Public Security Minister clarifies Social Media rumors on LTTE memorials

Sri Lanka’s Minister of Public Security, Ananda Wijepala, stated today (December 4) in a special statement in Parliament that 244 commemoration events were held in the North and only about ten of them displayed certain symbols.

The police have reported this and have enforced the law regarding these events.

Minister Wijepala also added:

“What we have seen is a public uprising for national reconciliation. People from both the north and south of Sri Lanka, setting aside ethnic and religious divisions have come together for this movement.

In recent days, discussions about the great war memorials have been circulating in society. We acknowledge that people have the right to remember their deceased relatives.

However, my statement regarding the LTTE organization, which is a banned group, and the restriction on displaying its flags during memorials, has been misinterpreted and presented with a false meaning.

I have filed a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) about this matter and an investigation is underway.

The police report that 244 memorial events were held in the north and in ten of these, certain symbolic flags were displayed. The police have enforced the law and judicial action has been taken.

Social media has been used to spread distorted reactions based on memorial events held in the north. Photos from previous LTTE memorials have been shared under the guise of this year’s events.

Some of these photos were downloaded from the internet, while others were from events held abroad.

An organized group managing social media in the south has fabricated these false reports to create discord among ethnic groups.

They are attempting to influence society by suggesting that the photos are from LTTE memorials held in the north after Anura Kumara Dissanayake came to power.

We have taken notice of this and acted accordingly, conducting surveillance and discovering that this activity was initiated by an organized political group that had failed.

In response to these false propaganda efforts, the police have taken action and as a result, several individuals have been arrested including those from the north, Baddagama area, Maradana and Boralesgamuwa.”