Demo against TRC order to stop Shakthi TV telecast in Jaffna

(January 13, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) A peaceful demonstration was held opposite the Jaffna courts complex yesterday in protest over the order issued by the Sri Lanka Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC) to halt the telecasting of Shakthi TV in Jaffna.

The large group of protestors requested that operations of Shakthi TV, which continuously telecast for six years since 2003 amidst attacks and a war environment, not be interrupted.

The protestors carried out the demonstration covering their faces with black cloth.
Shakthi TV carried out its telecasts in the Jaffna peninsula via the UHF 25 frequency since 2003. It was the only Tamil channel that carried out telecasts in the peninsula that could be freely viewed.

After obtaining a permit from the Sri Lanka Telecommunications Regulatory Commission after spending a large sum of money in 2002, Shakthi TV began its transmissions in Jaffna.

However, on January 5, orders were issued by the TRC to stop the transmission of Shakthi TV as the Frequency UHF 25 had been allocated to a different channel.

On the same day, several police officers from the Jafffna police station, who arrived at the Shankthi TV office in Jaffna, had informed the officials there to report to the magistrate's court.

Accordingly, the officers from the Shakthi TV office had gone to the magistrate's court and had explained facts.

Thereafter the magistrate's court informed the officials to forward the licence in question on January 8.

After forwarding the documents in question to the magistrate's court, a petition was filed at the Court of Appeal on behalf of Shakthi TV.

However, the granting of a decision in this regard has been postponed. The Court of Appeal allocated time until January 15 for the petition to be considered.

Since no orders were given from the Court of Appeal, the magistrate's court ordered for the transmission of Shakthi TV to be halted with effect from yesterday.