Clandestine Radio Watch 178

--------------xxxxxxxxxx CRW 178 xxxxxxxxxx--------------

CLANDESTINE RADIO WATCH 178
March 15, 2005

CRW is the biweekly online magazine for ClandestineRadio.com, the Web's
only portal on clandestine broadcasting and subversive media.

http://www.ClandestineRadio.com 

The full online issue can be read at:
http://www.ClandestineRadio.com/crw/crw.php?id=237 

------------xxxxxxxxxx Breaking News xxxxxxxxxx----------------

Zimbabwe: Mugabe Jams the Airwaves
Zimbabwe: Harare Jamming Radio Broadcast from London
Zimbabwe: State Jamming Radio Signals From UK

............................................

Zimbabwe: Mugabe Jams the Airwaves

March 14, 2005

Basildon Peta
The Mercury

President Robert Mugabe's government has succeeded in using imported
Chinese equipment to jam radio broadcasts into Zimbabwe by the country's
sole independent radio station operating from London.

Hundreds of thousands of Zimbabwean listeners of SWRadio Africa, a
private station started by veteran Zimbabwean broadcasters led by Gerry
Jackson, have since last week not been able to receive their daily
independent news broadcasts.

The independent broadcasts from London began in 2001 on shortwave bands
6145 Khz and 4880 Khz, after Jackson was prevented from establishing
Zimbabwe's first-ever private radio station in Harare.

"The government in Zimbabwe must be using a transmitter to deliberately
jam our broadcasts," Jackson said. She had installed the equipment after
the then-independent Supreme Court - led by Chief Justice Anthony Gubbay
- outlawed the Zimbabwe government's monopoly on broadcasting.

'The government in Zimbabwe must be using a transmitter to deliberately
jam our broadcasts' But the Zimbabwe government defied the Supreme Court
order to allow independent broadcasters, and confiscated Capital Radio's
equipment.

 Jackson was banished to London, where she reconstituted Capital Radio as
SWRadio Africa and started independent, three-hour news broadcasts into
Zimbabwe on shortwave bands.

SWRadio Africa grew in popularity and was later complemented by the Voice
of America, which also started hourly news broadcasts into Zimbabwe in
2003 under a programme called Studio 7.

The two stations, whose reporters operate under cover, became the only
alternatives to the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation. Justice Minister
Patrick Chinamasa had publicly warned Jackson and other journalists
working on the two stations that the "comfort" of Zimbabwe's jails "await
to welcome you" whenever they returned to their motherland.

Chinese experts had been working on the programme for more than a year.

Jackson said her organisation's transmission experts were trying other
shortwave alternatives and medium wave bands, which were more difficult
to interfere with.

(This article was originally published on page 2 of The Mercury on March
14, 2005)
(The Mercury via Media Network via H.Johnson-FL-USA in CDX-ML)

............................................

Zimbabwe: Harare Jamming Radio Broadcast from London

March 15, 2005

by Jonathan Katzenellenbogen
Johannesburg's "Business Times

The station manager of an independent London-based radio station which
broadcast to Zimbabwe, SW Radio Africa, says the Harare government is
deliberately jamming its signal.

While the Zimbabwean government denies the charge, listeners have
confirmed that Harare has been jamming the station's short-wave
broadcasts since Monday last week.
To jam a radio broadcast a stronger signal is used to flood the frequency
which the station uses.

The attempt to restrict outside broadcasts dedicated to Zimbabwean issues
comes with only three weeks to go before the elections and the main
opposition party being all but ignored on the official broadcaster.

SW Radio Africa does not reveal the source of its funding, which it says
comes largely from nongovernmental organisations. But a report in the
state-owned Sunday Mail says the station is "heavily sponsored by
ex-Rhodesians to illegally transmit pro-opposition and imperialist
propaganda to Zimbabwe."

There is widespread speculation that the Zimbabwe government may have
been provided with the resources to jam the broadcasts by either Iran or
China, two countries with which Harare has increasingly close ties.

Iran's President Mohammad Khatami visited Zimbabwe earlier this year, and
the two countries have cooperation agreements in a number of areas,
including telecommunications.

A team of Iranians was reportedly advising the government on
broadcasting.
(Business Times-AFS Mar 15, 2005 via V.Korinek-AFS in DXplorer-ML)

My first reaction was that very often the behaviour of short waves is
interpreted by some listeners as "jamming", or that the local
interference from some inferior appliances usually from Far East with
which Africa is flooded is seen as jamming. I have come across this many
times before. Having said that, I checked the SW Radio Africa's
frequencies tonight, and regrettably there is no doubt that the
broadcasts are being jammed. The 11845 kHz signal is the weakest here and
it was not jammed at first but the jammer came on around 16h30 and wiped
out the signal almost completely. The jammer on 6145 kHz was irritating
but the signal was still quite useable. 3230 kHz is extremely strong here
and the jammer was hardly noticeable, but definitely there. The jamming
on 11845 and 6145 stopped about 1 minute after s/off at 17h00, but
continued on 3230 which broadcasts until 19h00. The jammer does not sound
like anything Iran and China are using but rather a buzzing / drilling
type of electrical noise. Something a DXer is very allergic to!
(V.Korinek-AFS Mar 15, 2005 in inDXplorer-ML)

............................................

Zimbabwe: State Jamming Radio Signals From UK

March 14, 2005
Article originally posted at:
http://allafrica.com/stories/200503141279.html

The Daily News (Harare)

Johannesburg - The Zimbabwe government, in an effort to silence
independent voices ahead of the crucial March 31 poll, is allegedly
jamming radio broadcasts by one of Zimbabwe's independent radio stations
operating from the United Kingdom.

According to SW Radio Africa, its broadcasts to Zimbabwe are not being
received after the government allegedly jammed the short wave signal
which the station has been using for broadcasting for the past four
years.

The station is manned by a group of former Zimbabwean state broadcasters,
led by Gerry Jackson, a veteran broadcaster. Jackson was fired from ZBC
after informing the nation, through her programme on the then popular
Radio Three, of police strikes during a nationwide work stoppage.

"We're being jammed. We had Plan B but now we're already on to plan C.
For the full three hours of evening broadcasts we will be on 3230 Khz in
the 90 metre band. For the first hour of evening broadcasts we will also
be on 6145 Khz in the 49 metre band. And for that first hour we will also
be on 11845 Khz in the 25 metre band," said a notice at SW Radio Africa's
website.

The statement also revealed that the station was now broadcasting on
three short wave frequencies, plus a medium wave frequency.

Sources in Zimbabwe have confirmed that the government has installed
jamming equipment at Thornhill Airbase to interfere with radio signals.

The equipment, which was imported from China, has however failed to jam
signals from the Voice of America transmitters situated in neighbouring
Botswana, where the popular Studio Seven signal is beamed to Zimbabwe.
(The Daily News via U.Fleming-USA in CDX-ML)

------------xxxxxxxxxx Schedules xxxxxxxxxx--------------------

Uganda
Radio Rhino International-Africa

1500-1530 on 17870 JUL 100 kW / 145 deg Mon-Fri to EaAf --- cancelled
(R BUL Observer 354 Mar 8, 2005 via W.Büschel-D for CRW)

............................................

Zimbabwe
SW Radio Africa

In der Sendung von DI, 15.03.05, wurde u.a. von Problemen mit
Stoersendern aus Zimbabwe gesprochen und dass dem mit einer dritten
Sendestunde begegnet wird.

Sendezeiten und Frequenzen von SW Radio Africa laut Ansage:
16-17 UTC 11845 kHz
17-18 UTC 11705 kHz
18-19 UTC 11995 kHz
(H.Meixner-AUT Mar 15, 2005 in A-DX-ML)

Achtung das sind lokale Zeiten in ZWE: UT+2 hrs.
(W.Büschel-D Mar 15, 2005 in A-DX-ML)

U.K.(non): Additional freq for SW Radio Africa in English to Zimbabwe:
1600-1700 on 11845 (55544), tent. via ASC \\ 6145 via MEY 100 kW / 005
deg
(R BUL Observer 355 Mar 15, 2005 via W.Büschel-D for CRW)


------------xxxxxxxxxx Logs xxxxxxxxxx-------------------------

Cuba
Radio Martí

I pulled in Radio Marti to Cuba on 03/04/05 on 6035 KHz at 0435-0445 GMT
in the Chicago Area. At 0445 reception droped off. Broadcast was in
Spanish with disscussion on President Bush and mention of Russia.
(J.Aviatr-USA Mar 4, 2005 for CRC)

NUEVO ANUNCIO DE RADIO MARTI : Hoy Lunes 7 de Marzo, 2005 desde las 10:00
UT Radio Martí hace un nuevo anuncio sobre la programación de Radio y
Televisión Martí. Se anuncia lo siguiente cada treinta minutos:

"Radio y Televisión Martí están trasmitiendo una Programación Especial
por ajustes técnicos en nuestros estudios, volveremos a nuestra
programación habitual en poco tiempo".
(O.de Céspedes-FL-USA Mar 7, 2005 in ListsConDig-ML)

R. Martí, 15330 announced at 1400 UT March 9 that in addition to usual
frequencies, it was now on WPIK 102.5 Summerland Key FL. So exactly what
is the schedule via this station? Initially it was 6 pm to 6 am only,
give or take
(G.Hauser-OK-USA Mar 9, 2005 in DXLD-ML)

............................................

Diverse
Various

9745 possibly Voice of Han 1825 totally different voices then Chinese
people and talks New tun on 1845 with very light song ON 27 and 1333 with
signal S7 and talks QRM from 9750 BBC Romanian S9+30. From Taiwan to
Mainland China.
(Z.Liangas-GRC Feb 27, 2005 in CDX-ML)

............................................

Eritrea
Voice of Peace and Democracy Eritrea

5500 V.of Peace & Democracy Eritrea Mar 1 *1414-1428 34322-34333
Tigrigna, 1414 sign on with IS and ID, 1417 Drums, Opening announce, Talk
and local music.
(Ko.Hashimoto-J Mar 01, 2005 in JAP 358)

Voice of Peace and Democracy of Eritrea not heard on either 5500 or 6350
when checking on a Monday. This program had previously been heard at
*0315 weekdays. I did hear 6350 with open carrier at 0349 and both
channels on the air with the interval signal of Voice of the Tigray
Revolution at 0356. So the transmitters are fine, they just didn't carry
the program today at a time it has been previously on. Needs more work to
see if this is now off or if the schedule has been changed. (via DX Tuner
in Europe)
(H.Johnson-FL-USA Mar 14, 2005 in CDX-ML)

............................................

Ethiopia
Dejen Radio

7590 Dejen R. Feb 26 *1700-1710 35433 Tigrigna, 1700 sign on with local
music, ID at 1702 and 1707,
(Ko.Hashimoto-J Feb 26, 2005 in JAP 358)

Voice of Ethiopian Medhin

9820 V. of Ethiopian Salvation via DTK Feb 27 *1600-1607 25332 Amharic,
1600 sign on with IS and ID, Opening announce, Talk,
(Ko.Hashimoto-J Feb 27, 2005 in JAP 358)

............................................

