Viral Video Misleads About Cyclone Ditwah Response
A video circulating widely on social media claims to show former Sri Lankan president Ranil Wickremesinghe criticising current President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the government’s response to Cyclone Ditwah, implying that the devastation was a form of “God’s wrath” caused by state mismanagement. This claim is false. The footage is several months old and has been deliberately misrepresented to create a misleading narrative during a period of national crisis. CyberPoe’s detailed analysis confirms that the video has no connection to the December 2025 cyclone or the government’s disaster management.
Original Source and Timeline
Investigation into the video revealed that it originates from an April 27, 2025 episode of the podcast “Bai Thaksalawa,” part of the Iraj Show hosted on YouTube. In the original recording, Ranil Wickremesinghe was discussing a completely unrelated incident — the mismanagement of a major religious event involving the public exhibition of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy. That event resulted in overcrowding, four fatalities, and hundreds of people falling ill due to insufficient planning and long queues stretching for kilometres. Archive checks across YouTube and Facebook confirm that the clip predates Cyclone Ditwah by several months, demonstrating a clear mismatch between the viral claims and the factual timeline.
Context Misrepresentation
The misleading narrative on social media was created by overlaying false captions and selectively editing the video to imply that Wickremesinghe’s comments were a critique of the government’s handling of Cyclone Ditwah. In reality, he was addressing organizational failures at the religious event, using religious metaphors to articulate public frustration. There is no evidence in the original footage that links Wickremesinghe’s remarks to natural disasters or to President Dissanayake’s administration. The deliberate repackaging of the video exploits a tragic context to amplify outrage and misinformation.
Verification and Evidence
CyberPoe conducted a thorough review of the viral video, cross-referencing it with archival footage, official timestamps, and verified uploads from April 2025. All evidence points to the video being repurposed content with misleading captions. No credible sources, news reports, or governmental communications indicate that Wickremesinghe made any statements concerning Cyclone Ditwah. The analysis demonstrates that the viral clip’s context was intentionally altered to manufacture a false narrative and provoke political and social tension.
Impact and Importance of Accurate Information
Cyclone Ditwah caused significant devastation in Sri Lanka, resulting in over 600 deaths and billions of dollars in economic damage. Misinformation in the wake of such a disaster can severely distort public understanding, exacerbate communal tensions, and unfairly target public figures. Videos like the one in circulation mislead audiences into attributing blame without factual basis and can erode trust in both media and government institutions.
Conclusion
The viral video attributed to Ranil Wickremesinghe is misleading. It does not show him criticising the government over Cyclone Ditwah and instead relates to a previous incident concerning mismanagement of a religious event. The footage has been repackaged with false captions to manipulate public perception, particularly during a period of national grief and crisis. CyberPoe urges social media users to verify timelines, original sources, and context before sharing content, especially during disasters or politically sensitive events. The spread of such manipulated content underscores the growing importance of media literacy and responsible sharing in the digital age.
Verdict: ❌ False Misleading context; recycled content repurposed to create a false narrative.
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