Social media block is appropriate - Mangala

by Sivakami
Mar 11, 2018

Sri Lanka's media minister and former foreign minister, Mangala Samaraweera defended the Sri Lankan president's decision to block access to social media, describing it as "appropriate and vital". 

Speaking to Sri Lankan Mirror, Mr Samaraweera was quoted as saying that "although he does not personally endorse censorship of social media, at this decisive moment, the decision taken by the president to temporarily block social media sites was an appropriate and vital decision." 

The social media blocked was ordered on March 7, following attacks by Sinhala mobs against Muslims in villages by Kandy. 

The restriction continued today despite the lifting of the curfew in the affected villages. 

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