Today is World Press Freedom Day with the
theme “Information as a Public Good”
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Stifling the peaceful expression of legitimate dissent today can only result, inexorably, in the catastrophic explosion of violence some other day
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Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, SC 468/92
On April 30, when the Indian Supreme Court was hearing a case which it had initiated by itself (Suo Motto) to examine issues relating to the management of COVID-19, one of the judges is reported to have stated that, “We want to make it very clear that if citizens communicate their grievance on social media and internet then it cannot be said its wrong information. We don’t want any clampdown of information. We will treat it as a contempt of court if such grievances is considered for action”.
Resilient is a word frequently used by human rights activists and the development sector, to describe persons affected by war and violence. In Sri Lanka, the mothers of the disappeared are praised for their resilience when they continue their struggle for justice despite intimidation and harassment. Women headed households labouring to eke out a living are spoken of admiringly for their resilience. The people of Kepapilavu in Mullaitivu are called resilient for refusing to abandon their demands for the return of their lands, which are occupied by the military.
The ability of people, who have endured the loss of life and property, immense suffering and trauma, to make it through another day is labelled resilience and praised and admired. Resilience, though viewed as positive, romanticises struggles for survival and through that romanticises the coping mechanisms people have constructed. The danger in this is that romanticising resilience may make us oblivious to the fact that the
The University of Colombo has introduced a set of social media guidelines that students now say are stifling and infringing on their freedom of expression. A spokesman for the students said they would take up the issue with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka shortly.
University officials were not immediately available for comment.
The guidelines issued on 28 March 2021 states that students must not openly criticise issues that arise due to the “services, rules/regulations of the university, or staff members”, on social media.
“As a registered student of the University of Colombo, you are kindly requested to protect and safeguard the reputation of our University. If you are not satisfied with some services, rules/regulations of the university, or staff members, you should not criticise openly in social media. You can communicate your concerns to your counsellors, academic coordinators/tutors, or other officials of the university and seek a feasible solution. Problems ca
The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) expresses serious concern about the recent reports of incidents involving the use of force by certain Police Officers and the violent and brutal nature of the force used. The BASL is firmly of the view that the use of force should not be used under any circumtances except as provided for by law. In exceptional and extenuating circumstances the use of force should be minimal and should be proportionate to the circumstances. This position is firmly supported by legislation, the decisions of the Supreme Court and the Regulations of the Police. Incidents of the use of force by certain Police Officers which have been highlighted both in the media and on social media just in the current year alone appear to show a disturbing trend.
Iranaithivu islanders objected to the Sri Lankan government’s decision to allow the burial of COVID-19 victims, following the reversal of a ban on cremations that affected Muslim and Christian communities