COI Report March 2012 - UK Border Agency - Home Office

7 MARCH 2012 SRI LANKA
―Approximately 12 percent of the population accessed the internet in 2010, with many
residents deterred by the high costs involved, although mobile-telephone usage
continued to grow exponentially. Positively, web-based media and blogs have taken on
a growing role in the overall media environment, with outlets such as Groundviews and
Vikalpa providing news and a range of commentary, even on sensitive stories and
events that are otherwise barely covered by the mainstream media. The government
has taken some steps to censor the internet, blocking access to a number of news
websites. While the majority of the blocks were temporarily put in place around key
events such as the January 2010 presidential election, some, such as the bans on the
Lanka eNews and TamilNet websites, remain permanent. In 2010, several news
websites that provide content via SMS were forced to self-censor after Dialog, the main
telephone operator, refused to relay reports critical of the government through this
medium. In addition, staff at Lanka eNews faced threats and harassment, with editor
Sandaruwan Senadheera going into exile during the year. Many journalists assume that
their phone and online communications are monitored.‖
14.17 On 8 November 2011 Reporters sans Frontières 264 stated:
―Reporters Without Borders is appalled to learn that access to four leading news
websites –SriLankaMirror, SriLankaGuardian, Paparacigossip9, and LankaWayNews–
has been blocked on the media and information ministry‘s orders since 6 November
[2011], a day after the ministry suddenly announced that news websites with ‗any
content relating to Sri Lanka‘ needed to register without delay.
―The announcement that news websites need to register with the media and information
ministry and obtain accreditation came on 5 November, shortly after the secretary to the
ministry, W.B. Ganegala, had accused certain websites earlier the same day of
constantly defaming senior government officials.
―It is not yet known how news websites are supposed to register or what sanctions they
face if they refuse to comply. Some website journalists reportedly went to the ministry
and requested registration forms only to discover that no procedures have so far been
put in place.
―The number of blocked sites has risen steadily in recent weeks. They include the
Lanka-e- News site, which was blocked at the end of October [2011] by state-owned Sri
Lanka Telecom (SLT) and privately-owned Internet service provider Dialog Axiata PLC
without Lanka-e-News being given any explanation…The decision to block the site was
upheld by a court today.‖
14.18 The HRW World Report 2012, Sri Lanka 265 , released on 24 January 2012, noted that:
―In November the government blocked at least six news websites claiming that they had
maligned the character of the president and other top government officials.‖
14.19 The USSD 2010 report 266 observed that:
264 Reporters sans Frontières, Government blocks critical news websites, says they have to
Register, 8 November 2011, accessed via RefWorld http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/pdfid/4ebcf92f2.pdf
date accessed 23 January 2012
265 Human Rights Watch, World Report 2012, Sri Lanka , released on 24 January 2012
http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/wr2012.pdf date accessed 1 February 2012
The main text of this COI Report contains the most up to date publicly available information as at 3 February 2012.
Further brief information on recent events and reports has been provided in the Latest News section
to 2 March 2012.
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