by Shamindra Ferdinando
The SLBC has closed down a special radio service set up over a decade ago, particularly for the benefit of the police and the security forces deployed in the northern theatre especially the Wanni.

The station was also put to use by successive governments to reach Tamil-speaking people living in LTTE-held areas.

The SLBC confirmed the closure of the station situated within a key security forces facility in Vavuniya. A senior official claimed that the service known as the Wanni Sevaya was terminated as it did not generate any income.

It was set up in late 80s by the then President Ranasinghe Premadasa. Although it started small, successive governments expanded the Wanni Sevaya to counter the LTTE’s clandestine Voice of Tigers (VOT). The station gave families of officers and men deployed in the region an opportunity to send direct messages to their men on the front.

"The staff was told of the decision last week," a source in Vavuniya said while adding that the Wanni Security Forces headquarters was also informed of the closure of the station. However, the Wanni headquarters has signalled the army headquarters of the situation. "There were a lot of programmes for the listening pleasure of the troops," the source said. The source was convinced that the government should continue to operate the station.

The SLBC has decided to convert the Wanni Sevaya to a Tamil commercial service broadcast from their transmitting station situated just south of the Vavuniya town.