Somaliland Government Bans Kalsan TV

Hargeisa, July 23, 2013 (SDN) — Somaliland government on yesterday moved to curtail major broadcasting house when it banned Kalsan TV broadcast in the country with immediate effect’. “The Government has banned the operations of Kalsan TV in the country with immediate effect’ announced Information Minister Abdilahi Mohamed Dahir ‘Ukuse’.

The government’s decision to ban Kalsan TV operations in the country came after a meeting between TV stations operating in Somaliland and the minister of Information, Culture and National Guidance Mr Abdilahi Mohamed Dahir ‘Ukuse’ in his Hargeisa offices.

According to the information minister the government has proscribed the Kalsan TV because the station is operating illegally following the failure of its proprietors to secure relevant permission from the government.

The Kalsan TV channel which is owned by a Mogadishu based company has been operating in Somaliland for the past five months without obtaining relevant authorities from media registration bodies in Hargeisa.

The information minister informed Somalilandsun that the action taken on Kalsan TV comes after several requests by the ministry for the proprietors to obtain necessary permission which had ultimately come to nought.

Said he, “We were forced to ban the TV channel from operating in the country after persistent requests for legalizing operations went unheeded”

At the meeting representatives of over five TV Stations operating in the country which are owned by either Somalilanders or citizens of Somalia concurred on the imperative need of conducting operations within legal parameters established by the government.

While the government has in the past had to act tough with a number of media houses and individual journalists for alleged unethical practices Kalsan becomes the first to be banned for illegal operations.

SDN Hargeisa