Claim: Official letter by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake granting permission to Tamil groups to celebrate Remembrance Day (Maveerar Naal/ Mahaviru Day).
Fact: The President Media Division confirmed that the letter being circulated on social media is fake.
A letter, purportedly signed by the new President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, allegedly granting permission to Tamil groups to observe Remembrance Day on November 27, 2024, is going viral on social media. The letter, written in Tamil, is dated November 17, 2024, and features both the signature and a portrait of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
Remembrance Day (Maveerar Naal / Mahaviru Day), which remembers members of the LTTE who lost their lives during the 30-year civil war, is observed annually on November 27. This date marks the first death of an LTTE cadre, Lt. Shankar, who died in combat on November 27, 1982. Previous Sri Lankan governments have been strict about not allowing large gatherings or public celebrations for Remembrance Day.
The image of the letter has been widely shared on social media platforms such as Facebook, Website, and TikTok.
Fact Check/Verification
On initial analysis, we noticed that the letter varied from the typical colour and format of presidential notices/letters. It carried a photo, unusual for the official letterhead of the President. Furthermore, the letter was yellow in colour, differing in format from the other presidential communications.
We then checked the official social media pages of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the President’s Media Division, but found no record of such a letter/statement.
Furthermore, we contacted the President’s Media Division, who informed us that the letter was completely fake and clarified that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake had not issued any letter, media statement, or gazette notice in relation to the matter.
Additionally, the President’s Media Division stated that using the President’s signature on the letter without permission is a punishable offence.
Conclusion
The viral letter by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake allegedly granting permission to observe Remembrance Day in Sri Lanka is fabricated. The President’s Media Division has confirmed that the letter is fake and clarified that no such letter, press release, or gazette notice regarding Remembrance Day has been issued by the President.
Result: False
Our Sources:
Statement from the President Media Division
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