SLBC blocked out the only radio source on LTTE leader's speech, say watchdogs

State-run Sri Lanka Broadcasting Cooperation (SLBC) has censored the sections of BBC Sinhala and Tamil service programmes as LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran's "Hero's Day" speech was on air.

The authorities have also censored the Defence Watch press conference conducted by dissident ruling party MP, Mangala Samaraweera that provides information on the ongoing war.

Alternative views on war

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Five Media says the SLBC action "is an interference with the democratic entitlement to the free exchange and contest of alternative perspectives" on the government's war against the LTTE.

None of the Sri Lanka electronic media covered the speech by the LTTE leader. Figures of war causalities are a closely guarded secret of both sides Five Media Collective

"War is one of the major issues that affect lives of all Sri Lankans, who have a right to obtain news and information on war from different perspectives," it said.

Noting that independent war reporting is currently "virtually nonexistent,” the watchdogs point out that the SLBC blocked out the only radio source of LTTE leaders’ speech on 27 November.

'No electronic coverage'

"None of the Sri Lanka electronic media covered the speech by the LTTE leader. Figures of war causalities are a closely guarded secret of both sides. In such a situation, it is natural that many Sri Lankans would have tune in to external sources such as the BBC local language services to get information on LTTE leader's speech”.

	Watchdogs say SLBC is paid nearly Rs. 40 million a year by the BBC

BBC Sinhala (Sandeshaya) and Tamil (Thamil Osai) language programmes are transmitted through SLBC under an agreement between the BBC and the SLBC.

Recalling that the SLBC has earlier also blocked the BBC programmes, the Five Media says that the recent incident was not an accident but a deliberate action by the SLBC.

"The Five Media Collective demands that the Sri Lankan authorities desist from censoring war-related reporting and to respect the peoples' right to information," the statement said.

The Five Media Collective consists of Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association (SLWJA), Federation of Media Employees Trade Union (FMETU), Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum (SLMMF), Sri Lanka Tamil Journalists Alliance (SLTJA) and Free Media Movement (FMM).