Despite the Sri Lankan government’s announcement of freeing previously blocked by the Rajapaksa regime and even after the appointment of President’s brother Kumarasinghe Sirisena as the chairman of Sri Lanka Telecom, Colombo Telegraph continues to be blocked.
New President Maithripala Srisena
The new president, who took office on January 9th, has ordered the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission to lift the ban on news sites that were blocked under Rajapaksa.
After the presidential elections of the 8th of January 2015, the Internet blocking that was taking place at the mobile operator Dialog Axiata PLC against the website Colombo Telegraph was released. The site remains under monitoring at the Sri Lanka Telecom network, the largest telecommunication provider in the country.
Sri Lanka Telecom, one country, one voice and one block!
Our research reveals that the blocking is talking place at the servers ns.slt.lk, particularly the server 203.115.0.46, that is actively tampering the name resolution of colombotelegraph.com.
Users requesting access to the domain name colombotelegraph.com that make use of domain name servers depending on Sri Lanka Telecom get a bogus response (127.0.0.1), that makes the site unaccessible.
We have tested this behavior from the following networks inside Sri Lanka Telecom. 203.115.18.0/24, 203.115.19.0/24, 203.94.73.0/24, 220.247.213.0/24 and 220.247.225.0/24. The first four networks correspond to customer’s lease lines and the forth network is a government network hosting websites like “The Public Service Commission” or the “ICT Agency for Sri Lanka”.
Our research confirms that DNS requests in these networks are forwarded to server r1.ns.slt.lk, a domain name server resolver located in the central office of Sri Lanka Telecom at the OTS Bulding in Lotus Road in Colombo.
Our forensic examination also shows evidence that the interception is implemented by a Barracuda* appliance. Barracuda appliances are sold by South Asian Technologies Ltd., the authorized distributor of Barracuda products in Sri Lanka.
Barracuda is an American security firm funded in 2003 by Dean Drako that became lately notoriously known for integrating backdoors in their products.
It is our understanding that the blocking was implemented at the direction of the Telecom Regulatory Commission and/or the Minister. Under the provisions of the Sri Lanka Telecommunications Act, No. 25 of 1991, s. 69, “the Minister may, upon being satisfied of the above matter by Order made either generally and published in the Gazette or specially in writing in respect of any telecommunication service provided in any place in Sri Lanka or in any ship in the territorial waters of Sri Lanka or in any vehicle or aircraft in or over Sri Lanka or the territorial waters thereof.”
In the absence of such lawful order, we contend that the TRCSL has engaged in an act that is ultra vires. Colombo Telegraph request the Sri Lankan government authorities to examine the facts of the case and provide us with (a) a detailed explanation and (b) an assurance that such unlawful acts shall not be repeated.
*Barracuda Appliances with backdoors;
Related posts;
UNP Urges Rambukwella To Unblock Colombo Telegraph
President Rajapaksa Phoned TRC Palpita To Ask Colombo Telegraph Blockade
Ranil Demands Rajapaksa Unblock Web Sites
TRC Head Palpita ‘Selective’ And ‘Inconsistent’
Dhanapala Steps Down From Dialog Board
Fears For Ad Revenue From Dialog Stops Sri Lankan Print Media From Taking Dhanapala Issue
‘I Give Dhanapala The Benefit Of The Doubt’ Says Radhika
Calling Jayantha Dhanapala A Liar, Or The Tragedy Of Lankan Public Life
Swedish Govt. Appointee Dhanapala’s Unethical Behavior Embarrassment To The SIPRI
‘Dhanapala Must Choose’ Says Saravanamuttu
Picture Evidence: After Dhanapala Addressed BASL Meeting Dialog Blocked Colombo Telegraph Again
Dialog Unblocked Colombo Telegraph For Dhanapala To Address A Public Meeting
Jayantha Dhanapala Is A Liar; Caught Lying Over Silence On Colombo Telegraph Blocking
Jayaratne Says Dhanapala Will Stand By Best Practices, Dhanapala Pussyfoots On Illegal Web Blocking
International Press Institute Urges UN To Ensure Interference With Colombo Telegraph Ends
Article 19 Slams Ban On Colombo Telegraph Website
Dhanapala May Be Influenced By Large Payment He Receives From Dialog – Professor Kumar David
‘Dhanapala’s Position Ethically Untenable’ Says Dr. Pradeep Jeganathan
Sri Lanka Blocks Websites And The President Lies On Twitter
Once Again Colombo Telegraph Blocked; Dialog And Etisalat Tamper DNS Responses
TRC Blocks Colombo Telegraph, Warns Service Providers To Maintain It’s A ‘Technical Glitch’
Colombo Telegraph Blocked, How To Reach Us Now: Sri Lanka Telecom And Mobitel Joins The DPI Club!
