(November 14, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) Administration of ExCel London based at One Western Gateway, Royal Victoria Dock, London E16 1XL confirmed that a Tamil group has booked their hall for National Awakening Day on the 27th November 2008. They also confirmed they are awaiting for the organizers to contact them to finalise the event.
The ExCel Centre has been hired by the main LTTE front organisations and for the past few years the Centre had to face police intervention and restrictions were imposed on the event. When protest was made against the event the ExCel Centre confirmed that they will entertain written complaints about the event and gave their email address (eventsmanagement@excel-london.co.uk) to submit the objections.
On a separate issue, the LTTE front IBC radio was investigated by the radio regulator Ofcom for promoting the cause of the LTTE when the Hero’s Day event held at the ExCel Centre last year on 26 November 2007 was broadcast on the radio.
According to the Ofcom the International Broadcasting Corporation (“IBC”) broadcast a programme that included celebratory material commemorating the birthday of Mr Velupillai Pirabakaran, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (“the LTTE”). The LTTE is presently a proscribed terrorist organisation under the Terrorism Act 2000. This means that under current UK legislation it is unlawful to be a member of the LTTE, to raise funds for it or to invite or encourage support for it. Ofcom received two complaints about this programme from members of the public’.
Issues that the Ofcom investigated were:
‘Celebrated the birthday of Mr Velupillai Pirabakaran, the leader of the LTTE;promoted an event to be held at the Excel centre in London to commemorate the LTTE’s “Heroes’ Day” celebrations broadcast the comments of “ardent LTTE supporters” that appeared to promote terrorism; broadcast comments and LTTE songs that praised Mr Pirabakaran; and contained material that was “serious and confirmed [the] glorification of terrorism”. (Under the Terrorism Act 2006, the “glorification” of terrorism is a criminal offence).’
‘Citing these issues, Ofcom asked the broadcaster to comment on how the programme complied with Rule 2.4 of the Code (programmes should not include material which condones or glamorises violent, dangerous or seriously antisocial behaviour).
Having considered the IBC’s response the Ofcom ‘took into account the fact that IBC has acknowledged that some parts of the statements and songs broadcast could be regarded as inappropriate, and the broadcaster has assured Ofcom that extra care will be taken in future in producing similar broadcasts. Ofcom is therefore treating this issue, on this occasion, as resolved but reserves the right to consider any repeat instance of similar material on a case-by-case basis. Ofcom reminds the broadcaster of the care it needs to take when dealing with these sensitive and controversial subjects.’ - Sri Lanka Guardian
The ExCel Centre has been hired by the main LTTE front organisations and for the past few years the Centre had to face police intervention and restrictions were imposed on the event. When protest was made against the event the ExCel Centre confirmed that they will entertain written complaints about the event and gave their email address (eventsmanagement@excel-london.co.uk) to submit the objections.
On a separate issue, the LTTE front IBC radio was investigated by the radio regulator Ofcom for promoting the cause of the LTTE when the Hero’s Day event held at the ExCel Centre last year on 26 November 2007 was broadcast on the radio.
According to the Ofcom the International Broadcasting Corporation (“IBC”) broadcast a programme that included celebratory material commemorating the birthday of Mr Velupillai Pirabakaran, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (“the LTTE”). The LTTE is presently a proscribed terrorist organisation under the Terrorism Act 2000. This means that under current UK legislation it is unlawful to be a member of the LTTE, to raise funds for it or to invite or encourage support for it. Ofcom received two complaints about this programme from members of the public’.
Issues that the Ofcom investigated were:
‘Celebrated the birthday of Mr Velupillai Pirabakaran, the leader of the LTTE;promoted an event to be held at the Excel centre in London to commemorate the LTTE’s “Heroes’ Day” celebrations broadcast the comments of “ardent LTTE supporters” that appeared to promote terrorism; broadcast comments and LTTE songs that praised Mr Pirabakaran; and contained material that was “serious and confirmed [the] glorification of terrorism”. (Under the Terrorism Act 2006, the “glorification” of terrorism is a criminal offence).’
‘Citing these issues, Ofcom asked the broadcaster to comment on how the programme complied with Rule 2.4 of the Code (programmes should not include material which condones or glamorises violent, dangerous or seriously antisocial behaviour).
Having considered the IBC’s response the Ofcom ‘took into account the fact that IBC has acknowledged that some parts of the statements and songs broadcast could be regarded as inappropriate, and the broadcaster has assured Ofcom that extra care will be taken in future in producing similar broadcasts. Ofcom is therefore treating this issue, on this occasion, as resolved but reserves the right to consider any repeat instance of similar material on a case-by-case basis. Ofcom reminds the broadcaster of the care it needs to take when dealing with these sensitive and controversial subjects.’ - Sri Lanka Guardian
 Administration of ExCel London based at One Western Gateway, Royal Victoria Dock, London E16 1XL ...){kind=link}
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