COLOMBO: Sri Lanka ordered civil servants on Wednesday to not categorical opinions on social media after some officers claimed schoolchildren have been fainting from an absence of meals as a result of nation’s dire financial disaster.

In a recent order to 1.5 million state workers, the Ministry of Public Administration and Administration mentioned a long-established ban on talking to reporters now extends to social media posts.

“Expressing opinions on social media by a public officer… shall represent an offence that results in taking disciplinary motion,” the order mentioned.

It adopted claims from provincial well being officers and lecturers that dozens of scholars have been fainting in faculties due to an absence of meals.

Since late 2021, Sri Lanka’s 22 million individuals have been struggling the nation’s worst-ever financial disaster after the federal government ran out of {dollars} to import many necessities.

This triggered large shortages and unofficial inflation charges second solely to Zimbabwe, in addition to protests that led to the ouster of president Gotabaya Rajapaksa in July.

Well being Minister Keheliya Rambukwella dismissed claims of malnutrition amongst younger youngsters. He accused “politically motivated” public well being staff of exaggerating the scenario.

Nevertheless, the World Meals Programme mentioned in its newest report that six million Sri Lankans — practically a 3rd of the island nation’s inhabitants — are “meals insecure and require humanitarian help”.

Rajapaksa’s successor Ranil Wickremesinghe has cracked down on anti-government protesters and banned demonstrations in a lot of the capital.

This month, his authorities struck a conditional settlement with the Worldwide Financial Fund on a $2.9-billion bailout.

The lifeline relies on Colombo reaching a cope with collectors to restructure its exterior debt mountain of round $51 billion.

Its greatest creditor China has thus far not publicly shifted from its provide of issuing extra loans as an alternative of taking a minimize on excellent ones.

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