Jayantha Dhanapala Is A Liar; Caught Lying Over Silence On Colombo Telegraph Blocking
March 16, 2014
Jayantha Dhanapala, member of the Board of Directors, Dialog Axiata PLC, key co-signatory of the Friday Forum and much sought after resource person for workshops, seminars and conferences on good governance, has studiously dodged queries from Colombo Telegraph regarding his silence on the matter of Colombo Telegraph being blocked by Dialog. [Colombo Telegraph is being blocked by all internet service providers and mobile networks – private and state owned – in Sri Lanka.]
Dhanapala
Dhanapala, one time Under Secretary General, United Nations, was specifically asked to state his position regarding the blocking of Colombo Telegraph given his many media communiques championing the freedom of expression.
Dhanapala, in his communications with Colombo Telegraph uses the word ‘alleged’, implying that he is not certain if indeed Dialog had blocked Colombo Telegraph. However, our investigations reveal that he had told his friends that he could not access Colombo Telegraph. This was 7-10 days prior to our first communication with him. The use of the word is inexplicable since Colombo Telegraph provided him with the technical reportwhich clearly shows that Dialog was indeed blocking Colombo Telegraph. Dhanapala has claimed that he is aregular reader of Colombo Telegraph. As such it would be strange indeed if he, a Director of Dialog, was using another internet service provider to access the site.
He has explained the long delay to respond by claiming that relevant personnel in the senior management of Dialog had been abroad and therefore, presumably, unable to respond. This is strange considering the fact that Dialog is about fast and easy communications services. It is hard to believe that the said personnel did not enjoy roaming facilities or were uncontactable via text or email.
Dhanapala has taken pains to distance himself from the blocking by pointing to the fact that he is an independent, non-executive director of Dialog. He has intimated to Colombo Telegraph that he had been advised that responding to any external communications on company affairs is the sole responsibility of the Executive Management. He has, accordingly, requested Colombo Telegraph to raise issues with the same.
