The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) says that the restrictions imposed on social media will be lifted at 3.30 p.m. today (03) on the advice of the Defence Ministry.
The Sri Lankan government had blocked access to all social media sites, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp and YouTube, through an order late on Saturday. It said the decision was taken to stem “misinformation”.
The Director General of the TRCSL had said that service providers have been advised to temporarily restrict access to social media websites, on the request of the Ministry of Defence.
“It was imposed in the interests of the country and people to maintain calm,” the commission’s Chairman, Jayantha de Silva had told Reuters.
NetBlocks, a watchdog organization that monitors cybersecurity and the governance of the Internet, had confirmed the restriction of multiple social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Viber and YouTube in Sri Lanka after midnight on Saturday.
Metrics corroborate user reports of service unavailability across the country, showing that all of Sri Lanka’s major network operators including Dialog, Sri Lanka Telecom, Mobitel, Hutch are covered by the measure.
Fully or partially impacted social media and messaging platforms include Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram, and Facebook Messenger.
However, Sri Lankan Minister Namal Rajapaksa had urged the government to reconsider the curbs on social media, pointing out that such bans are “completely useless”.
Namal Rajapaksa, who is the Cabinet Minister of Youth and Sports as well as the State Minister of Digital Technology and Enterprise Development, tweeted, “I will never condone the blocking of social media. The availability of VPN, just like I’m using now, makes such bans completely useless.”
“I urge the authorities to think more progressively and reconsider this decision.”
VPN stands for virtual private network and can be used to protect yourself from snooping, access content restricted to some locations and to bypass censorship.
The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) had also requested the TRCSL and service providers to restore access to all social media platforms immediately, as it is unable to inform electricity consumers about impending power cuts.
The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) had also criticized the move to block social media in the country.
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) has written to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa calling for the setting up of a caretaker government within a week.
The SLFP warns that if not the fourteen parliamentarians of the party will quit the government and function as an independent group in the Parliament.
In the letter to the President, signed by SLFP general secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara, the party states that in the next few days, discussions should be held with all the political parties represented in Parliament and necessary steps should be taken to govern the country in the future under a caretaker government with a sustainable program for the betterment of the country.
Meanwhile it is reported that the executive committee of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party is slated to meet later tonight (03).
During this meeting, the party is expected to reach a final decision on whether or not it will continue to remain in the government, sources told Ada Derana.
The full letter sent by the SLFP to the President is attached below:
NetBlocks metrics confirm the restriction of multiple social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Viber and YouTube in Sri Lanka after midnight on Sunday 3 April 2022 local time.
The incident comes as the government declares a state of emergency, imposing curfews to counter widespread protests over the economic crisis.Real-time network data show that the restrictions are coming into effect across multiple providers around midnight, corroborating user reports of unavailability on leading network providers.
Sri Lanka has a history of nationwide social media restrictions.
Earlier, NetBlocks tracked a significant decline in connectivity levels on leading internet provider Dialog.
The platforms can be accessed indirectly through the use of VPN services, which can work around government-imposed internet restrictions.The platforms can be accessed indirectly through the use of VPN services, which can work around government-imposed internet restrictions.
⚠️ Confirmed: Real-time network data show Sri Lanka has imposed a nationwide social media blackout, restricting access to platforms including Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, and Instagram as emergency is declared amid widespread protests.
A consignment of 40,000 MT of diesel under Indian assistance through Line of Credit of US$500 million was handed over by High Commissioner Gopal Baglay to the Energy Minister of Sri Lanka, Gamini Lokuge, in Colombo on Saturday.
This is the fourth consignment under the fuel Line of Credit, with previous deliveries on 16 March, 20 March and 23 March respectively.
With today’s consignment, the total fuel delivered to the people of Sri Lanka over the last 50 days amounts to nearly 200,000 MT including a consignment of 40,000 MT by Indian Oil Corporation outside the line of credit facility in February 2022.
Speaking on the occasion, High Commissioner Gopal Baglay characterized the fuel deliveries as a concrete manifestation of India’s commitment to the people of Sri Lanka in the current circumstances in line with the Neighborhood First Policy. Energy Minister Gamini Lokuge thanked the Government of India for the fuel consignments.
Earlier, on 23 March, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the recent Indian economic development assistance and credit facilities to Sri Lanka and said he expected the Indian Government would pay special attention to Sri Lanka’s development in the future as well.