Iran
Radio Farda

1575 kHz Radio Farda via UAE um 2046 UTC in Farsi mit Bericht über
Afghanistan. 33333
(P.Robic-AUT Mar 7, 2005 in A-DX-ML)

Tonight at 1650z I heard Radio Farda in Farsi signing off after giving
their website address. This was on 1575 kHz MW. Can anyone confirm this
is indeed a UAE transmitter that's being used for it ??
(P.Privat-F Mar 8, 2005 in MW-DX-ML)

Radio Farda has been transmitting on 1575 from UAE the last week, Radio
Asia moved to 1557 kHz.
(G.Nilsson-S Mar 9, 2005 in MW-DX-ML)

11845, R. Farda relay (Sri Lanka), 1720-1732, M in lang at t/in w/Web
site www.radiofarda.org, then into Rock-like ballad. 1726 M and W
w/canned anmnt including ID, prob. a promo. AR Pop mx. 1730 W and M w/ID
anmnt over mx, then tlk segment by same W. Fair but fady. Found by
accident while looking for R. SWA. (12 March)
(D.Valko-USA Mar 12, 2005 in CDX-ML)

Voice of Iranian Revolution

6421.16, 25.2, 1640, Voice of Iranian Revolution in Kurdish, Kurdish
music, several IDs, often mentioning Iran, no jamming. Drifted a little.
Also heard at 1755. 24333
(B.Vestesen-DNK Feb 25, 2005 in SW Bulletin March 6, 2005 translated by
T.Nilsson for DXLD 5-041)

Voice of the Iranian Nation (c.2004)

11620 V.of Iranian Nation Mar 1 *1430-1447 34433-24322 Farsi, 1430 sign
on with opening music, ID and opening announce, Talk,
(Ko.Hashimoto-J Mar 1, 2005 in JAP 358)

11630.16 [x11625, x11660, x15650] R. Seda-ye Mellat-e Iran. Today noted
moved up 5 kHz to 11630 to avoid Iranian jammers on Sat March 5th. Usual
1430-1500 UT transmission in Persian via Cairo-EGY. Also station ID heard
twice. Accompanied by Iranian jammers, generator engine type jammer on
11630 and 11632.68 kHz, and a lonely 'forgotten' bubble jammer on
11624.00 kHz. 160 Hertz het accompanied of an UNID station underneath on
exact 11630.00 kHz, seemingly the Chinese domestic station Lingshi CHN-8
in Kazakh language.
(W.Büschel-D Mar 5, 2005 in BC-DX 704)

Checked 11630 [ex-11625, ex-11660, ex-15650] R. Seda-ye Mellat-e Iran
again yesterday Sun 6th. Transmitter location still a puzzle, WRN
brokered? Very poor signal level here in Germany, compared to Moldova,
Bulgaria, Krasnodar etc. S=1-2. Both Clandestine Mellat-; but CNR8
Urumchi Kazakh was mostly much stronger, rather S=2-3 ahead. Both on even
frequency.

Iranian jammer started late around 1432 UT. Another jammer started
1433:30 UT on odd 11630.20 kHz. Lousy signal of R. Seda-ye Mellat-e Iran.
Was so poor, that I couldn't determine the exact s-off time
(W.Büschel-D Mar 6, 2005 in DXLD 5-041)

11630.2 V.of Iranian Nation Mar 14 *1430-1442 24432-24332 Farsi, 1430
sign on with opening music, ID and opening announce, Talk,
(Ko.Hashimoto-J Mar 9, 2005 in JAP 360)

............................................

Kashmir (de facto)
Radio Sedaye Kashmir

6100 R. Sedaye Kashmir via Delhi *1430-1445 Mar 6. Good signal with usual
sign-on, but now the North Korean station is right on 6100, ex-6100.27v,
causing a big problem. The two were neck-and-neck at 1430, but eventually
Kim's Choir took over as Delhi faded.
(J.M.Wilkins-CO-USA Mar 6, 2005 in DXplorer-ML)

Voice of Jammu Kashmir Freedom

5102 V.O.Jammu Kashmir Freedom Mar 9 *1259-1303 44433 Kashmiri, 1259 sign
on with opening music, ID, Koran, Talk,
(Ko.Hashimoto-J Mar 9, 2005 in JAP 360)

............................................

Kurdistan (de facto)
Voice of Mesopotamia

11530 V.of Mesopotamia Mar 1 1448-1503 45444 Kurdish, Music, ID at 1501,
Talk,
(Ko.Hashimoto-J Mar 01, 2005 in JAP 358)

11530, 1620-1635, UNID Mar 10 presumed Denge Mesopotamia with
Arab/Kurdish sounding language, instrumental music and male with a few
minutes of talk with several mentions of Afghanistan, at times very deep
fades but quite audible in the peaks.
(T.Roth-NPL Mar 10, 2005 in HCDX-ML)

............................................

Maldives
Minivan Radio

11810 Minivan R. via DTK Feb 27 1609-1619 33333 Vernacular, ID at 1610,
IS, Talk.
(Ko.Hashimoto-J Feb 27, 2005 in JAP 358)

11810 Radio Minivan *1600 with Radio Miami International ID by Jeff White
and into program. Mixing with Jordan at start, but improved by 1620 do a
fair signal.
(H.Johnson-FL-USA Mar 4, 2005 in CDX-ML)

............................................

Syria
The Arabic Radio

7470 Arab R. Feb 25 1605-1629* 44444 Arabic, Koran and arabic music and
talk, ID at 1621.
(Ko.Hashimoto-J Feb 24, 2005 in JAP 358)

............................................

Uganda
Radio Rhino International-Africa

17870 Radio Rhino International untraced at 1515 on a Friday, off again?
Yep, sure enough. Checked their website and they have suspended their
radio broadcasts since Mar 1.
(H.Johnson-FL-USA Mar 4, 2005 in CDX-ML)

............................................

Vietnam
Degar Voice

7125, Degar Voice, via Oyash, Russia, *1300-1330*, Jan 31, Khmer and
other dialects spoken in Vietnam which often was mentioned. Strong jammer
on it.
(R.Schulze-PHL in DSWCI DX Window Feb 23, 2005 via DXLD 5-038)

Radio Free Vietnam (c.2001)

9930 R.Free Vietnam via KWHR Feb 24 *1230-1245 45444 Vietnamese, Opening
music, ID, Theme song, Talk and music.
(Ko.Hashimoto-J Feb 24, 2005 in JAP 358)

............................................

Western Sahara (de facto)
National Radio of the Arab-Saharan Democratic Republic

7460 Polisario Front, Rabuni, observed on 28 Feb at 1738-... UT, Arabic,
local songs; 55444; // 700 kHz f/in at abt. 1805. This 41 m outlet gets a
lot worse later in the evening due to QRM de RFAsia.
(C.Goncalves-POR Mar 2, 2005 in BC-DX 704)

Polisario Front's weekly sched. seems to be different on Fri. - I had
forgot Friday "works" as Sundays for the muslims - and this perhaps why I
heard s/off today, Fri. 4 Mar, at 0900 instead of 0800. This time, 700
kHz (// 7460, which remained with the carrier on for a good 20 mins.) was
observed fading out prior to 0830.
(C.Goncalves-POR Mar 2, 2005 in BC-DX 704)

I heard a weak & poor signal on 700 kHz from RASD at 2255 UT on 5/3. This
was in // with 7460.
(S.Whitt-G Mar 5, 2005 in MWC via DXLD 5-042)

7460 R. Nacional de la RASD 2350-0001*. Political talk by man in Spanish.
2352 Very enjoyable easy listening Spanish pop music. 0000 Closing
announcements by woman followed by anthem to 0001*. Good signal with
fading. SINPO 33323.
(J.Evans-TN-USA Mar 6, 2005 in CDX-ML)

7460, Radio Nacional de la República Arabe Saharaui Democrática,
2330-0003, programa en español, locutor, noticias sobre el Frente
Polisario y sobre la política territorial de Marruecos, otras noticias,
intervalo musical entre cada noticia, identificación: "Esta es la Radio
Nacional de la República Arabe Saharaui Democrática", canciones en
inglés. A las 0003 desapareció la señal. 34333. (Marzo 9).
(M.Méndez-E Mar 9, 2005 in CDX-ML)

The Polisario Front was inaudible today on both 700 & 7460 kHz when
checked at 0740; they were pretty active yesterday evening though, the
700 kHz being the best due to heavy co-channel QRM on 7460
(C.Goncalves-POR Mar 10, 2005 in DXLD 5-043)

The Polisario Front noted today, 11 Mar, at 0735 on 700 kHz with a fair
signal, no \\ 7460 kHz. Gone or, most probably, f/out at recheck 0810
(obs'ed s/off around 0900 on Fri, 4 Mar). It's far from being regularly
steady on a daily basis.
(C.Goncalves-POR Mar 11, 2005 in DXLD 5-043)

............................................

Zimbabwe
SW Radio Africa

3230, "ZIMBABWE", (P) SWR Africa, *0300-0310, Mar.1, Noted again w/ intro
music and announcer followed by OM and YL w/ music and talks. Still too
weak under static too work with here.
(S.R.Barbour-NH-USA Mar 1, 2005 in HCDX-ML)

SW Radio Africa on 1197: SW Radio Africa, the clandestine for Zimbabwe,
recently added a MW transmission at 0300-0500 UT on 1197 kHz // 3230. The
latter is probably via Meyerton, South Africa, as is their evening on
6145, but they aren`t saying where 1197 is coming from. It seems likely
it is the 100 kW in Lesutu used by WYFR in the evening, especially since
SWRA admits that it can only reach parts of southern Zimbabwe that late
in the morning, and since AFAIK, there are no MW transmitters at
Meyerton, a shortwave-only site. And since it would not be cost-effective
to build a new MW station and use it for only two hours a day. So could
some monitors in southern Africa get a fix on 1197 during those two
hours?
(G.Hauser-USA Mar 3, 2005 in MWDX-ML)

Glenn, I think you are exactly right in your suppositions. 1197 is almost
certainly the old BBC TX in Lesotho, now used by WYFR (listening to it
now @ 0330 - same characteristics as WYFR in the evening)
(J.Plimmer-AFS Mar 3, 2005 in MWDX-ML)

Hi once again Glenn, In DXLD 5-040 you mentioned that Meyerton, South
Africa has no MW facilities, thanks for this info. Also that John Plimmer
(a name I recall from the SADX Listeners Club when it existed in the
1990s, of which I was a member) has monitored SWR Africa on 1197 from the
Western Cape Province in South Africa, around 0330 UT and comments on its
similarity to the evening broadcast of WYFR from Lesotho which are listed
as in English from 1600-1900 and then 2000-2300 UT.

John suggests that the transmitter being used as a relay for SWR Africa
is the old BBC 100 kW MW one located at Lancers Gap in Lesotho (S 029
19', E 027 33'), not far from the capital Maseru, Lesotho and I now agree
that this is the likely site of the new MW broadcast.

The SW transmissions on 3230 at 0300-0500 UT are from Sentech, Meyerton,
South Africa as that frequency is listed as a 100 kW transmitter used by
WYFR Family Radio.

SW Radio Africa therefore is unable to use the MW frequency of 1197 for
its evening broadcast (1700-1900 UT) as the transmitter in Lesotho is
occupied by WYFR at this time and is only free for the early morning
transmissions to Zimbabwe at 0300-0500 UT.

What is interesting to note is that WYFR frequencies are used by both SW
and MW; is there a connection between this church group and SW Radio
Africa; is this the 'provider' that SWR Africa commented on in their news
release regarding the new MW frequency?

BTW: Lancers Gap, Lesotho is 1320 km distant, bearing 203 from my home
location, Harare, Zimbabwe.

[Later:] Hi Glenn, Sentech *do* transmit on MW from Meyerton,South Africa
according to their website http://www.sentech.co.za 657 KHz Radio Pulpit
(Commercial) and 576 KHz Metro FM (SABC). All the SW and MW frequencies
aired by Sentech are listed here. Oddly, SW Radio Africa 6145 kHz,
evenings 1700-1900 UT, is not listed anywhere. I am listening to SW Radio
Africa on 6145, now 1720 UT.
(D.Pringle-Wood-ZBW Mar 6, 2005 in DXLD-ML)

SW Radio Africa, clandestine, 3230, 0315-0345+ March 6, local African
music, English talk but difficult to understand due to high noise level.
0328 caught ID when giving website as swradioafrica.com Poor in noise and
slight co-channel QRM from numbers station on high side
(B.Alexander-PA-USA Mar 6, 2005 in DXLD-ML)

Hi Glenn: It seems as if this station`s evening broadcast on 6145 kHz
from 1600 UT sign on, is being interfered with / possible jamming. Heard
for the first time this evening Monday 7th March. A harsh co-channel
modulated signal on 6145 can be heard, varying at times; however SWR
Africa's signal is the stronger and so it merely affects the audio
quality of its broadcast.

With less than 4 weeks to go until Zimbabwe`s General Elections on 31
March, it could be possible that some form of radio intervention to 6145
could be at play? I will monitor 6145 evenings (1600-1900 UT) and the
recently introduced early morning one of 3230 kHz (0300-0500 UT) to
report on any continued deliberate interference. I request that listeners
in the Southern part of Africa comment on these transmissions.
(D.Pringle-Wood-ZBW Mar 7, 2005 in DXLD-ML)

Hi Glenn, SW Radio Africa --- 6145 kHz (1600-1900 UT), heard this evening
Wednesday 9 March on 6145 is again this evening experiencing extremely
severe co-channel interference.

