vaunted Right to Information Act has been hailed as a major breakthrough in the field of information dissemination. While the intentions may be good, in the operations aspect, there is much to be desired. We,randomly,checked the websites of Ministries and tried contacting Information officers for feedback and here are some of our findings. […]

  Image: Jubilant Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe gestures along with Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne after the vote on the No Confidence Motion – AFP Prime Minister Ranil Wickremsinghe yesterday emerged victorious after he managed to decisively defeat the much anticipated No-Confidence Motion with a comprehensive majority of 46 votes and will meet President Maithripala […]