Pivithuru Hela Urumaya Leader Parliamentarian Udaya Gammanpila yesterday urged the government to lift the temporary blockade on social media imposed on March 7 following the unrest that took place in Kandy, in order to prevent the spread of hate speech.
“The clashes in Kandy are now over. Curfew has been lifted. Emergency declaration will also be ended in next few days. But unfortunately government is very reluctant to lift the ban on Facebook and other social media,” he said.
Addressing the media yesterday at Pivithuru Hela Urumaya Office in Pitakotte, MP Gammanpila charged that the government is now hunting social media under the guise of controlling the hatred campaign. He further said that during last few years Facebook remained as the main element which continuously supported the anti government elements to raise their voice against the government. So the government is now in the need of controlling Facebook and other social media sites in order to control anti government elements in the country.
“Being a lawful citizen especially who is endangered to be arrested at any time, I never used any social media during the period of ban. But the youth who logged in to their accounts using some technical tools currently available to enter Facebook ignoring the ban found that the President and the Prime Minister have not only logged in to their Facebook profiles, but had continuously published posts on Facebook.” Gammanpila charged.
He said that the the President and the Prime Minister should have set an example for others to follow. But they have completely violated their own ban.
“So we urge the government to lift the ban on Facebook immediately, otherwise we will join hands with millions of Sri Lankan youth to fight against this ban,” Gammanpila said.
Add new comment