Colombo, Jan 02: Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers will start their upgraded radio broadcast services from January 16, reaching a wider area with more programs, sources close to the rebels said today.
The voice of Tigers will expand its services using a newly opened broadcast station in the island's northern jungles. The station has been set up with new radio equipment, which the rebels were allowed to import as part of the government's peace efforts aimed at ending the island nation's 19-year civil war. It was not immediately clear if the new services will reach the nearby Indian state of Tamil Nadu, home to 56 million Tamils who have family and traditional ties with their 3.2 million Sri Lankan counterparts. The government's decision to allow the import of the new radio equipment has been criticised in a section of the Sri Lankan media, but the political leader of LTTE, S P Thamilselvan, said the new services would help keep the Tamil people informed about the peace process.

The government and the rebels are currently observing a February 2002 cease-fire agreement that stopped fighting between the two sides.

"We regard the new equipment as very essential in this climate of peace to inform Tamil people on all issues affecting the current peace talks," tamilnet web site quoted Thamilselvan as saying.

Bureau Report