I was unsure if it was a transmitter fault from Sentech, South Africa or
deliberate interference which has been monitored in various forms since
Monday 7 March but it appears most likely that it is deliberate and this
evening EXTREME.

Heard from 1600 UT sign on with a 20 kHz blocking signal carrier
modulated
single tone, from 6135 to 6155, centered on 6145.

Oddly the interference went off at 1630 UT for around 10 minutes but came
back on again with a different modulated tone.

At 1700 UT the interference is extreme, making reception almost
impossible for me using a Communications grade receiver (Yaesu FRG
7700M); a basic portable radio would not have the selectivity, so SWRA's
signal on 6145 would be rendered totally blocked out.

I monitor the new SWRA daily broadcast on 3230 mornings (0300-0500 UT)
and this transmission is not interfered with. I presume the same Sentech
transmitter is used for both transmissions, so still concerned that
deliberate interference of 6145 evenings is occurring. We are currently
checking with Sentech and SWRA's London studio to confirm if it is a
transmitter problem or deliberate interference.
(D.Pringle-Wood-ZBW Mar 9, 2005 in DXLD-ML)

RE: Zimbabwe jamming SW Radio Africa : Seems to be true. Just saw this on
their Website: "Our signal is being deliberately jammed, so we are going
back to 4880 kHz in the 60 metre band. Please pass it on."
(A.Sennit-HOL Mar 10, 2005 in DXLD-ML)

This is the first time I have seen mention of an 11845 channel.
Interestingly, their website gives their "live broadcasting times"
(1600-1900 UTC) in Zimbabwe Time, "GMT" (Zimbabwe time minus 2 hrs.) and
"Eastern Standard" (GMT-5).
(J.Berg-MA-USA Mar 11, 2005 in DXplorer-ML)

Excerpt from website of SW Radio Africa:
http://www.swradioafrica.com

We're being J A M M E D
We had Plan B but now we're already on to plan C! For the full three
hours of evening broadcasts (6 - 9pm Zim time [1600-1900 UTC]) we will be
on 3230 kHz in the 90 metre band.

For the first hour of evening broadcasts (6 - 7pm Zim time [1600-1700
UTC]) we will also be on 6145 kHz in the 49 metre band.
And for that first hour we will also be on 11845kHz in the 25 metre band.
Yes we're broadcasting on 3 frequencies.

Don't forget medium wave and shortwave broadcasts in the morning.
5 - 7am Zim time [0300-0500 UTC] Medium wave on 1197 kHz
Shortwave on 3230kHz in the 90 metre band
(B.Trutenau-LTU Mar 12, 2005 in CDX-ML)

Thanks for a tip, Bernd. On 12 Mar at 1622 SW Radio Africa with nice
signal via presumed Ascension on 11845. 6145 was covered by another
station and 3230 had only a weakish carrier. Adding: Recheck (12 Mar) at
1850 shows SW R Africa on 3230 with weakish signal. Can't tell if there
was any jamming, had enough local noise. SW Radio Africa program ended
around 1900 and after some dead air Family Radio started their program.
Relay via Meyerton.
(J.Savolainen-FIN Mar 12, 2005 in DXLD-ML)

Thanks to Rich and Jerry for the tips. Since 0335 this morning (March 12)
I have been hearing a very weak African station on 3230.00 coming up of
the mud at times and disturbed by a whisteling tone on 3230.08. It is
mostly talking by a man probably in a Vernacular, but at 0355 there was a
piece of Afropop and at 0406 and 0408 some native singing. It seems to
fade out now at 0415 due to sunrise. It is probably SW R Africa on this
new frequency.
(A.Petersen-DNK Mar 12, 2005 in DXplorer-ML)

Monitored in Harare, Zimbabwe, SW Radio Africa on 6145 was again jammed
progressively from 1600 to 1700 UT. The alternative frequency of 3230 was
in the clear until 1710 UT when it was severely jammed until close 1900
UT. The very new frequency of 11845 (Ascension or still Meyerton?) was
heard in the clear from 1600 to 1700 UT, then station off.

Glenn, it appears most likely now that deliberate localised jamming of
SWRA within the vicinity of Harare the capital is occurring. Unlikely to
be ZBC Gweru, as these transmitters cannot switch frequencies as easily
as the jamming signal does. Also can mention that the signal strength
here in Harare is so extreme it must be a localised jammer. My guess is
that`s a medium power localised jammer within the area of Harare but we
are monitoring these frequencies from in and around Zimbabwe to check up
on this.
(D.Pringle-Wood-ZWE Mar 13, 2005 in DXLD-ML)

SW Radio Africa, apparently via Ascension : 11845, they're on now, *1600,
so-so at best. I thought it was a local noise source giving them fits,
but I think it's the jamming. [Later:] Seems to be improving, and maybe
it was local noise rather than jamming. Noise seems to be heading up the
band, SWRA okay on LSB.
(J.Berg-USA Mar 13, 2005 in DXplorer-ML)

11845, 1600-, SW Radio Africa Mar 13 Powerful S9 + 20 reception with
crash start with multiple IDs in English with some short/long path echo.
All in English. With song 'Africaaa, Africaaa', then this is SW Radio
Africa, Zimbabwe's independent voice. Through the valley religious
program after announcements. [Later] Superb reception out here on the
coast with no signs of jamming
(W.Salmaniw-BC-CAN Mar 13, 2005 in DXplorer-ML)

Re: SW Radio Africa, apparently via Ascension: Thanks to Jerry, tuned in
at 1621 to EG song, into EG talk about Zimbabwe elections being held
March 31st and religious leaders comments about Zimbabwe, at 1634 the end
of the Richard Offray (sp?) program, says to tune in again at "5 minutes
past 6 on Sunday evening or at half past 5 on Sunday morning." As Walt
says, the reception was very good, no jamming or QRN/QRM.
(R.Howard-CA-USA Mar 13, 2005 in DXplorer-ML)

Re: SW Radio Africa, apparently via Ascension: Noted with a nice s5 plus
signal, with station ID and frequency given at 1706, into musical
program. No jamming, other then some Polar flutter. Nice to see the
signal making a nice appearance.......
(E.Kusalik-AB-CAN Mar 13, 2005 in DXplorer-ML)

I just noticed that the banner on their Web site says 3220 kHz, but the
text lower down the page twice says 3230 kHz. Which one is currently
being used?
(A.Sennit-HOL Mar 14, 2005 in DXLD-ML)

Hi Andy. Checked 14 Mar at 1830 UT. SW R Africa seems still to be on
3230. Only treshold signal here due to local noise. Checking against
their website audio stream, it sounds like 3230 is some 15-20 secs ahead
of web audio.
(J.Savolainen-FIN Mar 14, 2005 in DXLD-ML)

3306 ZBC no trace of them here at 0315, but 3230 R. SW Africa did sound
clear, no sign of interference noted. There have no been any reports of
this transmission being interfered with yet. R SW Africa has reported
recently that their transmissions in the local evenings are being jammed,
possibly from ZBC broadcast transmitters.
(H.Johnson-FL-USA Mar 14, 2005 in CDX-ML)

3230, SW Radio Africa, not bad at *0300 Mar 14 with usual s/on sequence,
no jamming, but local noise producer moving back and forth over this fqy
range required use of USB or LSB, depending on where the QRM was. Stn has
good audio, permitting the ID to come through nicely. I tried 11845 at
*1600 Mar 14 and found it poor overall, slightly better on peaks, very
fadey, worse by 1630. Several times they anncd all three SW fqys--3230,
6145 and 11845--plus 1197 MW.
(J.Berg-USA Mar 14, 2005 in DXplorer-ML)

They've added the missing frequency for 1700-1900 UTC. From the website:
We had Plan B but now we're already on to plan D! We are trying something
new. We will be on a different frequency for each of the three hours this
evening. We know this is complicated, please bear with us. This jamming
is a serious problem.

1800-1900 11845kHz (unchanged)
1900-2000 11705kHz
2000-2100 11995kHz

All in 25 metre band Zimbabwe time

We're broadcasting on 3 frequencies. If you can pass this on to family
and friends bakc home, that would be great.
Don't forget medium wave and shortwave broadcasts in the morning. 5 - 7am
Zim time Medium wave on 1197Khz Morning shortwave on 3230Khz in the 90
metre band.
(A.Sennit-HOL Mar 15, 2005 in DXLD-ML)

SW Radio Africa: Derzeit auf 11705 kHz hier mit SINPO 44444! [Later:] SW
Radio Africa seit 1800 UTC auf 11995 noch besser (SINPO 55444).
(R.Sonntag-D Mar 15, 2005 in A-DX-ML)

Auf 11705 kHz bis 1800z Störungen durch lautes Pfeiffen. Ab 1800z
sauberer Empfang möglich, dafür jetzt starkes Pfeiffen auf 11995 kHz.
Scheinbar bestätigt sich die Aussage mit den Störsendern.
(F.Paukstat-D Mar 15, 2005 in A-DX-ML)

RE: SW Radio Africa? : Checking 15 Mar. 11845 at 1623 decent signal.
11705 at 1723 mostly covered by Radio Farda, some fade-ups of R SW Africa
audible. Noted abt 1000Hz interfering signal. 11995 switched from 11705
at 1800, Good signal but the 1000Hz signal appeared also here shortly.
(J.Savolainen-FIN Mar 15, 2005 in DXLD-ML)

SW Radio Africa is being effectively jammed on the following frequencies
and times:

3230 0300-0500 UT
3230 1600-1900 UT
6145 1600-1900 UT
11845 1600-1700 UT, jamming heard from 1630 UT

This is not localised jamming, but is a pair of high powered jamming
transmitters located, very likely at ZBC Gweru facilities in Zimbabwe. I
have been actively monitoring these and other new test frequencies
provided to SWRA by Sentech et al.

1197 MW 0300-0500 UT heard well in Zimbabwe, no jamming signal present.
(D.Pringle-Wood-ZWE Mar 15, 2005 in DXLD-ML)

It would be interesting to know what kind of jamming signal they are
using. As I wrote earlier, I noted about 1000Hz tone on two of the SW R
Africa frequencies in the 25 meterband. Just wonder if this was a jamming
signal or something else.
(J.Savolainen-FIN Mar 15, 2005 in DXLD-ML)


------------xxxxxxxxxx QSL Verifications xxxxxxxxxx------------

Kurdistan (de facto)
Voice of Iranian Kurdistan

4860, Voice of Iranian Kurdistan replied to an e-mail report with a no
data e-mail reply from rdk_iran@yahoo.com in 13 days asking how I became
acquainted with their station. The Paris office seems rather
uncoordinated as a signed/stamped prepared card was received previously.
(R.D'Angelo-PA-USA Mar 13, 2005 in DXplorer-ML)

............................................

Zimbabwe
SW Radio Africa

An e-mail from SW Radio Africa (11845), to say thank you very much for
your reception report, from Gerry Jackson, Station Manager, indicating
their technicians would send me a formal confirmation. Notes that he is:
Very pleased to hear that we're available in California. It's our poor
Zimbabwean listeners who are having a terrible time hearing us and we're
moving frequencies constantly to try to overcome the jamming. In less
than 2 days, for an e-mailed report. [Later:] Sorry, I just found out
that it's Ms. Jackson. She was the person who started the station.
(R.Howard-CA-USA Mar 15, 2005 in DXplorer-ML)

------------xxxxxxxxxx Other News xxxxxxxxxx-------------------

Afghanistan
Afghanistan's Media Renaissance
After decades of supression, a new, vibrant media is making its presence
felt in Afghanistan.

