Lanka bars NGOs from engaging in unauthorised activities

Sri Lanka has issued a new rule barring non-governmental organisations from engaging in "unauthorised activities" beyond their mandate.
The National NGO Secretariat, functioning under the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development had on July 1 issued a new regulation which stated, it has been found that certain non governmental Organisations conduct press conferences, workshops, training for journalists, and dissemination of press releases which is beyond their mandate.
Defending the new regulation, Defence ministry spokesman, Ruwan Wanigasuriya said the new rule governing the conduct of NGOs was not meant to curb their operations.
"We reiterate that all NGOs should prevent "unauthorised activities" with immediate effect, he said.

"This is not a new order. The same regulations have been in force since 1999. We have only asked them to work within their stated objectives when applying to be registered," he added.
He also said it has been noted that some of the NGOs had been registered as non profit making ventures.

"We only require them to work within the agreed framework and not go beyond it. They must limit their operations to stated objectives in their applications submitted for registration. There is no specific reason for this decision," Wanigasuriya said.
The NGO sources in Sri Lanka had last month said, a media training workshop organised by the Transparency International was halted due to concerns raised by the defence establishment.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has often accused NGOs operating in the country for action inimical to Sri Lanka's national interests.