Telecommunication sector in Sri Lanka has shown tremendous growth in recent years. Despite the fact that Sri Lanka has high literacy rate, most of the population has not got access to Internet until recently. However, there is a recent growth in Internet usage along with the infrastructure development.
Internet usage was just under 0.5% during the year of 2000, and later in 2008 the rate became 3.7%, according to the statistics of United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
The development in ICT education, thanks to Government endeavours and the contribution of private sector institutions, and the high competition among ISP companies has assured the Internet charges to cut down, so that at least some portion of the population to afford, but still has to come down for it to reach all citizens.
The last presidential Election is the first ever election in Sri Lankan history, in which Internet propaganda played a major roll at least among the educated young generation. Banners of both candidates were hanging here and there over the Internet in the similar way the posters were hanging on in Sri Lankan streets.
Youth freely express their views on politics, elections and various other issues in Face Book, the most popular social network in Sri Lanka, they have less opportunities to do so in normal social order other wise. This provides opportunities to every citizen to take part in political debates, through which there are possibilities not only to ensure proper governance and democracy, but also to promote mutual discussions among different ethnic groups and to restore the peace among the societies in the past three decades old war- torn nation.
However, there are recent concerns among the masses in various levels that such Freedom might be challenged shortly. There are unconfirmed news that claim that some of the websites such as Face Book and Twitter, are to be banned in order prevent misinformation to be spread. Government claims that misinformation those are endangering the national security are spreading among the masses through such online media and there fore, government is to think of 'regulate and control' such media.
Reporters Without Borders has already placed Sri Lanka as one of the countries “under surveillance” 'for using draconian measures to control freedom of expression online', with other countries such Australia, Bahrain, Belarus, Eritrea, Malaysia, South Korea, Thailand, The United Arab Emirates, Yemen and Zimbabwe”.
However, Anusha Pelpita, Director General of Sri Lanka's Telecom Regulatory Authority said to Lanka Business Online that the institution had not received any order to devise a law yet. "Monitoring websites is not in the TRC mandate. Even if we wanted to, it will take several months to bring in such legislation." She also said.
However, it does not guarantee that such initiatives will not be taken by the government in reviewing at recent experiences at Sri Lanka. China might provide its assistance in case government takes such an initiative.
On the day of last Presidential Election, some websites such as Lanka e-News, Lanka News Web, infolanka and Sri Lanka Guardian were temporarily blocked just before the presidential election official results were announced. Several international organizations including 'Reporters without Boarders' condemned the move of the government noting that free flow of news and information is significant against massive fraud during an election.
Thus, the government has already taken initiative of censorship in the Internet and anyone can expect it will continue in future as well. Therefore, It can not be ignored the news claiming that government might take some measures to filter some of the Internet contents, particularly, Face Book, thousands of people interact daily.
Most people welcome the move of the regime to ban some pornographic sites sometimes earlier. However, banning sites with political motives will do nothing to the society but evil. media freedom, especially online freedom in our time is foremost necessity for the existence of democracy.
'Were it left to me to decide weather we should have government without newspapers or news papers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter' Thomas Jefferson said in 1787.
People have started to feel the breadth of freedom after the end of war as well as they are enjoying the freedom of expression with the modern technology. Censorship might make people to feel as if they have loosed their freedom again. It will damage the image of the regime in the eyes of locals as well as international community. Masses will never accept a Chinese style regime change.
Government may take several actions in case misinformation are spreading around. For instance, it might have some media establishments that answers the questions of the people. Online media, especially political oriented site should be allowed to function freely without censorship or controls so that government will able be accountable to general public.
Other wise, It will only help selfish politicians to make use of the opportunity for fulfilling their personal interest in the name of national security.
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