The United States and European Union should consider halting all business dealings with Sri Lanka, including suspending all exports and imports. Additionally, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) should reevaluate its financial support to Sri Lanka and consider withholding further loan disbursements.
The Online Safety Bill, passed by the Sri Lankan parliament on January 24, 2024, is a grave violation of the human rights and freedoms of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka.
The bill gives the government sweeping powers to censor, prosecute, and silence online dissent, especially from the Tamils, which has been historically marginalized and oppressed by the Sinhalese majority.
The bill establishes an Online Safety Commission, appointed by the president, that can issue directives to remove or block online posts that are deemed “prohibited statements”.
The bill also defines “prohibited purposes” as those that threaten national security, public order, public health, public morality, or the rights and reputation of others. These vague and broad terms can be easily abused by the government to target any criticism, opposition, or expression of the Tamil identity, culture, and aspirations.
The bill also criminalizes the use of online accounts and bots for prohibited purposes, and imposes harsh penalties for the communication of false statements of fact. These provisions can be used to crack down on legitimate sources of information, such as independent media, civil society, and human rights defenders, who expose the government’s atrocities, corruption, and discrimination against the Tamils.
The Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), introduced in Sri Lanka in 1979, bears a striking resemblance to this bill. Over the years, it has been used to target journalists, activists, and government critics, especially those from the Tamils. Furthermore, the PTA has been instrumental in restricting access to websites and social media platforms that expose human rights violations and war crimes in Sri Lanka. The consequences of this act have been devastating for the Tamils, resulting in numerous deaths, enforced disappearances, and instances of torture at the hands of the authorities.
The bill also threatens the digital economy and foreign investment in Sri Lanka.
The bill is a clear attempt by the government of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who came to power in 2022 after the previous president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, was ousted by mass protests over the country’s worst economic crisis, to consolidate his power and suppress any dissent ahead of the upcoming presidential election in 2024.
It is a tool to stifle the voices of the Tamils, who have been demanding justice, accountability, and self-determination for decades.
We urge the international community, especially the United Nations, the European Union, and the United States, to condemn the Online Safety Bill and pressure the Sri Lankan government to repeal it immediately.
If Sri Lanka fails to repeal the Online Safety Bill, which is widely regarded as a draconian piece of legislation, it could have serious consequences.
The United States and European Union should consider halting all business dealings with Sri Lanka, including suspending all exports and imports. Additionally, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) should reevaluate its financial support to Sri Lanka and consider withholding further loan disbursements.
