MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS [Symbol] משרד החוץ
JERUSALEM ירושלים
[Date according to Jewish calendar]
15/06/2008
Document number: 1-4037365
To
Mr. David Hochner
Satlink CEO
02-5349145
Re: Satellite broadcasts of the Tamil underground organization by Satlink company
Hello,
Following our conversation, we wish to bring to your attention an application that has been received by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from the CEO of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri-Lanka, referring our attention to broadcasts of the Tamil underground organization LTTE, by Satlink Communications company. According to the information we have received, the company under your management is broadcasting, via satellite, a Tamil channel named Tharishanam. The content of the broadcast includes propaganda on behalf of LTTE, to the Tamil community exiling in Europe, including an effort for money raising for the benefit of the activity of this organization in Sri Lanka. The government of Sri Lanka required from the State of Israel to act so that the Israeli company will cease the broadcast of the Tamil channel.
For your knowledge, the Tamil underground LTTE, is battling for independence in east of Sri Lanka and is making use of means of terror and violence. Said underground is defined as a terror organization in the United States, Canada, the European Union countries and India. It is not yet defined as a terror organization in Israel. However, any connection between it and an Israeli body is highly problematic and even extremely severe in light of Israel’s coping against the terror organizations.
In light of the high political importance that we see in resolving the issue, according to the manner required by the government of Sri Lanka, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is of the opinion that it is not appropriate that an Israeli company shall provide services, directly or indirectly to a body that is identified with a terror organization such as the LTTE. Therefore, we will be thankful for taking our aforesaid standpoint into consideration in the continuation of your activity.
Sincerely,
[Signature]
Yaron Meir
Vice Manager of South East Asia Department
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
60 Israel
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 9 Yitzhak Rabin Ave. Kiriat Ha’leom Jerusalem