Monday, February 02, 2009

Sri Lanka bans LTTE's FM radio


After cornering the LTTE to the thick jungles of Sri Lanka's north-east, the Government has banned the official radio of the rebels' -- Voice of Tigers -- two weeks after it proscribed the militant organisation.

The Government on Monday banned the Voice of Tigers (VoT), the mouthpiece of LTTE, Director General of the Media Center for the National Security Lakshman Hulugalle said.

The Telecommunication Regulatory Commission on Monday terminated the broadcast license granted to the radio during the tenure of the United National Front Government headed by Ranil Wickramasinghe.

The ban on VoT became mandatory after the Government proscribed the LTTE, Chairman of the TRC told The Island newspaper.

"This (ban) was discussed very much during the last couple of weeks, but decision was only taken on Sunday," he said.

The Sri Lankan Government banned the LTTE on January 7, five days after its army captured the rebels' de-facto capital of Kilinochchi, accusing it of holding the civilians in areas controlled by it against their will.

The Army had on Sunday claimed to have captured the last rebel stronghold of Mullaitivu, considered as the headquarters of 'Sea Tigers', the coastal wing of LTTE. (hindustantimes.com)