January 1, 2005

Article originally posted at:
http://www.newsline.com.pk/NewsJan2005/newsbeatjan2005.htm

By Abubaker Saddique
Newsline

Half way between the western Afghan city of Herat and the Iranian border,
in the dusty village of Ghoryan, the Afghan media is going through a
reincarnation. Returning after two decades of exile in neighbouring Iran,
Jamshid Nekjoo Azizi and his photographer friend, Hafizullah Haqdost,
cobble together a television station with 7,000 dollars from their own
money. With a borrowed VHS video camera, some cheap video cassette
recorders and CD players and a rebuilt transmitter, they are now beaming
three hours of broadcasting into 500 homes around Ghoryan. "We had an
onslaught of Iranian TV broadcasts so we tried to create our own station
as we were not receiving any transmissions from the central TV station in
Kabul or the regional station in Herat," says Azizi.

Earlier this year, in recognition of their efforts, an international
media development organisation, Internews, helped them establish an FM
radio station called Nadaye Sulh or the voice for peace. "Within our
coverage area we have 100 per cent listenership but we have a long way to
go. We need equipment and lots of training," says Haqdost. Around 20
enthusiastic students work on volunteer basis at the station with no
renumeration.

Radio Nadaye Sulh is part of an Internews-managed and United States
Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded network of 15
independent community and commercial FM radio stations across
Afghanistan. The network is expected to grow to 45 stations by the summer
of 2005.

This network is just one success story in the struggle of many eager
Afghans and some international organisations to establish a vibrant and
independent media in the new Afghanistan. Most Afghan journalists are
overly optimistic about the success of such efforts. "In December 2001,
after the fall of the Taliban, we started from absolute zero. Since then
media development has been unparalleled in our history," says veteran
Afghan journalist Habibullah Rafie. "The involvement of international
actors in the post-war media development in our country is a good omen,"
he said, adding that although initially after the fall of the Taliban, it
was the factional press associated with the victorious Northern Alliance
that stormed the capital, but that has gradually changed.

Today, close to 300 publications are registered with the ministry of
culture. With a large chunk operating from Kabul, most Afghan cities and
towns have their own modest publications often in the form of magazines.
Catering to a wide variety of tastes, these publications include dailies,
weeklies, bi-weeklies, monthlies and quarterlies.

While some of them are mouthpieces of political parties and military
factions, such as the Payam-e Mujahid and Afghan Millat, which are
associated with Jammiat Islami and the Afghan Millat political party,
others like the weekly Killid are more neutral and are often funded by
international donors since the Afghan print media is a long way from
financial independence. As only three out of 10 Afghans can read and
write, circulation at best reaches a few thousand copies, while the lack
of efficient distribution networks further limits readership. A vast
number of Afghan publications are bilingual appearing in the two national
languages, Dari and Pashto.

Afghanistan is still steeped in a radio culture as the majority of the
population, particularly in the remote rural regions, depend on radio for
news and information. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), the
Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and
many other international stations broadcasting in Afghan languages
provided the only reliable sources of news and information during the
country's 25 year conflict. Most Afghans still rely on these radio
broadcasts which led to stations such as the BBC, which is now
broadcasting in 16 Afghan cities, to dramatically expand their
programming, providing quality broadcasts around the clock.

In addition to the projected 45 Internews community stations, the state-
run Radio Afghanistan has 17 stations. Owned and managed by the business
savvy young Australian-Afghan Mohsini brothers, Arman FM is the country's
most successful commercial pop station. Starting in late 2003, the
station soon captured the imagination of Kabul's four million people.
Attracting around 80 per cent of the city's listenership, it's still the
most popular station in the capital. Every week the station receives
thousands of letters, while mobile phone networks crashed during its
call-in shows. "We wanted to provide alternatives to the public. Our aim
was to target the younger generation and we have been extremely
successful," says Saad Mohsini, director Arman FM. The station is now
extending its network to six major cities across Afghanistan.

By contrast, the development of television in Afghanistan has been slow.
According to most estimates, only one- third of the Afghan population has
access to television, while all attempts at reforming the state-owned
Afghan television have been abandoned. Many in the ministry of culture
and information now believe that privatisation might be the last resort
for white elephants such as Afghan TV and the Bakhtar news agency,
another subsidiary of the information ministry. With USAID funding, Arman
FM has started Afghanistan's first independent commercial TV channel,
Tolo TV, in early October, although its success has yet to be
ascertained.

Media pundits believe that sustainability is the key challenge facing the
nascent Afghan media sector. Says an international media consultant, "We
not only had to create media outlets, we also have to create a media
market." Compared to neighbouring countries, press freedom in Afghanistan
has improved, but much more needs to be done to provide a lasting
enabling environment to the media sector. Although international
journalists often face little intimidation, scores of Afghan journalists
have been threatened and victimised by various warlords and militia
commanders.

According to young Afghan journalist, Muhammad Nabi Tadbeer, compared to
the Taliban era, the Afghan media has undergone momentous growth but its
ultimate success hinges on political stability. "Over the past century we
have had cycles of relative stability and development, but any
development has always been destroyed by conflict and turmoil."
(Newsline Jan 2005 via N.Grace-USA)

............................................

Bolivia
Bolivia on the Brink -- Again
March 8, 2005

Article originally posted at:
http://www.americanthinker.com/articles.php?article_id=4313

By A.M. Fantini
The American Thinker

In what almost has become a perverse annual tradition, Bolivian mobs
again have blocked city streets and highways around the country. This-and
the promise of further unrest in the coming weeks-forced embattled
President Carlos Mesa to offer his resignation Sunday night. The Bolivian
Congress will decide by Tuesday evening whether or not to accept it.

Mesa, formerly the vice president, replaced President Gonzalo Sánchez de
Lozada after his own ouster in October 2003. In the 17 months he has been
president, Mesa's government already has endured 820 different protests.
The only surprise is that he's lasted this long.

In Sunday's televised speech, Mesa, who had been a well-known and
respected journalist, said he had "reached his limit." Amid growing
unrest over past weeks-and recognizing that his government would not be
able to withstand further protests planned for the next few days over the
use of the country's massive natural gas reserves-Mesa decided simply to
call it quits.

Bolivia, which has approximately 55 trillion cubic feet of natural gas
reserves-the second largest in Latin America after Venezuela-has been
struggling over what to do with it for years. Unfortunately, as the
ouster of Sánchez de Lozada and the [pending] resignation of Mesa
indicate, the manipulation of the poor and the uneducated Indian majority
by left-wing demagogues like Evo Morales and Felipe Quispe, both
indigenous leaders, has been extremely successful. Their message to the
crowds is consistently anti-U.S., anti-free trade and, at times,
virulently racist.

Their nationalist rhetoric-combined with a successful disinformation
campaign-has resulted in several left-wing legislative proposals now
making their way through Congress. The most outlandish of these would
abrogate the country's contracts with foreign investors, increase the
state's share of company profits to nearly 50 percent and perhaps even
re-nationalize the country's huge oil and gas sector.

Of course, any of these alone would be enough to bring all foreign direct
investment (FDI) in Bolivia to a standstill. FDI, which had in 1999
reached nearly $1.2 billion per annum thanks to structural reforms during
the first Sánchez de Lozada government (1993-97), have since dropped by a
whopping 50 percent.

A New Focal Point for Terrorism?
Evo Morales and Felipe Quispe aren't the only ones to blame for this
state of affairs. Certainly Morales, leader of the country's coca-leaf
farmers and the MAS (Movement Toward Socialism) political party, and
Felipe Quispe, formerly a member of the EGTK guerrilla movement in the
early 1990s and now an indigenous leader, have used tried and true
pressure tactics-street campaigns, political blackmail, and outright
coercion-to get things done. But their efforts have been well
complemented and perhaps even assisted by other, more sinister actors.

According to several South American intelligence services, there are
indications that members of Colombia's FARC terrorists have been working
for the past few years among indigenous groups in Bolivia, especially
those linked most closely with the country's narco-economy (i.e., Evo
Morales' coca-leaf farmers). Separately, there have also been confirmed
reports that former members of Peru's Shining Path guerrilla army have
been broadcasting via radio into rural Bolivia and may even have taken
part in recent criminal activity in both the cities of El Alto and La
Paz.

Moreover, there are other events that, while not conclusive, clearly
suggest something is going on in Bolivia that should warrant greater
attention on the part of the both the Bolivian government and U.S.
officials in charge of foreign policy and security in the region.

Two years ago, on indigenous rural radio, two former "colonels" of the
Shining Path guerrilla army were interviewed about ways to fight foreign
domination. A few months ago, a young Bolivian man was apprehended on his
way out of La Paz carrying a stash of stolen firearms and rifles. He was
later, by error, set free by police. And last week, protest organizers
began canvassing the neighborhoods of El Alto, knocking on doors and
forcing residents to take to the streets and protest against President
Mesa. Anyone who refused, according to one Indian lady, would be fined a
penalty and perhaps even find his or her windows broken by "community
enforcers." These are classic methods of coercion once used by the
Shining Path in Peru.

An important detail no one seems to be asking is how all these marches,
protests, and roadblocks are being financed. The protestors typically all
receive alcohol, food, and cigarettes. And often, as had occurred during
Black October (that overthrew President Sanchez de Lozada), nearly a
hundred truck-loads of rural indigenous poor were brought in from the
countryside. Who paid for these trucks? Who organizes, sets up, and pays
for the infrastructure for these protests?

Asleep at Foggy Bottom
Some of the blame for the rise of these radical elements has to be
shouldered by the U.S. Department of State and other agencies responsible
for hemispheric security and the Southern Cone. The power and influence
that Evo Morales enjoys now in Bolivia is, in part, the direct result of
a lop-sided approach of U.S. policy in the region. Focusing all its
financial and military resources into a strident (and, admittedly,
successful) coca-leaf eradication program in Bolivia, the U.S. has failed
to concurrently offer any kind of assistance for counter-insurgency
efforts. The result: a growing narco-guerrilla movement, the presence of
foreign terrorist groups, and the spread of anti-U.S. rhetoric.

While the Bush Administration pushes ahead with its increasingly
successful efforts to build democracy in Iraq, it has neglected Latin
America. This neglect is surprising since I remember how newly elected
President George W. Bush called then-president Hugo Banzer Suárez in
early 2000 to introduce himself-in Spanish, no less. This was widely
interpreted as a sign that Latin America would be a priority for the new
Bush administration. Of course, priorities shifted after September 11th.

But little by little, left-wing politicians have taken hold of
governments across the South American continent (Uruguay is the latest
democracy to elect a left-wing populist). And slowly, almost
imperceptibly, left-wing groups have started sowing seeds of discontent
and dissent around the region, undoubtedly emboldened, inspired, and
supported by Venezuela's Hugo Chávez, who has made clear his ambition to
export the Cuban revolution throughout the South American continent.

Instead of seeing counter-insurgency efforts in Latin America (and
Bolivia in particular) as part of a comprehensive War on Terror,
slow-moving American bureaucrats at Foggy Bottom and elsewhere in
Washington may have given radical elements carte blanche, allowing them
to gain a dangerous foothold in the Southern Cone.

A. M. Fantini is a graduate of Dartmouth College. He is half-Bolivian and
recently finished five years in Bolivia as a correspondent for Bridge
News and a consultant to the World Bank.  Mr. Fantini is completing a
book about Vermont and the 1960s counter-culture.

(The American Thinker, Mar 8 via Sennitt-Netherlands)

............................................

Cuba
Cuban Dissident Demands Time on Official Television
March 11, 2005

Article originally posted at:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/nationworld/orl-aseclatin11031105
mar11,1,1141813.story?coll=orl-home-headlines&ctrack=1&cset=true

Orlando Sentinel
Compiled from Wire Reports

HAVANA -- Veteran Cuban dissident Oswaldo Paya called on the communist
government to give him 15 minutes on state television to express his
opinions before municipal elections next month. "I challenge them again,"
Paya said in a statement distributed to international media in Havana.
Fellow dissident Ernesto Martini, who works closely with Paya, said Paya
did not want to run as a municipal assembly delegate, but simply wanted
to tell Cubans about their rights. The municipal elections will be held
in two rounds, on April 17 and 24.
(Orlando Sentinel Mar 11 via Grace-USA)

............................................

Cuba
EL C-130: Amenaza Volante
February 26, 2005

Por Joaquín Oramas
Granma Internacional

Aunque más conocido en Cuba desde que figura públicamente en las medidas
dictadas por la Administración de Bush en complicidad con la mafia de
Miami, el avión militar C-130, acumula una negra historia de conflictos
bélicos a lo largo de más de cuatro décadas. La Fuerza Aérea de Estados
Unidos desarrolló sus especificaciones originales de diseño hace más de
medio siglo.

