Sri Lanka's Right to Information Act, once celebrated as a groundbreaking achievement for democratic transparency, is now teetering on the brink of collapse. What was meant to be a powerful tool for citizen empowerment and government accountability has become a casualty of systematic neglect and apparent governmental indifference.
The Promise That Was
When the Right to Information Act was enacted, it represented hope for a new era of openness in Sri Lankan governance. The legislation promised to bridge the gap between citizens and their government, ensuring that public information would be accessible to those who needed it most. Journalists, civil society organizations, and ordinary citizens viewed this as a fundamental shift toward greater democratic participation.
The Act was designed to create a culture of transparency where government institutions would proactively share information and respond promptly to citizen requests. This wasn't just about access to data; it was about transforming the relationship between the state and its people, moving from a culture of secrecy to one of openness.
Current State of Crisis
Today's reality paints a starkly different picture. The Right to Information Act is struggling to fulfill its basic functions, hampered by a combination of inadequate resources, lack of political will, and institutional resistance. Government agencies frequently ignore information requests or provide incomplete responses, effectively nullifying the law's intended purpose.
The infrastructure supporting the Act has deteriorated significantly. Information officers, who serve as crucial intermediaries between citizens and government data, often lack proper training or resources to fulfill their roles effectively. Many positions remain unfilled, creating bottlenecks that further delay an already sluggish process.
Systematic Neglect and Its Consequences
The deterioration of Sri Lanka's Right to Information framework isn't accidental—it reflects broader challenges in governance and democratic accountability. When journalists and activists attempt to access government information, they frequently encounter bureaucratic obstacles that seem designed to discourage rather than facilitate transparency.
This neglect has far-reaching implications beyond simple administrative inefficiency. Without effective access to information, citizens cannot make informed decisions about their government's performance. Corruption becomes easier to hide, policy mistakes go unexamined, and the democratic process itself suffers.
The media, which relies heavily on access to government information to fulfill its watchdog role, finds itself increasingly constrained. Investigative journalism becomes nearly impossible when basic government data remains inaccessible, leading to a less informed public discourse and weakened democratic institutions.
Impact on Democratic Governance
The failure of the Right to Information Act represents more than just administrative dysfunction—it signals a retreat from democratic principles that Sri Lanka has worked decades to establish. When governments operate in secrecy, they become less responsive to citizen needs and less accountable for their actions.
Civil society organizations, which play crucial roles in monitoring government performance and advocating for citizen rights, find their effectiveness severely compromised. Without access to relevant government data, these organizations cannot effectively challenge policies or hold officials accountable for their decisions.
The economic implications are equally serious. Investors and businesses require transparent, accessible information to make informed decisions. When government data remains locked away, it creates uncertainty that can negatively impact economic development and foreign investment.
The Path Forward
Reviving Sri Lanka's Right to Information Act requires immediate and sustained action across multiple fronts. Government leadership must demonstrate genuine commitment to transparency by allocating adequate resources and ensuring proper implementation of existing laws.
Training programs for information officers need urgent expansion and improvement. These officials serve as the front line of information access, and their effectiveness directly impacts the entire system's success. Regular training updates, clear guidelines, and adequate technological support are essential.
Political will remains the most critical factor. Without genuine commitment from senior government officials, technical improvements alone cannot solve the underlying problems. Leaders must recognize that transparency strengthens rather than weakens effective governance.
A Democratic Imperative
The stakes extend far beyond administrative efficiency. Sri Lanka's Right to Information Act represents a fundamental democratic principle—that citizens have the right to know how their government operates and how public resources are used. Allowing this law to fail through neglect would represent a significant step backward for Sri Lankan democracy.
International observers and development partners have repeatedly emphasized the importance of transparency in governance. Sri Lanka's commitment to information access affects not only domestic governance but also its international reputation and relationships.
The current crisis surrounding the Right to Information Act serves as a critical test of Sri Lanka's democratic institutions. How the country responds will determine whether this vital tool for accountability can be preserved and strengthened, or whether it will join the ranks of well-intentioned laws that failed due to lack of political commitment and proper implementation.