Since lifting the alcohol ban on women last week, social media had many postings regarding the decision and more and more opinions are being posted after President Sirisena reinstating the ban.
As always with lifting the ban both positive and negative thoughts were published on it. Although the Spokesperson of Finance Ministry has said “The idea was to restore gender neutrality”, a lot of criticism was going on saying the government is encouraging the drinking and this would threaten the nation’s Buddhist values.
Then on Sunday the President has said that he had ordered the country’s finance minister, Mangala Samaraweera, to revoke his decision.
I expressed my view on the recent revision to the regulations on alcohol control to Prime Minister and Finance Minister, and the positive outcomes of my intervention will soon be seen.
— Maithripala Sirisena (@MaithripalaS) January 14, 2018
It seems like President has really paid more attention to the criticism or maybe he simply does not want this to be a topic on political stages of provincial council election scheduled on next month.
However, following are some of the top social media reactions taken from both local and foreign users.
@MaithripalaS – I am a Sri Lankan woman studying at Oxford while working at a bar. In case you didn’t know the women in your country are independent enough to make decisions for themselves. A young girl was gang raped 2 days back – focus on the real issues. Your sexism can wait. pic.twitter.com/0HKfxaBuMy
— Kavindya Thennakoon (@kavindya_T) January 14, 2018
Presidents of other countries : I am working on developing the economy of the country while reducing corruption.
Our President: ඔය ගැණු උදවියට අරක්කු ගන්න එක තහනම් කරන්න හිටං. නැත්නම් බ්රසියර් ගලවලා විසික් කරයි හිටං.— Thamaru! (@Tikiri_) January 14, 2018
the issue is not this restrictions to women, if the bill works #Alcohol Indusrty use women as promotion tool. coz Sri Lanka totally ban every kind of Alcohol promotion.from that shipment we are long way forward than #UK
— Asitha Dharshana (@AsiDharshana1) January 15, 2018
【#Buddhist News】Sirisena overrules plan to lift alcohol ban on women amid Buddhist clergy outcry https://t.co/EbDUUXeQLY Sri Lanka’s president, Maithripala Sirisena has overruled a decision to lift the ban preventing women from buying or selling alcohol amid an outcry among…
— Ven. Yushi Shimada (@yushi_shimada) January 15, 2018
Yet drunken sexually selfish males are the problem: Sri Lanka president re-imposes ban on women buying alcohol https://t.co/02FBZk73F9 via @nationalpost
— Linda Ward Selbie 📷 (@lindaws) January 15, 2018
DEAR GOD, What did the women do in those few days when there was no ban on alcohol buying in Sri Lanka to cause such a fast reinstatement? https://t.co/NQFsRs8N6d
— Paul (@paulcram) January 15, 2018