Esta es la aeronave que, en peligrosa provocación anunció el Mandatario
de EE.UU., sería utilizada volando cerca de las aguas territoriales
cubanas como elemento de transmisión para que las señales de la mal
llamada Televisión Martí lleguen con facilidad a la Isla.

Estados Unidos ha gastado ya 100 millones de dólares en programas de TV
Martí que nadie ve en Cuba, declaró sobre el asunto Robert Barry, quien
ayudó a crear ese medio dirigido a Cuba. Sobre la maniobra del Gobierno
de Bush advirtió que neutralizar señales de televisión requiere sólo de
una pequeña fracción del poder que se necesita para transmitirla.

El plan de Washington de realizar la transmisión de TV Martí desde un
avión C-130 especialmente equipado costaría 70 millones de dólares sin
incluir costos de mantenimiento ni de la tripulación.

Se trata de uno de los aviones más utilizados por las Fuerzas Armadas
norteamericanas, ya sea por el ejército, la aviación o marina. Ha
participado en prácticamente todos los conflictos bélicos que se han
sucedido en el mundo desde que comenzó su producción en los años 50 del
siglo pasado, demostrando en todos que sus cualidades bélicas siguen
intactas cualquiera que sea el modelo utilizado. Es uno de los aviones
que permanecen en la sombra, eclipsado por otros modernos. Quizás sea así
porque Estados Unidos lo utiliza en operaciones especiales y secretas
como ocurrió en la reciente agresión a Iraq, el ataque a Afganistán y la
guerra del Golfo. Pero su historia va más allá en el tiempo, pues los
C-130 presentan una larga hoja de servicios en la agresión a Vietnam,
tanto en la transportación de personal como en los vuelos sobre
territorio sudvietnamita para el lanzamiento de materiales químicos que
destruyeron extensos territorios con cultivos agrícolas, cría de ganado
vacuno y áreas boscosas, que todavía presentan las huellas de los agentes
letales lanzados por la aviación norteamericana.

Durante la guerra, la mitad de las selvas de Vietnam del Sur fue regada
con 72 millones de litros del Agente Naranja, que afectaron 1,5 millones
de hectáreas, casi el 10% del territorio vietnamita. Aviones C-130 y de
otros tipos, junto a helicópteros, volando a unos 500 metros del suelo
regaban como promedio 250 litros de desfoliante por hectárea. Fueron
decenas de miles las víctimas con malformaciones, cáncer y otros
padecimientos producto de esos inhumanos ataques.

A la pregunta ¿qué avión reúne todas estas características?, Sería
difícil encontrarle otra respuesta que no fuera: el Lockheed C-130
Hércules.

Cuba ha denunciado la peligrosidad del uso del avión C-130 en los
supuestos fines de aseguramiento de transmisión de la señal de la llamada
Televisión Martí pues constituye una grave amenaza para la seguridad de
la Isla. Según algunos especialistas, este avión volaría escoltado por
dos veloces cazas en las proximidades de las aguas territoriales cubanas.

Qué pasaría si el aeroplano sufriera un accidente o cualquier otra
situación peligrosa. El C-130 podría ser el Maine del siglo XXI.
Recuerden que el hundimiento del acorazado Maine, en 1898, fue la razón
que esgrimió, en ese año, EE.UU. para intervenir en la guerra cubana
contra España y enviar tropas a la isla de Cuba cuando la colonia
española y sus ejércitos estaban prácticamente derrotados por el Ejército
Libertador mambí.

La intervención de Estados Unidos en la Guerra por la Independencia de
Cuba concluyó con la ocupación del país para imponer una libertad
condicionada bajo el grillete de la Enmienda Platt, apéndice de la
Constitución cubana impuesta por el gobernador Leonardo Wood como
condición para la retirada de las tropas de EE.UU. y el establecimiento
de la República de Cuba. El apéndice constitucional permitía la
intervención militar norteamericana cuando Washington determinara si se
pueden afectar sus intereses en la Isla.

La agresión en repuesta a "incidentes", algunos de misterioso origen, es
una vieja treta de Washington. Así ocurrió en el Golfo de Tonkin en
Vietnam, hecho por el que la potencia del Norte inició su agresión al
país asiático. En 1940 el bombardeo japonés a Pearl Harbour originó la
intervención de EE. UU. en la Segunda Guerra Mundial.

No olvidemos que el C-130 hoy es el caballo de tiro de casi todos los
organismos militares de los países aliados de Washington, entre éstos
Israel, en su opresión al pueblo palestino. El historial de este avión,
unido a sus ventajas, hace que sea insustituible en muchas partes del
mundo en operaciones militares y en casos de desastres. Seguramente lo
veremos seguir volando durante mucho tiempo, ya sea en conflictos bélicos
o en tiempos de paz como amenaza volante.

UN AVION PARA LA GUERRA
AC-130: El Hércules fue elegido para ser uno de los aviones cañoneros más
curiosos de la historia, a usarse durante la guerra de Vietnam. Es la
nave aérea con cañones más poderosos del mundo, ya que porta piezas de
105 mm.

DC-130: Se utiliza para lanzar vehículos teleguiados, conocidos como
zánganos, que se usaron tanto para misiones de reconocimiento en Vietnam
como para pruebas de intercepción de blancos con misiles.

EC-130: Sirven como sistemas voladores de interferencia de comunicaciones
y reconocimiento electrónico.

HC-130: Con una gran protuberancia redondeada sobre el fuselaje, que
lleva un sistema especial de comunicaciones, es la versión de salvamento
del Hércules. Pueden aprovisionar de combustible en vuelo a ciertos
helicópteros.

MC-130: Se dedica al apoyo de las fuerzas especiales, infiltrando y
exfiltrando agentes, aprovechando sus capacidades de aterrizaje y
despegue en terrenos cortos y accidentados.

LC-130H: Opera desde el aeropuerto de Schenectady, y lo usa el 109º Grupo
de Transporte Táctico de la Guardia Aérea de Nueva York. Tiene tren de
aterrizaje con esquíes que le permiten operar en el Artico.

WC-130: Su misión, tanto en los escuadrones de reserva como regulares, es
el reconocimiento de las condiciones meteorológicas.

USOS DEL C-130
A lo largo de su vasta carrera, el Hércules ha participado en muchas
situaciones de conflictos bélicos de diversa intensidad. Para ilustrar
basta con algunos ejemplos:

Asedio de Khe Sanh, Vietnam, 1968, junto con los C-123 fueron usados para
abastecer la base de EE.UU., aterrizando y despegando bajo fuego
vietnamita. Sin embargo, cuando el 10 de febrero un C-130 que descargaba
combustible fue alcanzado por un proyectil y estalló, se suspendieron los
aterrizajes. El C-130 de la Lockheed tiene una historia que comienza por
los años 50. La Fuerza Aérea de los Estados Unidos a través de la
división de operaciones necesitaba un avión que fuera capaz de llevar 37
800 libras de carga útil durante 950 millas y regresar sin detenerse a su
base. Se necesitaba una máquina para reabastecer tropas en zona de
combate, que bajara con facilidad a los 1 000 pies par
a entregar las provisiones a las tropas y que fuera rápido en aterrizar y
despegar. También se requería la capacidad de transportar tropas para
llevar 92 infantes equipados y armados o 64 paracaidistas. La Fuerza
Aérea toma la decisión a través del departamento logístico, el cual
coincidió con operaciones en la cantidad de carga, 37 mil libras, con 1
700 millas de autonomía.

Aunque la experiencia de Lockheed no estaba centrada precisamente en el
avión que se pedía, ganó la licitación concurso con un diseño que superó
al requerido en primera instancia.

Por motivos logísticos durante la Guerra de Corea, se concibió este nuevo
avión de transporte, que convocaba a operar en terrenos no preparados,
transportar con facilidad grandes cargas y hacerlo con relativa alta
velocidad.

Muy pocos aviones podrían superar la versatilidad de este tipo de
aeroplano en operaciones de carga con muchas funciones. Existen varias
versiones del C-130. Como avión ambulancia en tiempo de guerra o
catástrofe este avión puede servir para evacuaciones médicas y
transportar 74 literas para pacientes.
(Trabajadores Digital, Cuba, via C.Morales-ARG Feb 26, 2005 in Lista
ConDig-ML)

............................................

Diverse
U.S. Must Get its Story Across to Arab World
March 14, 2005

By Lee H. Hamilton
IndyStar.com

There is a troubling communication gap between the United States and the
Arab world. Even with potentially seismic changes in the Middle East
since the Iraqi elections, the United States is still widely mistrusted,
hated or feared. Public diplomacy must be an important part of how we
reverse that trend.

Public diplomacy is how America communicates with the world. Our task is
to tell the truth about America as persuasively and widely as possible --
about our policies, values, ideals and even our shortcomings. We must
reach audiences that are skeptical, if not hostile, to our power and
purposes. That means directly addressing the lies, illusions and
misinterpretations that so often circulate about us. And it means
building up the level of understanding about America and its intentions.
This is an essential element of how we stop people from coming here to
kill us.

On the 9/11 commission, we found that American public diplomacy in the
Arab world is not performing well. Poll after poll makes clear that
favorable views of the U.S. have plummeted in recent years, while Osama
bin Laden is often viewed more favorably. We have excellent public
affairs officers. But the resources we put into public diplomacy are
inadequate -- each year we spend on public diplomacy what the Defense
Department spends in a day. Our approach also lacks nuance. Too often,
people around the world feel that America is talking at them rather than
talking with them. To succeed in building trust, public diplomacy efforts
must cultivate a two-way dialogue with the Arab world that listens to
others and builds relationships.

. First, we need a stronger public affairs presence at U.S. embassies in
the Middle East. We need more libraries, English language instruction,
and the kinds of cultural and educational programs that inform people
about America and its values. We need more Arabic speakers staffing
embassies and better training for diplomats. And we need to find a way to
protect our diplomats without cutting them off from local populations.

. Second, we need more exchange programs with the Arab world. There is no
better way to enhance appreciation and understanding of the U.S. than
through exchanges. For instance, foreign leaders always have a better
grasp of our perspective when they have had the opportunity to study
here. Certainly, we must monitor foreign visitors to ensure that they are
who they say they are and abide by their visas. But if we wall ourselves
in, we lose an opportunity to reach a generation of young Muslims. We
should aim for a constant flow of people between the U.S. and the Arab
world: students, scholars, performers, artists, athletes, farmers and
tourists.

. Third, we need to tell our story through international broadcasting.
Since 9/11, we have launched two new ventures in the Middle East -- Radio
Sawa and the satellite television station Alhurra. It will take time to
judge the effectiveness of these experiments, but the goal of finding our
voice in the Arab world must be pursued. In the Cold War, efforts such as
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Voice of America were important tools
of outreach across the Iron Curtain. We must now be willing to invest in
different formats and broadcasting concepts to communicate with the
world's Muslims.

Going forward, we must recognize the limits of public diplomacy. After
all, public diplomacy can only present policies, it cannot shape them.
Much Arab antipathy toward the United States is based on our support for
repressive regimes in the region, the continuing Arab-Israeli conflict
and our presence in Iraq. On each of these three points, we can take
tangible steps forward by supporting pragmatic political reform, pursuing
a final settlement between Israel and the Palestinians, and building a
stable and self-governing Iraq founded upon democratic principles.

Today, too many Arabs grow up with a distorted and negative view of
America. Often our sins are exaggerated, intentions misstated and good
deeds unrecognized. We bear some responsibility for these misperceptions.
To better communicate with the Arab world and protect the American
people, the United States must enhance its efforts to convey our message
of freedom, hope, opportunity and justice.

Hamilton is the director of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for
Scholars in Washington, D.C., and director of the Center on Congress at
Indiana University.
(IndyStar.com Mar 14 via RadioIntel.com)

............................................

Iran
U.S. May Aid Iran Activists
March 4, 2005

Article originally posted at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-usiran4mar04,1,21
29746.story?coll=la-headlines-world&ctrack=1&cset=true

By Sonni Efron and Mark Mazzetti,
Los Angeles Times

Officials at State have money in hand but are still weighing how to best
effect change.