Sri Lankan Govt. Periodically Blocked Colombo Telegraph In 2013: US Human Rights Report
History of Colombo Telegraph blocking
First -December 26, 2011 – We are blocked but we will not be stopped
Second – May 8, 2012 – Colombo Telegraph Blocked Again
Third – March 29, 2013 – Sri Lanka Blocks Colombo Telegraph and Selected Tweets: Colombo Telegraph Unblocked
Fourth – August 23, 2013 – Colombo Telegraph Blocked, How To Reach Us Now: Sri Lanka Telecom And Mobitel Joins The DPI Club!
Other attempts
October 26, 2012 – Colombo Telegraph Was Hacked
August 9, 2012 – Colombo Telegraph Password Cracking Attempt Blocked
Freedom House Report: Freedom On The Net 2012, Sri Lanka Is A Country At Risk
penny / February 5, 2015
I’m using SLT internet, but always been able to access Colombo Telegraph since the elections finished. Maybe only certain points are having issues?
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Raja / February 5, 2015
History by TNA at national event The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) created history today by taking part in the national independence day celebrations at Parliament grounds in Kotte, the first time since 1972 when it was decided that Sri Lanka’s main Tamil political parties will boycott independence day celebrations. TNA leader R. Sampanthan, who was among those who agreed in 1972 to boycott national independence day celebrations, attended today’s event. His participation at the national event after 43 years boosted President Maithripala Sirisena’s call for national unity and reconciliation. The TNA had boycotted national independence day celebrations in the past on the basis that Tamils in Sri Lanka had yet to experience true independence.
http://colombogazette.com/2015/02/04/history-by-tna-at-national-event/
Rift in TNA Over Sampanthan and Sumanthiran Attending 67th Independence Day Celebrations Without Party Taking Decision
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Bandu / February 5, 2015
Im using SLT Inet too but have NEVER been able to access CT after the elections. By the way, I live in Bullers Road. Have been wondering what the matter was ever since the news of the lifting of the ban and thought it was only me. But now, I find that it is a deliberate act – understandable coz they wouldn’t want their own misdeeds exposed. After all, most corrupt people have still been given plum jobs like Ministers etc and actions like the illegal mining of river sand etc need to be hidden from the gullible voters eyes. After all, don’t we have old wine packaged in new bottles?
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Navin / February 5, 2015
Aiyyo Sirisena thamuse koheda inne?
Do not disgrace us for supporting you.
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Sinchuappu / February 5, 2015
Please exercise some patience – time will let that adjusted properly. Now it is not even 4wks gone.
You dont need to fall on to the level of WImal Buruwanse calling the most decent Prez in that way. Patience is what we the emotional folks need to practise.
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whywhy / February 5, 2015
The country was fast moving towards a bottomless pit
when My3 & Co rescued it in a daring mission.Now
some people want quick fix to nine year sufferings.
No problems have magic solutions!Building up a near
lost country, a poor country is no easy task.They
promised actions and not magic.To demolish a building
you only need a bulldozer but to build up you need
hundreds of hands and machines and months!But we are
talking about rebuilding democracy that was in full
abuse.
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ahmed / February 5, 2015
“Now some people want quick fix to nine year sufferings.”
Come one you silly dude; You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to be able to ‘fix’ a problem as elementary as lifting the ban on CT. How much time do you require anyway. Another nine years? Bah!
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whywhy / February 6, 2015
Sorry,wise macaroni,it should be the top priority!
Even CT wanted it that way!
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Samuel Fernando / February 5, 2015
The patience that the people controlled over under most dangerous MR regime – has started to loose in the presence of cultured leader. His speech held on the independence was the greatest ever message – top leadership has made since brutal war crushed also claiming unknown numbers of civilian causualties. WE THE PEACE LOVING SHOULD BE GRATEFUL TO ALL THAT SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES FOR FIGHTING THAT BRUAL WAR.
Reconciliation should be started from each of us- so long people would not learn to behave civilized – nothing would have been achieved towards the permanent peace. Developing natons such ours have all kind of problems while working for peace- however the basics above everything should be harmony in mind. Latter to be achieved religious leaders regardless of the reglions should be linked as no other times in the past.
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Sinchuappu / February 5, 2015
You the like would for sure address your elders to the very same manner ?
So how would you take part inthe process of “Yahapalanaya -GOOD GOVERNANCE”- if Buruwanse et all would change themselves, to the very same mannner Kelaniya Mervin eagled out -society is easy to get the track in the days to come.
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bo / February 6, 2015
A lot of readers here have said that CT is not blocked in SLK and is accessible. So please control wrong knee jerk reactions.
