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UPDATE - SRI LANKA
21 June 2007
Minister admits desire to hire hackers to disable news website; remarks
tantamount to "cyber-terrorism," says FMM
SOURCE: Free Media Movement (FMM), Colombo
**Updates previous IFEX alert of 21 June 2007**
(FMM/IFEX) - The following is an FMM press release:
Government Minister admits to cyber-terrorism: Attempts to hack Tamilnews
website
21st June 2007, Colombo, Sri Lanka - The Free Media Movement (FMM)
unequivocally condemns the outrageous statement by Minister Keheliya
Rambukwella, as reported by the BBC's Sinhala Service and by AFP today,
that he would love to hire hackers to disable Tamilnet, but had not found
anyone yet for the job.
Minister Rambukwella's statement is tantamount to government sanctioned
cyber-terrorism against websites that do not toe its line. The reference to
the use of hackers to shut down websites is a strategy that violates the
responsibility to protect fundamental rights of citizens, including the
freedom of expression and the right to information, of a Government
Minister. The Minister's statement also puts him at cross purposes with the
Computer Crimes Bill enacted in Sri Lanka earlier this year, holding him
culpable under the law for attempting to hack into a website with the
intent to cause disruption.
The FMM seeks urgent clarification from the Government as to whether
Minister Rambukwella's comments are indicative of official Government
policy to shutdown, disrupt or censor content and websites on the Internet.
If not, the FMM seeks a full retraction from the Minister and reiterates
that the Government must immediately unblock access to Tamilnet in Sri
Lanka.
For further information, contact the Free Media Movement, 237/22, Wijeya
Kumaratunga Road, Colombo 05, Sri Lanka, tel: +94 777 312 457 / +94 11 257
3439, fax: +94 11 471 4460, e-mail: fmm@sltnet.lk, Internet:
http://www.freemediasrilanka.org
The information contained in this update is the sole responsibility of FMM.
In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit FMM.
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