LNP – Arugam Bay ‘bikini ban’ work of an organised group

The Defence Ministry and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) have been asked to urgently investigate into the false news claiming that bikinis have been banned in the Arugam Bay tourist area, Tourism Deputy Minister Professor Ruwan Ranasinghe said.

The Deputy Minister suspects that an organised group is behind this, trying to embarrass the government by spreading false news targeting the tourism industry.

He said that steps have already been taken to inform the Deputy Minister of Defence, the Defence Ministry Secretary and the IGP about the matter.

This issue started after a foreign tourist was seen walking naked in the Arugam Bay tourist area. The Deputy Minister said it is completely unacceptable for people to spread false news on social media about a ‘bikini ban’ based on this incident. He confirmed that the government has not made any decision to ban bikinis.

He believes this social media post was shared to create problems between the Muslim community and other groups, and to cause trouble for the government.

The Deputy Minister added that incidents like this can seriously harm the country’s economy and tourism industry. Many foreign tourists are currently visiting Sri Lanka and he fears this kind of false news could push them to choose other destinations like the Maldives or Bali.

He also highlighted that the Trincomalee-Arugam Bay coastal area is the best place in Sri Lanka for surfing. At a time when the country hopes to welcome one million tourists this year, such incidents could harm Sri Lanka’s image internationally.

Meanwhile, he suspects that this issue might be used to disrupt upcoming discussions the government is having with Muslim MPs on June 6 about gaining control in local government institutions. He believes this could be an attempt to spark a political crisis.

The Deputy Minister warned that strict legal action will be taken against any individual or group trying to damage the economy by targeting the tourism industry.

He also expressed regret that a social media journalist had re-shared a video on YouTube of a past incident where a Filipino tourist was attacked in Weligama last year. Investigations have found that this same person was also involved in a similar incident in Nepal and is using the social media to promote conflict.

The Deputy Minister urged all Sri Lankans to act wisely and responsibly regarding such actions.

Finally, he noted that with fewer tourists expected during the upcoming off-season, the government will take strong steps to attract as many foreign visitors as possible. He stressed that these kind of false reports seriously damage Sri Lanka’s reputation.