If any letters with stamps associated with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are received steps will be taken to remove the stamps and distribute the letters, the Postmaster General M.K.B. Dissanayake said today.
He stated that the UN-affiliated Universal Postal Union (UPU) has also been requested to stop the circulation of such stamps, which was the cause of worry for the Embassy of France recently after they were issued by the French Postal service ‘La Poste’.
According to the UPU, all countries are obligated to accept and distribute post with stamps printed by a certain country, he pointed out.
“However, as soon as information is received regarding stamps depicting images which threaten the sovereignty of the country, the Central Postal Exchange has been instructed to document them, remove the stamps and distribute the letters to the relevant persons.”
It had been reported that stamps baring insignia and other images related to the banned Tamil Tigers organization were also issued in Canada and Britain in addition to the four stamps issued by La Poste.
External Affairs Minister Professor G.L. Peiris had registered the country’s protest to the stamps in question with the Ambassador of France to Sri Lanka while La Poste had apologizing for printing the collection of stamps “by mistake”.
Mr. Dissanayake stated that protest has been expressed to the other establishment which issued the other stamps as well.
