Sri Lanka: Magazines "Himal" and "The Economist" detained by customs

Click here to read the Himal article
Click here to read The Economist article

The March issue of the Himal magazine and April 3 issue of The Economist have been detained by the Customs Department due to two articles published in the two publications.

The controversial article in Himal is a comparison of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the late President J.R. Jayewardene while The Economist article deals with funds allocated through NGOs for projects in Sri Lanka. The Himal March issue, which had arrived in the country in early March nor The Economist magazine, which was to go on the stands yesterday (3) have been released by the Customs.

Owner of Vijitha Yapa Bookshops, Vijitha Yapa said that whenever a magazine is imported into the country the Customs Department studies the contents before releasing the consignment. If there are any articles considered controversial, the magazine is referred to the Information Department and the Director General of the Media Center for National Security, Lakshman Hulugalle.

According to Yapa, it is not clear if the Himal March issue and The Economist April 3 issue would be released by the Customs Department.

© The Sunday Leader