Civil servants barred from social media opinions

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka ordered civil servants not to express opinions on social media after some officials claimed schoolchildren were fainting from a lack of food, AFP reported.

In a fresh order to 1.5 million state employees, the Ministry of Public Administration and Management said a long-established ban on speaking to reporters now extends to social media posts.

“Expressing opinions on social media by a public officer … shall constitute an offence that leads to taking disciplinary action,” the order said.

It followed claims from provincial health officials and teachers that dozens of students were fainting in schools because of a lack of food.

Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella dismissed claims of malnutrition among young children.

He accused “politically motivated” public health workers of exaggerating the situation.

However, the World Food Programme said in its latest report that six million Sri Lankans — nearly a third of the island country’s population — are “food insecure and require humanitarian assistance.”