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MEMBERS |
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Commentary by IBC Tamil
By Martin Schoech
January 22, 1999
Thanks to A.C. Tarcisuis, IBC Tamil
Much speculation has surged surrounding recent Tamil-language programs and whether or not these efforts are meant to support the Tamil rebels in Sri Lanka. This speculation can be misleading, however, since very few short wave listeners actually speak Tamil and fully understand the complex political and social environment in which these programs broadcast. While CRW has published previously reported comments, the editors of CRW maintain that neither Radio Asia Canada - which left the air last year - nor IBC Tamil are clandestine radio stations.
The staff of IBC Tamil contacted CRW last week to put the following on record.
"IBC Tamil is not a clandestine radio. We are broadcasting with a license obtained from Radio Authority, UK.
"1983 pogrom caused Tamils flee their land and thousands are scattered all over Europe. Most of them are monolinguals starved of the most basic information for reasons of languages. Tamil housewives, mothers and elderly who are home-stuck are virtual prisonersin their own homes during day, while the breadwinners and school going children are out, suffer in silence because of lack of communication and entertainment. IBC is providing them a window on the world – international news, news about Asia and about Tamil community in Europe. The Western media, whether print, audio orvideo, is meaningless to them. I hope you understand the transformation and the meaning in life, the IBC has brought to these forgotten people.
"Re: IBC's short wave transmission directed towards the Middle East, South Africa, India and Sri Lanka, it is only a 60 minute programme that we could afford now. If we could, we should provide more hours of transmission. It is reaching an area in Sri Lanka where the residents are suffering an economic embargo, including medicine, by the Sri Lankan Government. Besides, there is a news ban in the country. The IBC in addition to news, provides medical, educational and religious programmes. When there was an epidemic of diarrhoea and subsequently a flu in the embargoed area where not even was aspirin allowed into, IBC provided programmes with the help of experts advising listeners in identifying, preventing and treating the ailment. At the end of two weeks, a town council within the Government controlled area, passed a resolution "thanking the IBC Tamil in London" for alerting listeners to the epidemic and saving lives. Recently, with a view to help students facing public exam we conducted a revision course which was gratefully accepted in areas where there were shortages of teachers and school facilities decimated by artillery. Two incidents might interest you.
"In 1997, when we commenced broadcasting in Europe, the Sri Lankan Government, got wind of our project and as it does with any Tamil ventures wanted to know whether the IBC had any ties with the Tamil Tigers. On its request, the British Foreign Office, made us postpone our launch day till it was satisfied with our background. The background of our shareholders and our bank accounts were checked before we were exonerated and allowed to broadcast. Recently, because of the irritation our short wave transmission in a news-banned country caused to the Sri Lankan Government,it protested to the German Embassy which through its Foreign Ministry, got the Deutsche Telekom to suspend the IBC short wave transmission. German Telekom that conducted an investigation exonerated us and ordered resumption of transmission.
"I am sure you are nobody's pawn being used on a smear campaign against us. If there's anything more that you wish to learn, we will be happy to oblige."
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INTEL SNAPSHOT |
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