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penny / February 5, 2015
It is not blocked. I can access it through my slt connection
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Peace Lover / February 5, 2015
I dont have any issue in accesing CT ,but please note that SLT might have MR’s moles inside who block CT randomly?
dont put anything past MR
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Vibhushana / February 5, 2015
The same name server responds with the correct IP for TamilNet.
So it may not be a conspiracy. I could be just an administrative error. It could even be a member of staff you pissed off there. Its a private company anyway.
I don’t think Sirisena brother will have anything to do with blocking sites.
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sach / February 5, 2015
Dont lie. It is possible to access CT from SLT.
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Samuel Fernando / February 5, 2015
CT- please what is the purpose of adding this kind of articles as if an amok runner wuld do so. Not even a month passed since they came to power. There are lot more to set right from the debries they were handed over.
So it is better to think before leap.
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shabs / February 5, 2015
Dear colombo telegraph
Being a very active reader of your online e news tabloid I personally feel that you shouldn’t make a storm in a team cup regarding the blocking issue. You see by seing a news article of this particulary I’m already feeling hopeless to read this blog in future. Some people already think that Colombo telegraph is publishing news while exaggerating certain details. You rather address this out to SLT or the president directly than making a news article of it with all the tech details.
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Sirimal / February 5, 2015
Great – the same goes through my head while aadding this.
CT is sometimes act as if captious commentators of the site react mostly. If we cant behave right, how can we point the fingers at others ?
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Native Vedda / February 5, 2015
shabs
“Being a very active reader of your online e news tabloid”
tabloid meaning:
a newspaper having pages half the size of those of the average broadsheet, typically popular in style and dominated by sensational stories.
lurid and sensational.
Please compare CT to other tabloids and justify your description.
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Sherwin Dias / February 5, 2015
I dont have any problem following Colombo Telegraph after the elections, I am followinf each and every article of:-
1. Colombo Telepgraph.
2. Lanka E News.
3. D.B.S. Jeyaraj.
I am well informed of whats happening in Sri Lanka every minute.
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Sun / February 5, 2015
They are just going to make an issue out of NO-ISSUE.
Now pointing fingers to anything but unti 8th Jan – we were all fighting for a choice.
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gaje / February 5, 2015
Dear CT,
I am using mobitel IN SRILANKA NOW and I have not being blocked! Pleas clarify the accusation!
I will be one of the first to report if blocked whether it is Mahinda or Sirisena. But for now I have no problem!!
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Tharu / February 5, 2015
What rubbish ! I am able to access CT without any difficulty through SLT.
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Rohan Polwatte / February 5, 2015
Colombo Telepgraph Please be more responsible when you write articles. Dont be bitching for nothing.
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Sammy / February 5, 2015
I don’t know about the technicalities mentioned but I have been able to access Colombo Telegraph website via SLT Broadband connection, since MR was ousted and which I had not been able to directly for a long time. Maybe it is just a technical glitch which would get corrected.
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Tungsan / February 5, 2015
This is a false claim. Apologize immediately or be known as a site with no responsible reporting.
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Mals / February 5, 2015
I’m reading CT right now using a SLT connection.
If it’s just on some connections, I wouldn’t be surprised it’s a mistake mess up by SLT. Many times they have fixed issues with connections just to have it happen again and again, and the only possible honest answer I ever got with them was a technician who said that the equipment was re-setting to old settings. Could be something similar. Just plain incompetence rather than conspiracy.
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Josh / February 5, 2015
im on an SLT ADSL connection and im able to read this article now and have been able to access CT since 10th January 2015..
I guess the problem is within private networks who may have blocked it internally for what ever reasons..
You guys should have done some more research or testing before making such stupid allegations..
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Burning Issue / February 5, 2015
CT must have had a reason for this news; it was incorrectly published, they should take responsibility. If on the other hand, CT is indeed banned, they should provide evidence.
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manel fonseka / February 5, 2015
Nonsense! After those long months of blocking I am now perfectly able to access CT via SLT.
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Sama / February 5, 2015
accusing the other has become the style to this day.
But at the time the rascals went on abusing – nothing nobody came forward that quickly. How come some people to have become just born carlves. Even for no reason MS-RW are being blamed.
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manel fonseka / February 6, 2015
It seems I have misunderstood CT’s article here about the blocking & thus jumped to the conclusion that their charge is incorrect. I apologize for using the epithet “nonsense” about their article and will try to avoid commenting in future on anything that I havent understood completely.
How amazing, though, that Mangala Samaraweera has taken the trouble to call Uvindu with all the pressures of the 100 day program that he must be carrying.