It may be recalled that the Export Import Bank of India and the Government of Sri Lanka signed a US$ 500 million Line of Credit Agreement for purchase of petroleum products on 2 February 2022. The Agreement was signed by Treasury Secretary, Mr. S.R. Attygalle from the Sri Lankan side and Chief General Manager of EXIM Bank, Mr. Gaurav Bhandari from the Indian side.
Further, in response to a separate and urgent request from the Government of Sri Lanka, extension of a credit facility of USD 1 billion for supply of essential items including food and medicines has been finalized and the first shipments of rice under this facility is expected to reach Sri Lanka soon.
Earlier in January this year, India had provided financial assistance to Sri Lanka that included a credit swap of US$ 400 million and deferment of an Asian Clearing Union payment of over US$ 515 million.
In cumulative terms, Indian support to the people of Sri Lanka in the first quarter of 2022 is in excess of US$ 2.5 billion.
In view of the urgent nature of Sri Lanka’s requirement, India worked overtime to expeditiously finalize and start implementing both the lines of credit, within weeks.
The Government of India also continues to encourage efforts towards medium to long term capacity creation through enhanced Indian investment in Sri Lanka in key sectors that include ports, renewable energy, manufacturing, etc.
An islandwide curfew has been declared ahead of an ‘Arab Spring” style protest scheduled to be staged tomorrow (Sunday).
The curfew has been enforced from 6pm this evening (Saturday) to 6am on Monday.
A major protest was scheduled to take place tomorrow (Sunday) against the Government.
Some had claimed the protest will be similar to the Arab Spring protests in the Arab world.
The Arab Spring was a series of anti-government protests, uprisings, and armed rebellions that spread across much of the Arab world in the early 2010s. It began in response to corruption and economic stagnation and was first started in Tunisia.
From Tunisia, the protests then spread to Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Syria, and Bahrain, where either the ruler was deposed or major uprisings and social violence occurred including riots, civil wars, or insurgencies.
Sustained street demonstrations took place in Morocco, Iraq, Algeria, Iranian Khuzestan,[citation needed] Lebanon, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, and Sudan. Minor protests took place in Djibouti, Mauritania, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, and the Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara.
Anger is boiling over in Sri Lanka at the country’s worst economic crisis since independence in 1948, much of it directed at the island nation’s all-powerful Rajapaksa family.
Late Thursday hundreds of people tried to storm the home of Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the current president and one of four politically active brothers. In a night of violence one person was injured and 45 were arrested.
AFP profiles the clan, which has held sway over the nation’s politics for decades and which returned to power after a brief hiatus in 2019 when Gotabaya was elected president.
‘The Chief’
Mahinda Rajapaksa, 76, is the charismatic head of the group and the current prime minister. He previously held the post in 2004, and was then president from 2005 to 2015.
Gotabaya appointed him to the prime ministership a second time three years ago.
Mahinda is adored by the Sinhala-Buddhist majority for crushing separatist Tamil rebels in May 2009 following a brutal military offensive that ended a decades-long civil war.
The bloody final weeks of the civil war ended with — according to UN estimates — the deaths of around 40,000 civilians, who were herded into so-called no-fire zones that were then bombed by the Sri Lankan armed forces.
Rajapaksa denied the toll and refused an international probe into alleged atrocities. A series of local enquiries have failed to yield either a proper war crimes investigation or prosecutions.
During his rule Sri Lanka also moved closer to China, borrowing almost $7 billion for infrastructure projects — many of which turned into white elephants mired in corruption.
Critics say he also did little to bridge the divide with Sri Lanka’s Tamils after the war. The community is barred from commemorating their war dead and remain largely marginalised.
‘The Terminator’
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, 72, was Mahinda’s main lieutenant during his time as head of state, holding the influential post of secretary to the defence ministry with day-to-day control of the armed forces and police.
He denies accusations that he was behind death squads that abducted and “disappeared” dozens of opponents in notorious white vans.
Dubbed “The Terminator” by his own family, he is feared by foes for his short temper.
As president he has presided over Sri Lanka’s spiralling economic crisis.
A dire shortage of foreign currency — needed to pay down Sri Lanka’s debt — forced the government to ban swathes of imports, causing severe shortages of essentials.
Sri Lanka’s heavily tourism-dependent economy was first hit by the Easter Sunday Islamist attacks of 2019 and then torpedoed by Covid.
