2026.04.23
Mr. Anura Kumara Dissanayake
Hon. President
Presidential Secretariat
Colombo 01
Dear Mr. President,
Condemnation of the brutal behavior of the President’s Media Unit advisor
We strongly and with deep disapproval condemn the disgraceful conduct of Chandana Sooriya Bandara, Media Advisor of the President’s Media Unit, who obstructed the professional duties of two journalists from the Lake House media institution while they were covering the ongoing non-violent “Ehithassiko” Bhikkhu peace march in the country, and who allegedly physically assaulted and intimidated them, forcing them away from the site.
It is ironic that the victims of this brutal conduct by your Media Advisor in Dambulla were journalists Buwaneka S. Perera and another journalist from the same state-owned media institution, Lake House, which operates under your government’s control. Your Media Advisor appears to have acted beyond the limits of a public official’s authority, showing preferential treatment toward a private media institution in an inappropriate manner. We consider this an incident that clearly reflects the media policy of your administration, and we express our deep regret regarding it.
Furthermore, this assault by your Media Advisor Chandana Sooriya Bandara is clearly an extension of the broader state repression mechanism, which includes previous governments’ repressive laws such as the so-called National Media Policy, the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PSTA), and the Online Safety Act (OSA). It also reflects the current alarming trend where officials of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs reportedly seek the protection of the Ministry of Defence to suppress freedom of expression and speech.
Therefore, we request your urgent attention to immediately stop such violent acts carried out using state authority, which undermine media freedom in Sri Lanka, and to create an environment where journalists can perform their duties with professional dignity. We emphasize that under your administration, what should be restrained is not the media or journalists of this country, but rather officials like this Media Advisor who engage in such violent conduct and bring disrepute to the state.
Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
Duminda Sampath
President
Ranga Bandaranayake
Secretary
Copies:
- Minister of Mass Media – Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa
