Stories about Sri Lanka from January, 2010
Sri Lanka: ‘Lanka E news’ Banned
Journalists For Democracy In Sri Lanka blog informs that “the office of the ‘Lanka e news’, a prominent news website operating from Sri Lanka, has been sealed off by the authorities. [..] Two days before the elections, another regular contributor to the website, Prageeth Eknalogoda, went missing.”
Sri Lanka: Latest Updates On Twitter
“The short window for freedom of expression is now closed. It is unclear when and to what extent it will open again. #srilanka #lka” reads one Tweet by the Sri Lankan citizen media site Groundviews. Follow the Twitter account of Groundviews for more latest info.
Sri Lanka: Presidential Election Results Online
Lanka Libertarian will start to update the district-wise results of today's Sri Lankan presidential election as soon as they are gradually published. The Sri Lankan election department website will update the official results.
Sri Lanka: Election Irregularities
Indrajit Samarajiva at Indi.ca comments that with the presence of election monitors and somewhat independent election commission, rigging elections in Sri Lanka is tough. However: “the main method of influencing elections is intimidation, and that’s what’s going on.” Read his reports on explosions in Jaffna and irregularities in Batticaloa.
Sri Lanka: Political Reporter And Cartoonist Missing In Colombo
Journalists For Democracy In Sri Lanka blog informs that a political reporter and cartoonist is missing in Colombo on the eve of the presidential elections. Prageeth Ekneliyagoda has disappeared yesterday night (24th of January).
Sri Lankan Presidential Election: Social Media In Election Reporting
In less than 24 hours Sri Lankan voters will start to vote to decide who will be their 6th president. In this roundup we will highlight the use of social media in election reporting and the use of online campaigns by the candidates.
Sri Lanka: Tamils And Democracy
Lankanyyz at Musings from Toronto explains the reason for the claim that the Tamils in Sri Lanka don't have a voice: “the Tamil population don't have a strong political presence to represent them democratically.”
Sri Lanka: Meditate For A Peaceful Election
Sarvodaya, the largest NGO in Sri Lanka, has launched a 12 day long campaign comprising of a series of island-wide mass public events and daily meditations to ensure a peaceful presidential election.
Sri Lanka: The Tamil Votebank
Indrajit Samarajiva at Indi.ca discusses how Sri Lankan Tamils will vote and whether they will vote or stay out of the impending presidential election of Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka: Pre-Election Surveys
C A Saliya at Groundviews discusses various pre-election surveys for the upcoming presidential election in Sri Lanka. The surveys are showing conflicting outcomes.
Sri Lanka: Impressions Of Jaffna
Indrajit Samarajiva visited war ravaged Jaffna recently and writes about his impressions of the capital city of the Northern Province in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka: List of web resources for Haiti earthquake information and help
Sanjana Hattotuwa at ICT for Peacebuilding (ICT4Peace) informs that the ICT4Peace Foundation has created a page on its ICT4Peace Inventory wiki that links to a number of updated information sources to help the victims of the Haiti Earthquake.
Sri Lanka: Journalist Fell Prey To Election Violence
Committee To Protect Journalists reports that in an election campaign related violence BBC’s Sinhala service reporter Thakshila Dilrukshi was hospitalized after a political mob attacked her while she was on duty.
Sri Lankan Presidential Elections: The Heat Is On
As the date of presidential election approaches in Sri Lanka, the campaigns have grown intense and the heat can also be felt in the Sri Lankan blogosphere. Many bloggers are rallying behind their candidates and are engaging in strong debates with detailed analysis.
Sri Lanka: Election Violence
Centre for Monitoring Election Violence posts a video interview which discusses the news that supporters of Presidential candidate General Sarath Fonseka were attacked resulting death of one person and many were injured.
Sri Lanka: Tamil journalist J.S. Tissainayagam Released On Bail
Groundviews reports that: “Tamil journalist J.S. Tissainayagam was enlarged on bail today pending the appeal of his conviction under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. “
Sri Lanka: Rumor Mill At Work
“All I can wish for from now on till election-day is to permit all our eligible voters the chance to cast their secret ballot as they wish, and not be coaxed by monetary or illegal acts to go against their true wishes,” comments Serendipity on the upcoming presidential election in...
Sri Lanka: General Sarath Fonseka’s Election Manifesto
Ajith P. Perera at Dare to be different links to the election manifesto (English version) of General Sarath Fonseka, Sri Lankan presidential candidate of the common opposition.
Sri Lanka: Paying Global Media For Local Elections
Sri Lanka's incumbent president Mahinda Rajapakshe's aggressive re-election campaign includes purchasing banner ads on leading global media sites. Groundviews questions what is the point of paying global media for local elections.
South Asia: Looking Back At 2009 (Part 2)
This is the second part of our retrospection of some of the major events, which took place in 2009 in the South Asian countries, seen through the eyes of the citizen journalists.
Sri Lanka: Corruption in Campaign
“Without an independent and reliable Elections Commission there will be abuse,” comments Indi.ca while discussing the corruption in campaign of the upcoming presidential elections in Sri Lanka.