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No criticism of LTTE: CBK to state media
By Chris Kamalendran
President Chandrika Kumaratunga has issued instructions for the state media to refrain from criticising the Tamil guerrillas as the guerrillas started commemorating the 'Mahaveera' week.

The week in which the guerrillas commemorate the death of their 'heroes' began on November 20 and will end on Thursday with their leader Velupillai Prabhakaran's 50th birthday. The culmination comes with Prabhakaran's annual address.
The Sunday Times learns that President Kumaratunga has given directions to all state media institutions to refrain from criticising the LTTE. The media institutions come under the purview of the Mass Communication Ministry of which the President is now the minister.

Instructions have also gone out not to broadcast or telecast anything which would be harmful to the peace process. The moves came as the security forces and the Tamil guerrillas have reached an understanding not to act in a provocative manner during the Heroes' Week which is being marked both in the government-controlled areas and the uncleared areas of the north and east.

Senior military officials confirmed that the two sides had discussed the modalities on allowing the Heroes' Week celebrations to go unhindered in the government-controlled areas while the LTTE had agreed to co-operate with the military.

In Jaffna, senior military officials led by Deputy Security Forces Commander D. Ratnasabapathy met with LTTE's Deputy Political Wing leader. S. Thangan at the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) office to work out the modalities.

Maj. Gen. Ratnasabapathy told The Sunday Times that during the meeting the LTTE gave an assurance that it would not act in a provocative manner and also said that school children and government servants should not be allowed to take part in the events.

An understanding was also reached that pandals will not be put across the road as it obstructs the traffic while flags and cut outs with Eelam symbol will not be allowed to be exhibited in government-controlled areas.

However, by Friday there were few incidents where the LTTE had not followed the understanding reached and gone ahead to put up na LTTE flag in a government building. The army had prevented the LTTE hoisting the flag on a co-operative building claiming that it was a provocative act which could lead to a hostile situation.
In some other instances, the army had removed some of the decorations which they said were provocative.

Meanwhile, Police Superintendent Hector Dharmasiri told The Sunday Times they would detail policemen in civvies and additional police presence to maintain security. Meanwhile, a similar situation was prevailing in the rest of the government-controlled areas in the north and east.

In Jaffna banners and decorations have been put up in the town. Last morning, the LTTE declared open an exhibition for the public at the Mahajana College in Batticaloa to commemorate the Heroes' Week. Photographs of some 3,500 LTTE cadres who died in action are on display. The police was seen helping controlling the traffic and the large crowds who came to view the exhibition. At Mahajana College, the LTTE had flown its flag.

Meanwhile, SLMM Spokesperson Agnes Braggaditis told The Sunday Times the police removed LTTE propaganda material decorated in the Jaffna town deeming it provocative action. "Except for that incident, things have been quiet. No major incidents have been reported," she said.

The move comes as the propaganda machine of the SLFP has been instructed by the party leadership and has been categorically ordered not to telecast any programme affecting the ongoing peace process or attacking the LTTE. Prabhakaran is due to make his annual address on Thursday at 6.35 (6.05 LTTE time). The speech is to be broadcast live on the Voice of Tigers.

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