Elizabeth M. Allen, Deputy Secretary of State for Diplomatic Affairs of the United States of America, who is in Sri Lanka, commenting on the ‘Online Safety Act’, emphasized that “trying to hide problems rather than solving them is an outdated tool”.
In a press conference yesterday (19), the American Deputy Diplomatic Secretary mentioned the Online Act. Julie Chung, the American Ambassador to this country, also joined the event.
Commenting further, the Deputy Secretary said, “When the Online Act was passed last January, we continued to express concern about it privately and publicly. We will continue to do so. Muffling the sound makes things even more confusing. Trying to hide problems rather than solving them is an outdated tool. We are focusing on the process of amending the Online Security Act. We have been given an opportunity to comment on that. We offer our ideas privately and publicly.
The Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission also has informed the Speaker in writing that the government led by President Ranil Wickremesinghe has passed this Act in complete violation of the Supreme Court’s rules.
