Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan anti-government website blockedPosted Nov 8 2011
Sri Lankan media personnel protest in the streets of Colombo in February. AFP Photo by Ishara S. Kodikara
Lanka eNews, an anti-government news website in Sri Lanka, was blocked on Oct. 18 because of the site’s coverage of gunshots during the local government elections, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
According to a journalist from Sri Lanka, a presidential advisor, the former Member of Parliament Baratha Lakshman Premachandra and two of his supporters were allegedly shot dead. Most Sri Lankan media didn’t cover the story, but Lanka eNews reported that the opposing side, the ruling party, might be involved in the shootings, the Committee to Protect Journalists article said.
However, the government of Sri Lanka denied shutting down the website, according to article.Reporters Without Borders said a series of attacks on Lanka eNews has started since this year, including an incident of its headquarters being damaged.
According to a previous report, Sandaruwan Senadheera, the founder of Lanka eNews, received constant death threats and has been banished from Sri Lanka. Now, blocking the access to Lanka eNews within Sri Lankan borders is the government’s new tactic, according to Bob Dietz, the Asia program coordinator of the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Reporters Without Borders spoke with Senadheera about the current state of media freedom in Sri Lanka. According to Reporters Without Borders, the Lanka eNews political journalist and cartoonist Prageeth Eknaligoda has been missing since January 2010.
Read about what bloggers and social media users are saying about Sri Lanka.