Sri Lanka: Reporting on kick-backs banned

Thursday, 01 November 2007

Sri Lanka on Wednesday imposed a ban on the reporting of kick-backs paid to government officials involved in the purchase of items for the military. The order made by President Mahinda Rajapaksa prohibits journalists from revealing amounts paid by arms dealers to Sri Lankan officials. Earlier in the year the President's brother cum Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa was reported to have bought ageing Mig27 bomber jets at extortionate prices because they offered large kick-backs.

According to evidence unearthed by the media, the dead which was supposedly a government-to-government one was carried out by a London based intermediary.

Wednesday's ruling also bars the media from reporting on any loses incurred by the military.

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