But many experts say that economic mismanagement by the Rajapaksas is also to blame including years of chronic budget deficits and ill-advised tax cuts.
‘Mr. Ten Percent’
Basil Rajapaksa, 70, is a political strategist who managed the economy under Mahinda and is now finance minister.
He was called “Mr. Ten Percent” in a BBC interview in reference to commissions he allegedly took from government contracts.
Subsequent administrations failed to prove any charges he syphoned off millions of dollars from state coffers. All cases against him have been dropped since Gotabaya became president.
‘The Bodyguard’
Chamal Rajapaksa, 79, was speaker of parliament when Mahinda was president and is also a former minister of shipping and aviation. He currently holds the irrigation portfolio and is number two in the defence department under Gotabaya, who is also defence minister.
Formerly a police officer, he once served as a personal bodyguard to Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the world’s first woman prime minister.
The Scion
Namal Rajapaksa, 35, a lawyer, is the scion of the family dynasty and the eldest son of Mahinda, who is thought to be grooming him to be president one day.
He entered parliament in 2010 aged just 24, and is now minister for sports and youth.
During his father’s decade in power, Namal was highly influential although he did not hold any portfolio.
People demonstrating their rights is no emergency, however it is the emergency that brings them to the streets, says the Ambassador of Germany in Sri Lanka, Ambassador Holger Seubert.
In a tweet, the Ambassador had underlined that although there is an emergency in the country, the cause and effect should not be confused.
Meanwhile, the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom in Sri Lanka, Sarah Hulton she is concerned with regard to the use of force against journalists and protesters, and the recently imposed Emergency Laws.
A citizen’s right to protest peacefully is an essential part of democracy, she added.
True, there is an emergency in 🇱🇰. However, let’s not confuse cause and effect: People demonstrating for their rights are no emergency. It’s the emergency that brings them to the streets. https://t.co/sSr8sdD2qK
— Ambassador Holger Seubert (@GermanAmbColo) April 2, 2022
Concerned by reports of the use of force against journalists and protesters, and the recently imposed Emergency Laws.
A citizen’s right to protest peacefully is an essential part of democracy.
The Newly appointed US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung emphasized that Sri Lankans have the right to protest peacefully.
She pointed out that it was essential for democratic expression.
In a tweet, she stated that she was closely monitoring the situation.
Sri Lankans have a right to protest peacefully – essential for democratic expression. I am watching the situation closely, and hope the coming days bring restraint from all sides, as well as much needed economic stability and relief for those suffering.
The High Commission of New Zealand in Sri Lanka has issued a notice with regard to the current economic situation.
Accordingly, the News Zealand High Commission has pointed out that as the economic situation continues to deteriorate, leading to shortages of basic necessities such as fuel and some food products, rationing of electricity has also resulted in lengthy power outages, which will likely continue for some time.
“There have been a number of recent protests relating to the economic situation. A protest in Colombo yesterday resulted in a curfew being imposed. Further protests and demonstrations are anticipated in Colombo and other parts of Sri Lanka, including on Sunday (3).
Kiwis in Sri Lanka are advised to avoid protest sites and demonstrations, as even those intended to be peaceful have the potential to turn violent. NZers are also advised to monitor local media for developments and comply with instructions, including curfews, issued by local authorities,” the High Commission said in a statement.
Moreover, New Zealanders in Sri Lanka have been encouraged to register at http://safetravel.govt.nz, and if consular assistance is needed, they have been urged to contact +94112174717 or email NZHCColombo@gmail.com.
For emergency consular assistance please contact the 24/7 New Zealand consular assistance line on +6499202020, it added.
Colombo, Sri Lanka – Police in Sri Lanka have lifted an overnight curfew in the country’s capital after arresting dozens of people and quelling unrest that saw large crowds attempt to storm President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s private residence amid anger over a worsening economic crisis.
At least 54 people were detained in Colombo’s Mirihana district in the early hours of Friday, the police said, branding the protesters as “organised extremists” trying to “create anarchy in the country”.
Some of them “carried iron bars, sticks and sharp weapons” and tried to incite protesters to storm the president’s residence, it added.
Earlier on Thursday night, Al Jazeera witnessed hundreds of protesters in Mirihana throwing stones and clashing with police as they pushed through the first line of barricades blocking the road to Rajapaksa’s home.
The police responded with tear gas and water cannon as the crowds chanted “Go home Gota, go home!” and “Gota is a dictator”.
