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In Sri Lanka, anti-government website blocked.
Thursday, 20 October 2011 - 11:49 AM SL Time
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The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by reports that access to anti-government news website Lanka eNews has been blocked inside Sri Lanka, according to the site`s exiled editor and users inside the country. All three language versions of the site, English, Sinhala, and Tamil, have not been available since Tuesday.
A Sri Lankan journalist told CPJ by email today that the shutdown could have stemmed from Lanka eNews` October 15 coverage of a shootout involving parliamentarians close to Defense Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa, brother of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. In Colombo on Saturday, a presidential aide and his bodyguard were shot dead in a fight involving opposing factions of the Sri Lankan ruling party during local elections, news reports said. Other Sri Lankan media either ignored the story or played it down. The government denies being behind the shutdown, Lanka eNews said.
Virtually all of the reporting for the site is now generated from outside the country. In March 2010, Lanka eNews` founder and editor Sandaruwan Senadheera went into exile in England after repeatedly receiving death threats.
`The blocking of access to Lanka eNews inside Sri Lanka is the next step in the government`s move toward silencing this adamantly anti-establishment website,` said Bob Dietz, CPJ`s Asia program coordinator. `Lanka eNews is one of the country`s few independent news sources left uncowed. This is another effort by the Rajapaksa government to stifle independent media criticism. The government must back away from this policy and allow the country`s once-flourishing media to resume their proper role.`
In June, access to independent news and analysis website Groundviews and its Sinhala version, Vikalpa, were temporarily blocked, CPJ research shows. Groundviews founder Sanjana Hattotuwa told CPJ at the time that the shutdown was no mistake and it could have been a signal to them to shut up. Transparency International, often critical of corruption within the Sri Lankan government, was also blocked temporarily at the time.
Lanka eNews has been targeted many times in recent years. In April, the site`s staff members were arrested then released weeks later, and in the same month, the site was temporarily banned by a court order. In January, the offices were hit with an arson attack. The site`s political cartoonist, Prageeth Eknelygoda, has been missing since January 2010.
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saleemtariq
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 20 Oct 2011 05:01:25 GMT Report for Abuse
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How dare anyone speak, write or even think against the Rajapakse ruling family? We have the power and authority to block, cause accidents and shoot anyone who speaks against our family regime. Beware of what happened to Lasantha and 13 other journalists who do not have a clue as to tow the official line and safeguard the establishment.
Just remember waht happened to the ex-army commander Sareth Fonseka. He ventured to challenge the almighty and languish in the prison, instead he would have led a happy life with his family or even used his visa to live a luxurious live with his daughters and wife in US. He is a fool, we don't like fools.
Edited By - saleemtariq - 20 Oct 2011 05:04:17 GMT |
DVLADV
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 20 Oct 2011 05:11:29 GMT Report for Abuse
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When Sri Lanka says there is freedom of experssion what it means is that people are welcome to say 'Hosana' to Raja Inc anything other than that is not allowed.
Only thing to do is Lankaenews is not blocked outside the country so take the articles and post it on LNP or other forums so Sri Lankans can have both sides of the picture. |
deborak
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 20 Oct 2011 05:23:44 GMT Report for Abuse
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The simple question here is where is the limit of media freedom in a democratic country?
The problem is we don't have a limit... This is the biggest problem we have! If we had such limits, those FALSE stories by LankaeNews, Sunday leader wouldn't have published LIES! |
EEELamaya
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20 Oct 2011 05:37:20 GMT Report for Abuse
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anti-government website blocked. ...
Don't worry too much...!
SEALS will come and unblock it very soon...!
Its about time......!
Edited By - EEELamaya - 20 Oct 2011 05:40:07 GMT |
gajan99
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 20 Oct 2011 05:40:07 GMT Report for Abuse
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Yes peelambu...
SEALS will come and block the Thangachchies...
just wait like waiting for the peelam |
p007
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 20 Oct 2011 05:50:01 GMT Report for Abuse
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| No, No , No. The govt. did not block the website. Like once before in Kelaniya where a guy tied himself to a tree, the website did a self block! |
Magnum357
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20 Oct 2011 05:57:28 GMT Report for Abuse
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anti-government website blocked
So...who cares????? Is this webisite the ONLY source for people to gather as to what actually happened to Bharatha????? Any donkey in Kolonnawa knew what happened and now the entire country knows that Bharatha was shot by one of Duminda's body guards on Duminda's instructions and the whole country knows that the government is trying to protect Duminda from the fiasco and the resulting legal process.
Did we need lanka eNnews for that???????
It's the same for any other news too....the people get to know the truth whether newspapers or websites are banned and also what has to be remembered is that newspapers and websites could also be tempering the news for 'better taste'!
Edited By - Magnum357 - 20 Oct 2011 06:07:49 GMT |
gajan99
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20 Oct 2011 06:22:14 GMT Report for Abuse
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If one to go by the news published in LANKA (pacha mola of JVP) Sri Lanka does not exist today.
Anyway the LANKA's editors dirty journalism boomrang to him, he had to knee down before governmnet for protection from his own rathu brothers .
ljja nathi wsge ptha kalisamak ada gena awa ne policiyata even he the top gvmt officials.
This is the free media we have here in SL.
who killed Lasantha Wick ?? over to you Ponsikiens |
saleemtariq
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 20 Oct 2011 06:36:02 GMT Report for Abuse
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True democratic countries do not have limits set by the government. There are media operated self regulations. Those who want power in a democracy has to pay the price of freedom. Only the media can protect democracy and not the politicians.
In autocratic eastern bloc, Arab and banana republic rulers want to safeguard their self interests by media censorship.
Family rule and feudalism need media control.
SD Senanayake, Dudley
SWRD Bandaranayake, Srimavo, Chandrika, Anura
JR Jeyawardene, Anil
Mahinda Rajapakse, Chamal, Basil, Gotabaya, Nihal etc
can rule only by media control, otherwise people will come to know the truth and throw the government out of power. |
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20 Oct 2011 05:11:57 GMT