Ceylon Chamber gravely concerned about freedom of information restrictions

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce on Sunday expressed grave concerns over the evolving situation in Sri Lanka particularly the impact of the restrictions on the freedom of speech and other fundamental rights of the people that can damage the reputation of Sri Lanka at a time when ‘we’ badly need the goodwill of the international community to recover from current economic challenges.

“We are gravely concerned about the far-reaching adverse consequences of certain actions being taken by the Government on economic activity such as tourism, trade, exports and e-commerce dependent on social media platforms, while appreciating the need to maintain law and order and public security in the country. The adverse coverage Sri Lanka is getting on international media, particularly on the imposition of a state of emergency can cause serious damage at a time when the tourism sector is just beginning to stage a recovery,” it said in a statement.

The chamber urged the Government to communicate on reasons that have led to the introduction of such harsh measures. The Ceylon Chamber also requests the various authorities responsible for the availability of fuel, electricity and gas to communicate clearly on the current status, which is of immediate concern to both businesses and public at large, particularly if improvement can be expected in the near future.