 |
|
|
|
| News Stories |
|
|
|
Home Mail2Lanka News Sports World Previous Stories |
The Prajathanthra, a Movement for Social Democracy in Sri Lanka has called the decision of the State Rupavahini Corporation and the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation to broadcast the Martyr’s Day speech of terrorist leader Velupillai Prabhakaran a contempt of Sri Lanka courts and an grave insult to the island republic’s neighbor India. A statement issued by the movement said they were gravely concerned by reports that the Liberation Tiger’s of Tamil Eelam Martyr’s day speech of Prabhakaran would be broadcast by the state owned broadcasting institutions on the terrorist leaders 48th birthday, November 26. The statement signed by its convener Lucien Rajakarunanayaka said in a democracy that claimed to uphold the rule of Law , it was strange that the sections of the state media thought it fit to give such coverage to a speech by a person who was now a convicted felon. “Mr. Prabhakaran,” the statement said, “ has recently been sentenced to a 200 years of rigorous imprisonment by the High Court of Colombo , in aiding and abetting in the deaths of 51 persons and causing other major economic losses in the LTTE’s suicide bomb attack on the Central Bank on January 31 , 1996. There is also an open warrant issued by the High Court for his arrest. In the circumstances any move to broadcast his speech live or recorded could be tantamount to Contempt of Court. Further, those who arrange for this broadcast or recording are duty bound to report to the Police and the Courts the whereabouts of Mr. Prabhakaran, as he has so far not appealed against the judgment and sentence by the High Court. “We are of the view that the live or recorded broadcast of a speech by a convicted felon, who is the leader of a political that has still not renounced terrorism or its declared goal of a separate state will not in any way help in furthering the peace process. One should also bear in mind that the same Mr. Prabhakaran has on several previous occasions made statements in his annual “Martyr’s Day” speech about the willingness of the LTTE to negotiate an end to the war without any conditions, but has always gone back on such public declarations. “ This move to give official television and radio coverage to the speech by the LTTE leader also gives cause for concern with regard to the relations between India and Sri Lanka. One cannot ignore the fact that this same person is also wanted in India, for the carrying out of a sentence over his role in the assassination of the former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The Indian Government has made a request to the Government of Sri Lanka for the extradition of Prabhakaran to be dealt with under the law in India. “Although India has not vigorously pushed this demand for extradition so far, it will indeed be difficult for the Government of Sri Lanka to take up a position that Prabhakaran cannot be apprehended or that it is unaware of his whereabouts for the purpose of extradition, if it can go to him for the recording of his annual speech. “ We call upon the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation and any other state media organizations not to bring our Courts into Contempt and also not give cause for palpable insult to India by broadcasting this year’s “Martyr’s Day” speech by the LTTE leader. We also issue a note of caution to the employees of these organizations who may be detailed or assigned this work, that they too could be responsible for bringing the High Court into contempt if they carry out this work.” (EOM) (26/11/02 go2lanka.com) |