Two research institutions in the US have stated that the ban on social media was a great initiative, President Maithripala Sirisena said. 

Addressing a public event at the nelum Pokuna theatre, President Sirisena said when he went to public function, parents often requested him to close down Facebook and websites permanently. 

"They said they could not bring up their children properly with Facebook and other social media," the Sri Lankan President said. 

"I was the one who made the decision to close down Facebook and other websites in the wake of the Kandy incident. There were some groups who criticized me for making that decision. But, there were many who commended this quick action," the President added. 

He said it was not a measure aimed at curbing the freedom of expression. "We were able to avoid a calamity by blocking social media temporarily," he said. 

"I think the government of Myanmar should have acted like Sri Lanka when the violence first broke out. They have still failed to resolve their crisis," the President added.