Several reports of a takeover of Sri Lanka’s oldest major press house have emerged following Mahinda Rajapaksa’s swearing in as prime minister.
Unions loyal to the Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Party (SLPP) seized editorial control of major publications at the press house on Saturday. Editors of Sundayobservor.lk and dailynews.lk reported that they were forced to leave after ceding editorial control to Rajapaksa loyalists.
The press house, Associated Newspapers of Ceylon also known as Lake House, publishes 3 daily newspapers, 3 weekend newspapers, and 5 weekly newspapers.
Reports of the takeover add to earlier news of a takeover of television stations by Rajapaksa loyalists.