The Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) on Wednesday called upon public authorities to commit towards more transparency on International Right to Know Day.

A TISL statement said: Former American President Abraham Lincoln once said “Let the people know the facts, and the country will be safe”. The statement denotes that a country’s well-being is likely to depend on how accessible its information is. International Right to Know Day was initiated to create an international discourse on access to information and to make it a part of the general civic consciousness. Later, the United Nations declared September 28 as the International Day for Universal Access to Information.

Celebrating International Right to Know Day, as Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) also marks its 20th year of contributing to the collective effort to fight corruption in Sri Lanka, is especially significant. TISL has continued to walk with citizens in their RTI journey, striving to ensure and protect the right to information, since its operationalization in Sri Lanka.

The right to information is the strongest available tool in the fight against corruption, due to the obligation it places upon public authorities to be accountable and responsive to citizens through a mandatory legal mechanism. As such, International Right to Know Day is not a day merely for celebration, but a moment to create wider and deeper knowledge on the right, and for public authorities to reflect on whether they are truly serving this sovereign right of the citizens.

Countries around the world have adopted this right through legal provisions, placing obligations upon public authorities to various extents. In Sri Lanka, the term ‘public authorities’ includes – government ministries, government departments, public corporations, local authorities, any institutions created by a Provincial Council, non-governmental organizations, institutes of higher education, private educational institutes and all courts, tribunals and institutions created to serve justice. The Right to Information Act places an obligation on these authorities to provide information to citizens efficiently and transparently. Adhering to the provisions of the Act can promote transparency and accountability of these institutions and empower citizens to exercise their democratic rights.

Further, providing information before it is requested, i.e. proactive disclosure, is one of the foremost aspects of open government and of the right to information. The Right to Information Act mandates public authorities to disclose such information, imposing a duty on each public authority to publicly disclose budgetary information, procurement details, project reports and information on significant decisions and acts via websites or other means. Sri Lanka continues to fall far short of this standard of transparency and accountability.

The recent spate of citizen agitation in Sri Lanka was a collective response to the culture of opacity and corruption within State institutions and government. This has led to a heightened awareness and keen interest among the populace regarding key elements of anti-corruption including the importance of information in the fight against corruption, of how corruption flourishes in conditions of secrecy, of publicizing the asset declarations of public representatives, etc. as never seen before. As a consequence, there is now heightened pressure upon the public service and on politicians to demonstrate the practice of accountable governance.

Our country is at a critical juncture both economically and socially. It is irrefutable that this is the result of corruption. To effectively overcome this crisis, it is vital that the people must be empowered with information by public authorities. Therefore, it is essential for public authorities to take steps to be efficient, open and proactive in disclosing information. On this International Right to Know Day, TISL calls upon public authorities to look upon the right to information positively and commit to continuous improvement towards more openness. TISL’s wish for International Right to Know Day is to see citizens be part of a culture that is able to seek, receive and use information without fear or hesitation.