Tigers radio exceeds range

Tamil guerrillas who commenced operations of their radio station Voice of Tigers (VOT) this week in northern Sri Lanka have exceeded the range of their broadcast as stipulated by the licence granted by the government.

The licence granted permission to operate the radio station for a radius of 20 km, but the reception of the VOT radio was being monitored over 70 km away from the radio station at Kilinochchi.

The government late last month said the licence was issued by the government, subject to conditions that the radio station should be located in Kilinochchi, with a coverage area radius of 20 kilometres.

But, the broadcast signals were being clearly picked up in the northern Jaffna peninsula, in the north western coast of Mannar and in Vavuniya situated in the north central part of the country.

The issue of granting a permit to operate a radio licence led to a major controversy as the LTTE had already imported the equipment at the time of making an application for the licence.

The Norwegian Ambassador in Colombo Jon Westborg was instrumental in clearing the equipment as cargo meant for the mission.

Constitutional Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris assured this week that the radio station would be monitored and action taken if the provisions of the licence were violated. "The VOT transmissions are subject to the terms and conditions in the agreement. Earlier they were transmitting in a clandestine manner," he said.

"It is helpful for the two parties to put forward their different points of view. It is not sensible to gag one of the two parties. Let the public decide whose point of view they agree with. I see it as a very healthy aspect. Let all points of view emerge.

"Eventually the judges are the people and any final solution to the problem has to be approved by them at a referendum. There is nothing wrong in allowing the negotiating parties to express their point of view," the minister said.

With the launch of the VOT on Thursday, after the government issued a licence to operate the services, the LTTE also has increased its broadcasting hours by three hours. Half an hour has been reserved for Sinhala programmes.

The LTTE has lined up a series of programmes dealing with regional issues, dramas, sports events and children's programmes.