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| - Personalized Stamps Featuring NPP Politicians Harini Amarasuriya and Vijitha Herath – Self-Promotion or Commemorative Souvenirs?
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As Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the leader of the NPP, became the 9th President of Sri Lanka, a new cabinet of 3 ministers was formed. Since then, there has been a surge of misleading social media posts targeting NPP politicians, mainly Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya and Minister Vijitha Herath. These posts spread false or distorted information, aiming to undermine the party's and its leaders' credibility.
Social Media Posts
Social media is currently abuzz with claims surrounding the issue of stamps that allegedly feature Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya and Minister Vijitha Herath. Many online users criticise these politicians, suggesting they are using government resources to promote themselves, similar to politicians from previous administrations.
We fact-checked these claims by examining the events and verifying information from official sources.
Fact Check
Context and Claims
The claims stem from images of stamps featuring Harini Amarasuriya and Vijitha Herath, which have circulated online. Some social media users accuse these politicians of following in the footsteps of previous governments, which often used stamps or similar items to promote political figures.
The EventsOn October 9, 2024, Hiru News broadcast footage of an event at which these controversial stamps were handed over to Harini Amarasuriya and Vijitha Herath. The footage implied that the Sri Lanka Postal Department released purported stamps bearing the images of these two politicians as part of the World Post Day celebrations. The news footage can be watched here.
Postal Department’s Clarification
Upon further investigation, we found an official clarification from the Post Master General regarding the issue. According to this statement, during the World Post Day commemoration, the Postal Department released special souvenir stamps to mark the occasion. Along with these commemorative stamps, personalized stamps featuring Harini Amarasuriya and Vijitha Herath were also created. However, these personalized stamps are not intended for wide circulation.
It is important to note that in Sri Lanka, any individual can request personalized stamps with their image or any other image of their choice. This service has been available for several years, and it is not exclusive to politicians or government officials.
NPP’s Response
We reached out to the NPP media division for clarification on this matter. According to their response, both Harini Amarasuriya and Vijitha Herath were unaware of the creation of these personalized stamps and did not order them. The NPP media division emphasized that the stamps were presented to them by officers of the Postal Department during the event, as a customary gesture.
The NPP further stated that the stamps featuring their images were simply part of the event's proceedings and not an attempt at self-promotion. Personalized stamps are often created for various purposes, including as gifts or keepsakes during official events, and the release of these stamps should be viewed in that context.
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Conclusion
The claims circulating on social media that Harini Amarasuriya and Vijitha Herath are using stamps to promote themselves are misleading. The stamps in question are personalized stamps, which were presented to them during a public event organized to commemorate World Post Day. These personalized stamps are not part of a political campaign, nor are they being widely circulated. Additionally, anyone can request personalized stamps in Sri Lanka, and this practice is not new or exclusive to NPP politicians.
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