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration is considering a more aggressive
effort to foster opposition inside Iran and seeking ways to use a new
$3-million fund to support activists without exposing them to the risk of
arrest.

The approach would represent a change since President Bush's first term,
when the administration was more wary of such potentially dangerous
moves, officials said.

"We can now be much more aggressive [about Iran] than we had been," a
senior official said, hailing the arrival of Condoleezza Rice at the
State Department as invigorating the president's push for democracy.

"The guys at the State Department were too afraid to try anything during
the first term," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
"They were extremely cautious about angering the regime in Tehran."

The more aggressive approach is being considered even while Bush moves
toward supporting a plan created by France, Germany and Britain to offer
Iran economic incentives to forgo nuclear weapons. Bush discussed the
issue with Rice on Thursday.

Iran contends that its nuclear energy program is peaceful, but U.S. and
European officials have charged that it may be reserving a nuclear
weapons option.

Among the proposals being floated by some inside and outside government
is one to fund activists in Iran who want to start opposition parties and
labor unions, or people who are able to travel in and out of the country.
Also under consideration is increasing funding for pro-democracy
broadcasts.

The question of how to implement Bush's inaugural pledge to spread
freedom has taken on urgency since Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) added $3
million to a recently approved spending bill specifically to promote
democracy in Iran. Officials are weighing ideas for the money, a State
Department official said.

"There are some that want to engage in a more confrontational
democratization effort within Iran," he said.

The counterargument is that giving U.S. funds to reformers may doom them,
the official said, because they risk being discredited by their
association with the nation the Iranian regime calls the Great Satan and
would probably be targeted by the police.

The State Department is looking for "appropriate opportunities" to spend
money inside and outside Iran, a second official said. Reflecting the
debate within the administration, the second official argued that no
funds would be spent to directly support political parties or labor
unions, something the United States rarely, if ever, does.

No organization that identifies itself as an "opposition" group can
survive inside Iran, the first official said. "The short answer is, we're
trying to figure out how to use the money. We haven't quite figured it
out."

Despite disagreements on other aspects of the effort, the U.S. officials
involved in the process support funding activists inside Iran as opposed
to Iranian exiles. They hope to avoid a scenario similar to what many see
as the U.S. mistake of backing Iraqi exile Ahmad Chalabi, who is believed
to have fed U.S. intelligence false information about Iraqi weapons
programs and is now accused of aiding Iran's intelligence services.

The trouble is that Washington lacks good intelligence about internal
political forces and individuals, the first State Department official
said. "We don't have a good picture of what's inside Iran."

Moreover, the CIA has been reluctant to get involved in covert action
there, he said. "They've gone down that road before, and it's been a
mixed bag."

More than a decade ago, dozens of CIA informants in Iran were executed or
imprisoned after secret communications with the agency were uncovered,
CIA officials said recently.

"The CIA wants a clear objective," the State Department official added.
"Is the policy regime change? Everyone says it's not, including Condi. So
what is it we're trying to do, and how are we going to do it without
having a lot of blood on our hands?"

One official who will have a big say on Iran policy is Elizabeth Cheney,
the daughter of the vice president, who returned to the State Department
this month to head democracy promotion efforts.

The United States is already spending $14.7 million a year to broadcast
Persian-language radio and television programs into Iran, and the White
House is seeking a sharp increase in such funding.

The Voice of America's Persian service broadcasts news on shortwave and
AM radio from Kuwait for an hour in the morning and three hours in the
evening. It also hosts a website that receives about 100 e-mails a day
from its audience.

VOA also broadcasts a daily half-hour satellite TV news program prepared
in Washington. Although it is illegal to own a satellite dish in Iran, an
estimated 15 million Iranians are believed to have access to satellite
TV, according to a U.S. official who is familiar with international
broadcasting.

Because of the difficulty of surveying the Iranian public, U.S. officials
do not know how many actually tune in.

In 2002, the United States launched an AM radio station called Radio
Farda, which aims to lure a youthful audience with hard news and popular
music.

The Bush administration has asked Congress for an additional $5.7 million
in its fiscal 2006 and supplemental budget requests to expand TV
broadcasting to three hours a day.

Brownback favors spending some of the $3 million on a conference in the
United States to bring together Iranian dissidents, human rights
activists and others to discuss the state of the democracy movement, a
step he said had been useful in other countries.

The effort should tap people inside Iran as well as members of the
Iranian diaspora with ties to their homeland, Brownback said.

If the participants have broad civil support "underneath them, they will
start to network and move ahead on their own."

It is unclear, however, whether Iranians who oppose the current
government would come to the U.S. to attend a conference on democracy.

Some U.S. conservatives support direct funding of Iranian activists.

"The worst option would be just to fund a conference," argued Michael
Rubin, a former U.S. advisor in Iraq who is now associated with the
conservative American Enterprise Institute. "The only good that ever
comes out of conferences is that top U.S. officials get to stay in
five-star hotels."

The least controversial course of action would be to spend the money on
expanding broadcasting to Iran. But State Department officials want more
creative solutions - and have been asking outside experts for ideas.

"It's easy to throw more money" at broadcasting, the second State
Department official said. "Is that the most effective? I'm not sure."

How to fund reformers around the world without delivering them to the
secret police is a problem that has bedeviled U.S. policymakers for at
least 25 years, said Thomas Carothers, a specialist in democratic
movements at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

For decades, the United States has earmarked money to promote democracy
in Cuba but has had trouble spending it because of the danger of
discrediting pro-democracy groups and the limitations of funding exiles,
Carothers said.

"Democracy aid struggles when faced with highly resistant, authoritarian
regimes, especially ones that use anti-Americanism as one of their
reasons for being, like Cuba and Iran," he said.

The United States needs to find ways to show would-be reformers what they
can do, but can't pay them to do it, Carothers said. "We can't buy
political action." One of the most sensitive issues inside Iran remains
the 1953 CIA-backed coup against Iranian Premier Mohammed Mossadegh,
which brought the shah, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, back to power, noted
Geoffrey Kemp, an Iran specialist at the Nixon Center. Even the most
determined Iranian reformers would be wary of publicly embracing any
U.S.-backed initiative.

"And of course if they do it covertly, they would be identified by the
regime as spies and hauled off and put on trial," Kemp said.

He proposed using the $3 million to streamline the visa process to have
more Iranians visit the United States.

Rubin said that instead of giving money directly to labor unions or
political parties inside Iran, the United States could create an
endowment outside the country and allow Iranians to apply for grants
anonymously.

"The Iranians are big boys and girls," he said. "They can decide whether
or not to accept money."

(LA Times Mar 4, 2005 via N.Grace-USA)

............................................

Iran
US to Expand TV to Iran
March 1, 2005

Article originally posted at:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,1240728
5%255E2703,00.html

Reuters

THE Bush administration is planning to expand its Persian-language
satellite-television broadcasts to Iran as part of an initiative to press
for democratic reforms in the Islamic Republic, officials say.

As President Bush ponders incentives to encourage Tehran to abandon its
nuclear ambitions, Voice of America plans to go from a 30-minute to a
four-hour daily news and information broadcast to Iran within the next
few months.

"Iran is an information-deprived society, much like the former Soviet
Union," said Kenneth Tomlinson, chairman of the Broadcasting Board of
Governors, the federal agency that oversees international civilian
broadcasts including VOA.

"A large percentage (of Iranians) appear to be thirsting for
information," he added. "What we propose to do is exactly what Radio Free
Europe, Voice of America and Radio Liberty did in the Cold War, and that
is provide a window on the world."

The new initiative comes as the Bush administration reviews options for
dealing with Iran's nuclear program that range from economic incentives
to military action.

Washington accuses Tehran of seeking to develop nuclear arms under the
guise of civilian energy, a charge Iran denies.

Officials say the Bush administration also plans to begin Arab-language
satellite-television broadcasts to Europe later this year in a new
escalation of its information war against Islamic extremism.

But VOA broadcasts are unlikely to have much effect in Iran any time
soon, independent analysts say.

"Expanding Voice of America might have some marginal impact. But I don't
think it's going to create the climate for a popular uprising," said
Shireen Hunter, an Iran expert at the Washington-based Center for
Strategic & International Studies.

Analysts also warned that expanded broadcasts could stir nationalist
distrust of the United States and inadvertently strengthen the current
government.

"People could see it as a sign that an invasion is coming. It's the sort
of thing that happens before nations build up their war effort," said
Nancy Snow, a propaganda expert at California State University,
Fullerton.

US officials believe VOA TV broadcasts could chip away at Iran's
unpopular religious leadership over time by emphasising issues of
economic and political opportunity.

"We're trying get people to say ... what do we want opportunity to be in
Iran? Do we want a government controlled by mullahs? Do we want a
government of the people?" said Tomlinson, who expects the expanded TV
format to include close coverage of Iran's presidential election in June.

VOA already has a 24-hour Persian-language radio service called Radio
Farda, which offers a pop-music format geared toward Iran's large youth
population.

The administration is seeking money for the expanded telecast in Bush's
$81 billion supplemental budget request for military operations in Iraq
and Afghanistan as well as other U.S. efforts abroad.

The supplemental is expected to win congressional approval over the next
several weeks.

Officials hope to receive US$1.5 million to expand Voice of America's
"News and Views" current affairs service into a one-hour program that
would be rebroadcast three times a day with hourly news updates.

A further US$5.5 million would be spent on studio construction and other
investments that could pave the way for further Persian-language
programing expansions.

(Reuters Mar 1, 2005 via RadioIntel.com)

............................................

Iraq
Terror Confessions on TV Grip Baghdad
March 10, 2005

Article originally posted at:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,7374-1518168,00.html

By Catherine Philp, Times Online

On-screen admissions are used in the propaganda war

THE grim-faced young man looks shiftily in front of him, glancing from
time to time at the lens recording his discomfort. A disembodied voice
barks out: "Tell us about the crime you committed."

The man clears his throat and begins to mumble. "We attacked the National
Guard with machineguns and killed two of them. Then we beheaded one of
them." He stumbles for a moment, as if forgetting his lines. Then the
interrogator prompts him with more details of his story and he continues
with the tale of how he joined the insurgency and the attacks he carried
out.

This is Terror in the Grip of Justice, the latest television hit in
entertainment-starved Iraq where it is too dangerous to venture out at
night and street life ends at last light. It is also the latest weapon in
the Government's propaganda war against the insurgents, aimed at exposing
them as the enemies of ordinary Iraqis and cautioning those tempted to
join them. Every night at 9pm thousands tune in to the state-run
al-Iraqiya channel to see the "confessions" by insurgents paraded before
the camera and interrogated.

The authorities insist that the confessions are genuine and obtained
without duress, although some of the scripted-sounding accounts suggest
otherwise. The series began several weeks ago with purported Syrian and
Egyptian insurgents admitting that they joined the insurgency after
training from Syrian intelligence.

Last week, to counter suggestions that the alleged offenders were
anything but real, the programme-makers invited victims' families to hurl
abuse at the suspects and detail their bloody crimes.

In one riveting episode this week, a gloating interrogator, barely able
to disguise the venom in his voice, sought to cast a motley bunch of
alleged insurgents as criminals unworthy of the name of Mujahidin
(fighters in a holy war), a word with honourable connotations in the Arab
world.

A suspect who confessed to receiving payments from Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's
insurgent group in turn for killing policemen was asked how he spent the
money. "On booze and clothes," he said.

"You call yourself a holy warrior but you drink?" spat the interrogator.
"You discredit the name of jihad."

Then, like Jerry Springer delivering his "final thought", the
interrogator addressed his own homily to those at home: "For those who
say we are discrediting the jihad, I swear by God, if it was a real
jihad, we would be leading it. You see how they are killing innocent
people and raping under the cover of jihad? The real jihad is not raping
and killing, it's rebuilding this country all together."

Terror in the Grip of Justice has become the most watched show ever on
al-Iraqiya, an unpopular channel set up and funded by the Americans and,
according to Iraqis, watched only when they want to find out some
official government information such as when a public holiday will be.
The Americans, who no longer supervise the station's output, say they
have no hand in the show which was conceived by the Interior Ministry to
demonstrate the authorities' fight against the insurgency.

