President Maithripala Sirisena following a meeting with the Mahanayka Theras of the Three Sangha Nikaya yesterday agreed to appoint an independent committee to look into disinformation campaigns carried out by some parties and individuals with a sinister aim to discredit the country’s good image. The members of the Mahasangha had pointed out to the President that a committee is be needed to uncover the truth about such instances where some well-organized parties and individuals have apparently made attempts to discredit the country on an international footing by swaying the hearts and minds of the international community that the country has communal violence between Sinhalese people and communal minority groups.
They called attention of the President that spreading of various false stories by these groups which in most cases have attempted to paint a bad picture of the Sinhalese as hardliners who abuse and attack other ethnic groups, have brought about negative international influence on the country.
The theras further said that what one may get to see on a newspaper may not be true as somebody would have put it or said it. And truth must be disclosed with the help of a committee to investigate such disinformation and those who spread them.