'Careful when you talk in public in SL'

International staff working in Sri Lanka have been warned to avoid careless talk amid concern that the government in Colombo is going to extraordinary lengths to suppress dissent.

Staff received a notice from the European Union this week telling them to be careful when discussing the country's conflict because the government had set up a hotline for the public to call if they heard people criticising the government or the security forces.

The warning followed the detention last week of three members of a Channel 4 News team, including the Asia correspondent, Nick Paton Walsh, after a report contained allegations about the treatment of civilians in internment camps.

The notice, issued through the EU-Alert network, warned: "All staff, spouses and affiliated individuals should be aware that a local radio station issued a telephone number this morning for the general public to report any foreigners who are seen or heard criticising the government and/or security forces.

"Please be aware of your surroundings and who you are speaking to if discussing such subjects, even in the workplace but especially in hotels, restaurants, taxis, tuktuks and any other public place."

Comments (4)

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Nothing surprising. They know they are committing crimes so they are trying to take extreme measures to stop spreading their brutal acts known to the world. Sad indeed but the world already knows the TRUTH.

aksha , May 16, 2009

SL Govt - you are not going to walk away

Almost all countries which are closely following the events in SL know that SL Govt is not telling the truth at all. Though the International community (IC), to certain extent, pretend to believe the SL Govt, many feel that the IC is working behind the scenes and there is something in the cooking. Hope the IC has collected enough evidence and knows more than what SL Govt is hiding. What SL Govt thought and executed is appeared to be a clever plan only for the SL sinhalese in the south and the SL Govt back benchers - but not to the IC - in fact it is a stupid plan and the SL Govt has dug its own grave - with limited IQ and appalling diplomatic moves of the Rajapakse Regime. While the sinhalease start celebrating the "Military Defeat" of Tamil Tigers they also should start planning to face the consequences - 'what is next' by the IC or the Tigers could be a real surprise and the SL Govt may have to go back and beg the IC, especially US, UK and the EU. The current SL Govt has proved that it has no clear long term vision or any intention to find long lasting solutions for any of the problems of the country. It is an unstable Govt and with no moral values. The 'new friends' of SL will not overlook this and be cautious that SL Govt can change its colour any time. SL's path ahead looks very lonely.... when the SL Govt is alone without any 'friends' they can't even touch the tail of the Tigers..... So the future of SL and the sinhalese is going to be not only lonely but also very scary.... Hey poor sinhalese if you think that Rajapkse brothers are heros then you better stop and think twice... they are mass murderers too and they will waste no time in killing anyone in the country including you. The Rajapakse brothers can't walk away form this and will be going down soon, taking the country along.

Killedin83 , May 17, 2009

-1

SL Govt - you are not going to walk away

What Killedin83 had written is absolutely true. That would be the way, if there some humanity atleast is remaining in the world. The British has the moral resposibility to do justice. They have already failed. Could they be doing justice in future?

Dr. V. Pandian , May 17, 2009

Keep your mouth shut for ever

EU or anybody who is silent today, keep your mouths shut for ever. All of you people know what is in the bag for Lankan in the future. At that time keep doing the same what you are doing now. If you dare doing the opposite, you will be minus what’s in your mouth. Be careful.

EMESKAY , May 17, 2009

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