Blocking websites is simple; only sending an 

SMS is needed!

 Wednesday, 04 June 2014

More than eight websites have been blocked in Sri Lanka by now. However, director general of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission Anusha Pelpita says more than 1,500 websites have been blocked in Sri Lanka, and that almost all of them are ‘obscene’ websites. However, Anusha Pelpita intentionally avoids defining the word ‘obscene.’

According to his standards, the most obscene website in Sri Lanka is Tamilnet. It was blocked seven to eight years ago because it had exposed to the world the obscene information with regard to the cruel war. Within three months of its inception in March 2009, Lanka News Web was blocked in Sri Lanka, accusing it to be the Sinhala mouthpiece of the Tigers. Later, LankaENews, Sri Lanka Guardian, Sri Lanka Mirror, Independent.lk, News of Colombo, Colombo Telegraph were blocked in that order.

Afterwards, Lanka News Web changed its domain name to lankanewsweb.net for a different purpose, and then it became accessible in Sri Lanka again.

But, on June 02, TRC DG Anusha Pelpita, sending an SMS from his mobile phone no: 0714191175 to Hutchison company, instructed it to block lankanewsweb.net with immediate effect. When an official of the company inquired about the reason for the blockade, Pelpita has said that Lanka News Web had published a news article that insults him. Inquired further by the Hutchison official, Pelpita has gone on to say that the insulting article in question was titled ‘Tor removes Pelpita’s trousers.’

Blockades are nothing new to us. While thanking Anusha Pelpita for once again blocking us that has effectively resulted in an increase in our readership, we would like to make him one request. That is – go before a mirror and look at yourself. “Aren’t you in the nude? Who has done this crime to you? Why should you remove your trousers for 50 cement bags and two cubes of sand?