Insurgents have begun a propaganda counter-offensive, denouncing the
tapes as fakes and threatening to impose "God's justice" on the station's
employees - a threat apparently made real with the killing of Raeda
Wazan, an anchor- woman, last month.
(Times Online Mar 10 via Grace-USA)

............................................

Israel
Marketing of Terrorism
October 1, 2004

Article originally posted at:
http://www.intelligence.org.il/eng/sib/10_04/fyop.htm

Hezbollah's Use of the Al-Manar TV Station to Spread Incitement and
Hatred Across the Globe

Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center at the Center for Special
Studies (C.S.S)Special Information Bulletin
October 2004

"Now... The Al-Manar station is coming to you. Wherever you are, anywhere
in the world"[from a promo clip broadcast on Al-Manar, June 10, 2004]

General characteristics
1. The Hezbollah organization places a great deal of importance on the
campaign over the public mind, viewing it as a key component in its
struggle against Israel. The organization operates an extensive network
of propaganda that spans magazines, a TV station, a radio station and
Internet websites. Hezbollah makes widespread use of communication
infrastructures in order to disseminate its vision, doctrine and messages
to diverse target audiences in Lebanon , the Middle East, and elsewhere
across the globe.

2. Foremost among the means of propaganda used by the organization is the
Al-Manar TV station, broadcasting worldwide from Lebanon via a
multi-national satellite system. Hezbollah attributes major importance to
television broadcasting.(1) It can be safely established, in fact, that
Hezbollah - owing to generous financial support from Iran - is the
world's number one terrorist organization when it comes to its ability to
make such extensive and diverse use of a TV station under its control.

3. The satellites used by Hezbollah to deliver its doctrine and messages
are operated by Arab and Western companies and corporations, including
American and European companies . This is yet another example of the use
terrorist organizations make of Western technologies to deliver messages
of hatred and preaching to terrorism. Such messages are directed more
than once at the very countries that provide the terrorist organizations
with communications infrastructures.

4. Thus, broadcasts preaching to terrorism and anti-American,
anti-Israeli and anti-Semitic incitement are exported from the Middle
East to the US and to European countries where, with the assistance of
Arab and Western companies and corporations, they are spread to Arab and
Muslim communities.

The Method of Distribution
5. Based on the information we possess, we can attempt to illustrate the
method used by Hezbollah to market Al-Manar's programming worldwide:

a. The international satellite companies and corporations lease out
broadcasting frequencies to any interested parties, on a commercial
basis.

b. Two satellite companies - Arabsat (an inter-Arab company whose major
shareholder is Saudi Arabia) and GlobeCast (a subsidiary of a
French-based company(2)) buy the broadcasting frequencies from these
international companies and corporations.

c. The Arabsat and GlobeCast companies put together Arabic channel
packages, including the Al-Manar TV station, which are marketed abroad
and transmitted on leased frequencies on various satellites by the
international companies and corporations.

6. Thus, for example, Abdallah Quseir, a Hezbollah deputy in the Lebanese
parliament, claimed that the broadcasting of Al-Manar in France was based
on an agreement between Arabsat and European satellite provider Eutelsat,
broadcasting a package of 10 Arabic channels, including Al-Manar (
Ad-Diyar, Lebanon, August 12, 2004). At that time, it was stated that the
Al-Manar station and Arabsat had an agreement according to which Arabsat
was to "plug" Al-Manar into all of its channel packages, on all
satellites where these packages were broadcast.

The distribution of Hezbollah's Al-Manar programming worldwide - an
estimated flowchart

I. The Al-Manar TV Station
a. Arabsat(3)
1. Hispasat
2. Asiasat
3. Eutelsat
4. New Skies

b. Globecast(4)
1. Intelsat

Note: Arabsat and Nilesat (see details below) broadcast Al-Manar
programming independently, without relying on third-party agents.

Conclusion
1. The main conclusion that arises from the above analysis is that Arab
and Western countries (the US included) are allowing satellite companies
and corporations under their control or influence to provide
communications infrastructures for the global spread of Hezbollah's
messages of hatred and terrorism via the Al-Manar channel. The key
countries in this marketing system, on the different levels of the
distribution, are:

a. First and foremost Syriaand Lebanon , the two countries that make it
possible for Hezbollah's TV station to exist on Lebanese soil and provide
it with inter-Arab legitimization, portraying it as a completely
"civilian" TV station when, in practice, it is operated by a terrorist
organization and dedicated to the purpose of furthering its aims and
ideology. All this is part of the strategic assistance and backing
provided by these two countries to Hezbollah(5)...

b. Saudi Arabia and France are the two countries who hold influence over
Arabsat ( Saudi Arabia) and GlobeCast (France). Through these two
companies, channel packages of Arabic programming, including the Al-Manar
station, are distributed to satellite companies and corporations.
Terminating these companies' distribution of Al-Manar programming might
have been a severe blow to the station's global marketing network.

c. The US and a long list of Western (and other) countries who hold
influence over the satellite companies and corporations that distribute
Al-Manar's broadcasts. That influence is not translated into an effective
effort to put an end to the worldwide distribution of
Al-Manar'sbroadcasts via the satellite system. This in spite of the fact
that as of 1997 Hezbollah features on the US State Department list of
international terrorist organizations and despite the anti-American
incitement, preaching to terrorism and radical Islamic messages
disseminated through Al-Manar's broadcasts.(6)

d. Countries worldwide where Al-Manar's broadcasts are distributed via
the companies' and corporations' satellite system are not making
substantial efforts to prevent the reception of the broadcasts. The
broadcasts, that include blatant anti-Semitic incitement (such as the
movie The Diaspora - Al-Shatat) are received, among else, by Arab and
Muslim communities in Western countries and fuel the flames of
anti-Semitism already prevalent in those communities (the results of the
proceedings currently under way against Al-Manar in France might serve as
an important test case for the level of willingness of the various
Western countries to combat the phenomenon).

Appendix
1. The Intelsat company distributes Al-Manar to North America (US and
Canada).The company has taken over Telestar, owned by Sky Net. Intelsat
is the world's largest global satellite corporation. After its
privatization, the corporation was registered in Bermuda and is currently
operating branches worldwide. The corporation's head office is located in
Washington. The company's CEO is Conny L. Kullman. The president of the
company's staff in Bermuda is Ramu V. Potaraz. The Al-Manar station is
broadcast on the Intelsat Americas 5 satellite (97W), on GlobeCast's
Arabic channels package.

2. The Eutelsat company distributes Al-Manar to Europe and North Africa.
It is a satellite company formed by the European Space Agency. It was
privatized and turned into a private company, registered in France and
bound by the French broadcasting regulations.(7) The chairman and CEO of
the company is Giuliano Berretta, and its Deputy CEO is Jean Paul
Brillaud. This company broadcasts a package of 10 Arabic channels (under
agreement with Arabsat ) including, as mentioned above, the Al-Manar
station.

3. The New Skies Satellites (NSS) company distributes Al-Manar to North
Africa and parts of Europe (Nss 803). It is a company formed after the
privatization of Intelsat. It is registered as a company in the US ;
however, its members are representative communications companies from
various countries. The company's head office is located in the Hague ,
Holland; it also operates a branch in Washington . The company's CEO is
Daniel S. Goldberg.

4. The Nilesat company broadcasts to the Middle East, North Africa and
parts of Europe. It is an Egyptian satellite company. There are 11
members on the company's board of directors, 5 of whom are
representatives of the Egyptian Broadcasting Corporation. The Al-Manar
station is broadcast on the Nilesat 102 satellite (7w), as part of the
Lebanese channel package.

5. The Arabsat company, broadcasting Al-Manar programming to the Middle
East, North Africa and several European countries. It is an inter-Arab
satellite company, comprised of Arab League countries. The countries'
representatives on company conventions are the Arab information
ministers. The company's major shareholder is Saudi Arabia.

6. The Asiasat company, broadcasting Al-Manar to Asian countries. It is
an Asian satellite company registered in Bermuda . The Ses Global
company, registered in Luxembourg and holding several satellite
companies, holds 34% of the company's shares. The chairman of the board
of Ses Global is René Steichen, and his deputy is Jean Paul Vens. The
Al-Manar station is broadcast on the Asiasat satellite (405.5E 35) as
part of Arabsat's Arabic channels package.

7. The Hispasat company, broadcasting Al-Manar to South American
countries, belongs to a privatized satellite company currently held by
Spanish companies ReteVision Telefonia and BBVA. One of the company's
primary shareholders is Eutelsat. The company's president is Pedro
Antonio Martin.

Footnotes
1. "Al-Manar was a central component of the campaign [against Israel in
Lebanon] and the enemy is aware of that..." [a speech given by Hezbollah
leader Hassan Nasrallah as broadcast by Al-Manar, November 24, 2000,
about 6 months after the IDF's withdrawal from Lebanon.]

2. GlobeCast is a subsidiary of France Telecom (France's largest
communications company). Its Chairman and CEO is Christian Pinon, and the
CEO of GlobeCast America is David Sprechman.

3. The company's major shareholder is Saudi Arabia .

4. A subsidiary of a French-based company.

5. The financial support provided by Iran to Hezbollah allows the
organization to maintain a system of marketing and distribution
unparalleled in any other terrorist organization. Furthermore, Iran
wields significant influence on the contents of the messages of hatred
and terrorism spread by Hezbollah.

6. It is worth mentioning that American companies also provide Internet
services to Hezbollah websites (see article by Avi Jorich, recently
distributed by the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center).

7. As mentioned above, legal proceedings are currently under way in
France to ban Al-Manar's broadcasting.
(ITIC-CSS Oct 2004 via N.Grace-USA for CRW)

............................................

Korea, North
Free NK: 2 Human Traffickers Executed in Public in NK
March 2, 2005

Yonhap News Agency

SEOUL (Yonhap) - North Korea put two human traffickers to death in public
in late February for smuggling North Korean women into China, a South
Korean online radio service reported Thursday.

The public execution took place in the North Korean city of Hoeryong,
close to the border with China, on Feb. 28, Free NK (www.freenk.net)
said.

"The two men faced the firing squad in a marketplace in the city," Free
NK reported, after receiving the information via telephone from a North
Korean resident living near the border.

In addition, nine women who were smuggled into China but repatriated
later were sentenced to jail terms of two to 18 years, it said. Under a
revised North Korean law, the death penalty or life imprisonment can be
given to those charged with treason, terrorism, subversion and
anti-government crimes.
(Yonhap News Agency Mar 2, 2005 via N.Grace-USA)

............................................

Korea, North
N. Korea Launches Harsh Crackdown
March 11, 2005

Article originally posted at:
http://interestalert.com/brand/siteia.shtml?Story=st/sn/03110002aaa05
d83.upi&Sys=rmmiller&Fid=WORLDNEW&Type=News&Filter=World%20News

By Jong-Heon Lee
United Press International

SEOUL, March 11 (UPI) -- North Korea has recently tightened state control
over its hunger-hit population amid U.S.-led pressure over its nuclear
weapons program and human right conditions, sources here say.

South Korean officials and analysts interpret the move as part of efforts
to prevent mounting outside threats over the nuclear standoff from
triggering internal threats or opposition to the Stalinist leadership.

Boosted by external threats, domestic opposition can jeopardize the
totalitarian regime, evidenced, they say, by Romanian leader Nicolae
Ceausescu, who was shot to death in December 1989 as communist rule ended
in Eastern Europe.

In the latest development, two North Koreans were shot to death in public
in late February on charge of smuggling North Korean women into China,
according to a Seoul-based online radio service run by defectors from the
communist nation.

The execution took place at a marketplace in the North Korean city of
Heoryong, bordering China and Russia on Feb. 28, Free NK (North Korea)
said, citing a North Korean staying in a Chinese border city.

According to North Korean defectors and intelligence sources in Seoul,
human trafficking is rampant in North Korea for sex trade and labor.
"Attitudes towards sex have changed dramatically in North Korea," said a
defector who resettled in Seoul last year.

"North Korean women who illegally crossed the border into China for food
were sold into the sex trade," he said. "Female fugitives are working in
restaurants and karaoke in China to earn money," the defector said.