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Gavin / February 5, 2015
If you do have problem accessing CT, install and use Tor browser instead of IE and Mozilla Firefox. This is what I used all along during the blockade and never felt left out.
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Nalin / February 5, 2015
It is not blocked. I can access it through my slt connection
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Pot Shot / February 5, 2015
OH common CT, I have verified this with various people and nobody has any issue accessing your site in Colombo. I am getting increasingly concerned about the credibility of you reporting, starting with Gota fleeing to the Maldives?
I would say get your act together and give this government some space to fulfil their work. Its important that you guys report accurately as CT was the only source of information during MaRa’s time.
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Rajj / February 5, 2015
This is nonsense the website is not blocked and am able to access it through both Dialog and SLT.
Previously it was very clear that it was blocked. A thorough check should be done before publishing news, since people do trust the news published by Colombo telegraph.
It is the same group of readers who a midst all the blocking rendered their support to you
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l de Silva / February 5, 2015
This is totally irresponsible reporting! ! I have and still able to access ur site.
This kind of irresponsible reporting is what got u ppl blocked in the first place! !
If u are the kind of journalists that ppl are supposed to rely on kindly get ur basics right in journalism, ie what where when who how andof course ur facts straight, which goes without saying of course! !
You guys are so immature! ! Shame on you CT!!
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Segfault / February 5, 2015
This is completely false Please stop spreading false news. this is not real journalism.
it’s working fine over SLT/Dialog/Mobitel networks.
DNS servers can have temporary downtime, its just normal. and this is not research, rather polling your route, and dns nodes, until you hit a temporary dead node, and after that you create news from that ?
you guys are really disgusting. get a life. and a new system administrator. since he’s really jobless.
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John / February 5, 2015
Aggressive much? heh
Some people like you need to read between the lines, it is said that SOME dns servers, and that SOME users may be affected.
Not all users use the isp DNS servers (some devices have opendns/google dns hardcoded/set).
The SLT dns point colombotelegraph to 127.0.0.1 . This is a fact.
So either you are a shameless SLT employee, or you don’t have the knowledge to verify.
But again: SLT is blocking CT. Post a technical document if you think otherwise, not “i can access it”, they know it.
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Huz / February 6, 2015
The burden of proof is upon CT since they claimed the site is blocked. They don’t say “some DNS servers”. At least not in a way a non tech savvy person will understand.
This piece is written in such a way that anybody who doesn’t know how networks function will assume the worst.
CT going down the drain as of late.
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Chinnaa / February 5, 2015
Dear CT,
I had a lot of respect for your site until i found that you are just trying to catch short term attention of the readers by bringing up controversial stories. Im using SLT and it is working perfectly fine. Even if there was an issue, how could you write blaming to the level country’s president without even authenticating! Is this the responsibility you take in informing public? I have personally recommended your site for many of my friends but now i regret after reading this story.
Thats it CT, done with my loyalty to you! Adios!
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Samitha / February 5, 2015
I can access the site through dialog..I don’t know but it looks like this site always wants to point out the negatives of a government, even if the allegations are false..Quite childish actually…I’m having doubts about your credibility..We can simply read Dinamina or Silumina for this type of pure bullshit
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Reza / February 5, 2015
I have been reading thru proxies CT earliar, but lately never experienced what you claim. And why the heading Sirisena Bros….
Please let all know President is elected by People not by Newssite, TV. Stations etc. Lets help in the change for the good.
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Village Green Guy / February 5, 2015
CT editor:
If I were the editor, I would have interviewed Kumarasinghe Sirisena for a response.
Had you done so, your investigation would have carried greater weight or you would have saved a lot of space with no story at all. Apparently, you preferred sensationalism.
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Mallaiyuran / February 5, 2015
So far what important things took place was confiscating the KP’s passport, dismissing MP from CJ post and putting stoppage on the Northern highway.
Jayantha sacrificing his body, soul and possessions to disrupt the UNHRC initiations.
The election date right after UNHRC sitting dates is something real issue for suspicion. I wonder if the election will be conducted with a bashing west. The dates looks like a safe passage for that.
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Huz / February 5, 2015
CT, change your ISP!
Attention hungry, much?
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Nori Fujihara / February 6, 2015
It looks that certain subscribers of SLT get blocked in accessing CT and not others. These servers may host big customers and they don’t want their employees reading CT, particularly the embarrassing details of the present administration. While disciplining employees is a matter for the employer, it should not be through a process of censoring in public servers.
I think on the whole people must respect the freedom of expression. Good amount of people access the internet in the office and they do not have a connection at home. In consideration of the same, employees must allow a reasonable time for the employees to use the office internet for private browsing provided they don’t clog the access with high bandwidth applications.
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