Govt cancels Tiger radio licence issued during ceasefire

The Government has cancelled with immediate effect the radio transmission licence issued to the LTTE peace secretariat during the tenure of the ceasefire agreement.

“Accordingly, in terms of powers vested in me, I have cancelled the licence effective from January 17, 2009,” Mass Media and Information Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa told the weekly Cabinet press briefing at the Government Information Department yesterday.

“The then Secretary to the Information and Mass Media Ministry had issued the licence in response to a request by LTTE Peace Secretariat chief Pulidewan,” the Minister said.

The licence was issued on November 11, 2002. The UNP took immediate action to issue the licence, he said.

Permission had also been given to the LTTE for overseas transmissions as well, the Minister said.