Videos from the protest site, posted by the News Wire outlet on Facebook, later showed a police bus on fire and protesters tending to a man with a bloodied face. Police said two military buses and a four-wheel drive were set ablaze.
It was not clear if the president was at his residence at the time.
A spokesperson for the police declined to comment.
The calls for Rajapaksa’s resignation came as Sri Lanka struggles with an economic downturn sparked by a foreign exchange crisis that has left the government unable to pay for imports of fuel, food, medicine and other essentials. The shortages have resulted in daily rolling blackouts for up to 13 hours in the island nation of 22 million people, and led to some state-run hospitals suspending routine surgeries.
Sri Lanka has turned to the International Monetary Fund for a bailout and is also seeking financial help from China and India. Beijing and New Delhi are reportedly each considering offering $1.5bn in credit facilities, on top of loans worth billions of dollars requested by Rajapaksa’s government.
The protests on Thursday were the latest in a series of nightly demonstrations in Colombo’s suburbs over the past week. The gathering began peacefully, with hundreds of people rallying a few streets away from Rajapaksa’s home.
“We came to protest the unbearable cost of living, fuel shortages and electricity cuts,” said 26-year-old Ajith Perera, who spoke to Al Jazeera before the police cracked down. “The decision to come to the president’s house was spontaneous. We want the president, who has caused so much destruction, to go home.”
Mohamed Asri, a 21-year-old protester, told Al Jazeera he travelled to Mirihana from another Colombo district after seeing coverage of the protest on local television channels.
“The economy is so bad that we can hardly eat two meals a day,” he said. “Things were never this bad in my lifetime. Gota has to go.”
‘Everyone is angry’
After the Mirihana gathering devolved into violence, protests spread throughout the city, with demonstrators using burning logs to block the main highway from Colombo to Sri Lanka’s second-biggest city, Kandy.
“I am angry, everyone is angry,” said protester Saman Wanasinghe. “Who knows what will happen now? There will be protests all over.”
But police – who were deployed to the capital’s streets in force – quickly quelled the unrest and Colombo was calm by dawn on Friday.
Analysts have said the economic crisis in Sri Lanka – which only emerged from a 26-year-long civil war in 2009 – stems from mismanagement by the Rajapaksa government during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite an ill-timed tax break that depleted government coffers and border closures that resulted in the disappearance of tourism revenues, the government delayed seeking IMF help, they said.
Amid the inaction, Sri Lanka’s foreign exchange reserves dropped by 70 percent in two years, and annual inflation soared by up to 55 percent, according to some estimates.
Alan Keenan, a senior consultant at the International Crisis Group, said Thursday’s protest outside Rajapaksa’s house “was an unprecedented show of anger and defiance” against the president, who is feared by many, partly because he – as the former defence minister – spearheaded a bloody campaign that quashed a separatist rebellion by Sri Lanka’s ethnic Tamil minority.
The United Nations says Sri Lankan forces killed at least 40,000 Tamil civilians in the last days of the war, while rights groups also accuse Rajapaksa and his elder brother Mahinda, who was the president at the time, of overseeing a crackdown against those who opposed the military’s brutal tactics, including journalists and dissidents from the country’s Sinhalese Buddhist majority.
The Rajapaksas, who deny the allegations of rights abuses, lost power following an election in 2015 due to increased public anger about authoritarianism, nepotism and corruption. But they returned to power just four years later, with Gotabaya Rajapaksa winning the presidency after campaigning on a platform of improving security and tackling what he called “Muslim extremism” in the wake of a series of deadly ISIL-claimed attacks on churches and hotels in the country.
His brother Mahinda then became the prime minister. And their eldest brother was appointed agriculture minister while the youngest brother became the finance minister.
Keenan said Thursday’s protests indicated “a sea change in attitudes and willingness to take action” on the Sri Lankan public’s part.
But he cautioned that it was virtually impossible to remove Gotabaya Rajapaksa, as constitutional reforms in 2020 have given the president extraordinary powers while his party’s grip on parliament remained firm.
“With anger growing and inhibitions against violent protest falling away, the current situation is a very dangerous one, even as it contains potential seeds of democratic change,” Keenan said.
“Many fear the government could resort to violence – either directly or through a staged incident, perhaps designed to redirect popular anger against Muslims. Vigilance from influential governments and international bodies like the United Nations is thus essential.”
