NEW CENSORSHIP OF SMS NEWS IN SRI LANKA

After messages were sent about deaths of three army soldiers in Jaffna, a new SMS Alert with approval introduced:

Last Thursday night in Chavakachcheri in Jaffna area, a quarrel between three soldiers on a private matter had prolonged and had ended in a heated argument. The end result had been that one soldier shooting two soldiers and the killing self by committing suicide by shooting himself on his head.
This occurrence had been sent via ‘SMS’ to many mobile phones by several mobile companies instantly via news ‘Alerts’. However it had been noticed that such messages had been sent on earlier instances distorting the correctness of the incident.
The Director General of Defence Services, Lakshman Hulugalla has been forced to make a ruling that before such messages in the form of ‘News Alerts’ are sent with the approval of the Media Unit of the Defence is needed .This new ruling was announced by the Director General of the Defence Services.
In the context of the above the prior approval of the Media service Unit has to be obtained before ‘SMS’ news ‘Alerts’ are sent to mobile phones. As earlier these messages will not be sent instantly, but only after the approval of the Media information unit of the defence forces. This incident had taken place at 11.30 p.m on Thursday night, near the Sri Murugan Kovil involving three soldiers who were on duty. The new laws have been enacted from Friday by the Ministry of Defence.
This is not at all to do with terrorists or an attempt on the national security. However from last Friday onwards the SMS ‘Alert’ law in now in force.