In a letter to the President, SLWJA says that “it is evident that this assault by your Media Advisor, Mr. Chandana Suriyabandara, is merely an extension of the broader state machinery of repression. This includes the continuation of oppressive acts brought by previous governments—namely the so-called National Media Policy, the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act (PSTA), and the Online Safety Act (OSA)—as well as the currently controversial trend where officials from the Ministry of Cultural Affairs seek the protection of the Ministry of Defense to suppress freedom of speech and expression.”
The Letter:
23 April 2026
Mr. Anura Kumara Dissanayake,
The President of Sri Lanka,
Presidential Secretariat,
Colombo 01.
Your Excellency,
Condemnation of the Thuggish and Atrocious Conduct of the Presidential Media Advisor
The Sri Lanka Working Journalists’ Association vehemently condemns the recent actions of Mr. Chandana Suriyabandara, the Media Advisor to the Presidential Media Unit, who obstructed, physically assaulted, and intimidated two journalists from the Lake House media institution while they were carrying out their professional duties during the ongoing ‘Ehipassiko’ Monk Peace March, which is based on the principles of non-violence.
Ironically, the victims of this atrocious conduct by your Media Advisor are journalists from the Lake House institutional state-owned media organization that operates under your own government’s control. In this instance, your Media Advisor has acted well beyond the scope of a public official’s authority, unnecessarily prioritizing private media institutions. We consider this an incident that clearly reflects the media policy of your administration, and we express our profound regret regarding this matter.
Furthermore, it is evident that this assault by your Media Advisor, Mr. Chandana Suriyabandara, is merely an extension of the broader state machinery of repression. This includes the continuation of oppressive acts brought by previous governments—namely the so-called National Media Policy, the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act (PSTA), and the Online Safety Act (OSA)—as well as the currently controversial trend where officials from the Ministry of Cultural Affairs seek the protection of the Ministry of Defense to suppress freedom of speech and expression.
Therefore, we urge your immediate attention to halt such thuggish acts that utilize state power to suppress media freedom in Sri Lanka, and we request that you ensure a conducive environment where journalists can perform their duties with professional dignity. In conclusion, the Sri Lanka Working Journalists’ Association emphasizes that it is not the media or journalists of this country that should be suppressed by your state, but rather officials such as your Media Advisor, who continue to carry out such thuggish acts, thereby bringing disrepute to the state.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Duminda Sampath
President
Ranga Bandaranayake
Secretary
Copy to:
1. Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, Minister of Mass Media