The open execution comes at a time when outside influence is seeping in
the watertight society. North Koreans traveling to China are exposed to
the rapidly spreading capitalist culture there, and some of them smuggle
radios and CDs containing South Korean songs and TV dramas, which are
popular in most of Asia.

With no signs of a revival of the country's tattered economy, cracks were
starting to show in North Korean leader Kim Jong Il's dynastic control.
Leaflets and posters against Kim's rule appeared in the nation.

In the face of growing cracks in the system, North Korea amended its
criminal code last year increasing penalties for expressing criticism of
the government and other "anti-state" crimes. The revision, the fifth
since 1950, also calls for tougher regulation on new crimes caused by
infiltration of outside information.

North Korea also postponed its legislative session, which was due to open
this month, in an apparen
t bid to tighten domestic control over the people by fanning a sense of
crisis across the country.

In its New Year message, North Korea put top priority on preventing the
influx of any capitalist culture into the closed society. Under the
message, North Korean security agents have launched aggressive crackdown
on "anti-socialist" behaviors in border areas since January.

So far this year, North Korea has executed more than 60 citizens to warn
its people against committing any "anti-republic" behaviors, such as
illegal border crossing and information leakage, according to a
Seoul-based relief group.

"North Korea executed in public 60 people sent back from China in
January," said the Headquarters for Protection of North Korean Defectors.
The victims were repatriated to the North after failed attempts to find
political asylum by forcing their way into a diplomatic compound in
Beijing.

The open execution was the first one reported since 1998, according to
North Korea watchers in Seoul. "The North's regime may have needed a
scapegoat to warn the people against committing any deviation behaviors,"
a defector said.

North Korea has also tightened security along its long border with China
to check its citizens making their way into China with bribes to border
guards, according to South Korean intelligence sources.

Hundreds of households close to China were also forced to relocate to
remote areas farther from the border to prevent their involvement in
illegal border activities, such as human trafficking.

The North's authorities have also banned the use of mobile phones and
confiscate them to prevent information from being leaked to the outside
world.

North Korea introduced mobile service in November 2002, with cell phones
from Motorola Corp. of the United States and Nokia Corp. of Finland, and
Nokia is available in the market in Pyongyang. The number of mobile phone
users increased to more than 20,000 in 2003, according to Chosun Sinbo, a
newspaper run by pro-Pyongyang ethnic Koreans in Japan.

But the use of mobile phones has helped pierce North Korea's Iron Curtain
and break down the Pyongyang regime, which insulates itself through
isolating citizens, curbing the spread of information.

Many North Koreans, including border peddlers and border guards, have
Chinese cell phones, and they easily contact South Koreans with them in
the border areas. They make cell phone calls to their South Korean
relatives or North Korean defectors to ask for cash or other economic
aid, South Korean officials say.

North Koreans are using Chinese telecommunication networks to reach South
Korean phones, intelligence sources here say. Chinese communication
firms, which have rapidly expanded their cell phone services, recently
installed relay stations along the border with North Korea, which has
kindled a cell phone boom in North Korea.

The Chinese devices are charged using pre-paid phone cards, and cost some
400 Chinese yuan (less than $50) for three month's use.

Despite the strict measures, mobile phones have served as conveyer belts
of information from the outside world to help combat decades of
state-sponsored propaganda and misinformation, defectors say.


How to maintain the closure of the society in this globalized world
community? This is a huge dilemma for North Korea to keep the hermit
kingdom afloat.
(UPI Mar 11, 2005 via N.Grace-USA)

............................................

Laos
Laos Blasts Radio Free Asia for Fabrication
March 2, 2005

Article originally posted at:
http://www.vnagency.com.vn/NewsA.asp?LANGUAGE_ID=2&CATEGORY_ID=33&NEWS_ID
=140936

Vietnam News Agency

Vientiane (VNA) - The Lao People's Democratic Republic has criticized
Radio Free Asia for its Feb.11 allegation that a number of Thai business
people travelled to Huoisai hamlet of Bokeo province in northern Laos to
ask local leaders for the purchase of phosphorous at a cost of 700 baht
per kilo.


The denunciation was made in a statement issued by the press department
of the Lao foreign ministry, which was carried by Pasason, Pathet Lao and
Vientiane May newspapers on March 2.

"There are no Thai business people who have come to Laos to purchase
phosphorous," the statement said. "There are no makers and traders of
phophorous, which is one of the chemicals placed under tight control of
the country's ministry of trade."

"The false accusation by Radio Free Asia aims to sabotage Laos's prestige
and reputation," the statement stressed.
(VNA Mar 1 via N.Grace-USA)

............................................

Mexico
In These Times
January 10, 2005

Article originally posted at: http://www.alternet.org/story/20932/

By Deepa Fernandes

It's dark - the kind of profound darkness that a lack of electricity
ensures in a mountainous jungle region.

A dull pulse carries through the night of the southeastern Mexican state
of Chiapas like an old woman's heartbeat. It's 4 a.m., and one can hear
what has been a regular soundtrack at this hour for hundreds of years: a
steady pounding as creased and callused brown hands massage dough for the
day's tortillas.

And for the past year, Chiapas has greeted 4 a.m. with another
soundtrack.

Fade in crackle, which quickly disappears, replaced by a clear and
youthful female voice: "Muy Buenos Dias." "A very good morning."

The voice is that of an insurgent fighter with the Ejercito Zapatista de
Liberacion Nacional (EZLN), perhaps one of the world's quietest and most
powerful rebel armies. The world knows them as the Zapatistas. "Estas
escuchando Radio Insurgente, la voz de los sin voz." "You are listening
to Radio Insurgente, the Voice of the Voiceless."
(D.Fernandes-? in GreenLeft_discussion-ML via M.Watts-AUS for CRW)

............................................

Middle East
The Other Mideast Revolt
March 2, 2005

Article originally posted at:
http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story.asp?StoryId=CqIviueidCg9SAxrPy3mT
Cg9SAwnPzxmTyMW

By Claude Salhani, UPI International Editor

WASHINGTON, March 2 (UPI) -- Modern communications is breaking down the
gates of censorship in the Middle East, helping spread democracy by
denying governments the monopoly they once held on dissimulating
information.

Satellite television and the Internet have already defied censorship
rules imposed by autocratic leaderships in the region. Authoritarian
regimes are starting to find it impossible to sustain their restrictive
ways in a rapidly changing world where taboos are being broken and fears
abandoned.

A good example of dissipating fears has been the reaction of the tens of
thousands of Lebanese who have taken to the streets of Beirut since the
Feb. 14 assassination of former prime minister Rafik Hariri, demanding
the end to almost 30 years of Syrian occupation. There is little doubt
that the free-flow of information helped edge on the opposition who found
additional strength in the worldwide support the movement is generating.

Borders -- both physical and imaginary -- that for decades were kept
hermetically sealed in efforts to control the flow of information are now
being flung wide open as a result of governments being unable to control
the airwaves and the word-wide Web. It's not for lack of effort on their
part, but there is simply too much information to control, even in
countries with totalitarian regimes.

Now, a growing trend - the proliferation of blogs -- is making it all
that much harder for governments to police the free-flow of data.

For the un-initiated to the world of the Internet, the word blog
originates from "Web log." A blog is basically a journal made available
on the Web. Someone who maintains a blog is therefore called a blogger.
Many are interactive, meaning that they allow readers to insert their own
comments on the site. There are millions -- if not more -- of such blogs
around the world, covering every possible topic under the sun and even
some beyond. A select few are dedicated to serious journalistic
reporting. Often, the challenge is sorting out the more serious from the
mundane.

Unlike conventional media where layers of editors check and vet
information before publication, bloggers are accountable only to
themselves. The vast majority of blog sites are administered by a single
person, the "owner" of the site. Despite that, bloggers are rapidly
becoming a force to be recognized in the media world.

Much like the television satellite dish, bloggers have contributed in
making government censorship and restrictions more difficult in countries
where the primary function of information ministries is to control -- if
not stifle -- the information.

In many instances, the anonymity of bloggers allows criticism of the
government without fear of retribution or persecution. But, alas, that is
not always the case.

In Bahrain, webmaster Ali Abdulemam was arrested Sunday for comments that
were published on his site, Bahrainonline.org, a site previously shut
down by the Information Ministry in 2002.

The government's censure of the Web site proved futile. Friends of the
Bahraini blogger simply set up another server outside the country, making
it impossible for local authorities to take further action, and allowing
local Web surfers to continue to view the site.

According to the Gulf Daily News, the 27-year-old computer engineer with
EDS who has been detained for 15 days over comments that appeared on his
Web site has a membership of around 20,000 and gets around 80,000 hits a
day -- a huge number in a country of just 678,000 people, of which some
196,700 are Internet users as of December 2003, according to Internet
World Stats.

In Bahrain Monday, Abdulemam's supporters covered their mouths with tape
in silent protest outside the Public Prosecution offices -- symbolizing
their claim that he had been gagged, reported Robert Smith in the GDN.

From Cairo to Beirut and from Riyadh to Damascus, the Internet is playing
an ever-increasing role in allowing the free-flow of information.

In this respect the Internet has played a major role in allowing people,
particularly young people in the Middle East, to be aware of what is
going on around them. The availability of the Internet has made
communicating with the rest of the world easier and more accessible.
Reading foreign newspapers - often banned -- and tuning in to foreign
radio and television newscasts on the Internet has permitted people to
stay in touch with the rest of the world.

In some countries where freedom of the press is restricted, such as in
Egypt, or where information is tightly controlled by the state, as in
Iran, bloggers -- both inside the country, or often operating from exile
-- are proving to be an important source of information. Those publishing
from outside typically rely on a vast network of family, friends and
political supporters to keep them informed about latest developments back
home.

A good example is Iran, where according to the Guardian Online, there are
some 75,000 Web blogs, and Farsi is now reported to be the fourth most
popular language used on blog sites. By comparison, there are only 50
known blogs in neighboring Iraq.

The Islamic Republic tried to ban satellite dishes in the past but proved
unable to enforce the ruling. Trying to block 75,000 blogs, a great many
of which are calling for democratic change, is not likely to be any
easier.
(UPI Mar 2 via N.Grace-USA)

............................................

Nepal
Something to Hide?
March 11, 2005

Article originally posted at:
http://www.nepalitimes.com/issue238/editorial.htm

Nepali Times editorial

It is difficult for us in the media to look for a light at the end of the
tunnel when that light could very well be another train.

There are many things that puzzle us about the past month, but none more
so than the crude way that the media has been bludgeoned. A
counter-insurgency war is no picnic, we grant that, and it would be
foolish to seek subtlety and sophistication in these times. But such a
broad swipe at civil liberties risks endangering the very institutions
you are trying to preserve. The treatment is more damaging than the
disease.

After all, what are we up against here? An underground group that doesn't
believe in democracy, freedom, pluralism, a free press or non-violence.
How does it help to fight it by undermining the institutions which
believe in those very same values? Political parties which have been the
worst victims of Maoist atrocities and believe in non-violence are
supposed to be on your side. Civil society is a bulwark against
extremism. A free press, besides being a fundamental right, allows people
to vent off steam so pressures don't build up.

How then does it help to weaken those who are on your side? Imprisoning
parliamentary leaders helps only those who have no use for parliaments.
Harassing civil society strengthens only those who believe power comes
out of the barrel of a gun. Gagging the press emboldens those who abhor
freedom.

These are not western concepts being rammed down our throats by
outsiders. The Nepali people have by now been accustomed to political
choice, to think and speak freely. They have come to rely on a vibrant
and independent media to inform them of events and interpret them from a
wide range of perspectives and opinion. Turning the clock back may buy
time, but the people won't take it for long.

Hitting the mute button has silenced not just the media, but the people
as well. It's not just journalists who miss press freedom, the people
want it too.

Some won't like us saying it, but we'll say it anyway: the people don't
trust the official version of events even if it is the truth. Even as a
counter-insurgency strategy the press needs to be kept free and credible.
The information gap across Nepal is now being filled by clandestine rebel
broadcasts, or by the BBC in Nepali. Gagging FM news means outlandish
rumours run rife. How does all this help fight terrorism?

The only reason we can see is that someone somewhere has something to
hide. But even that is the wrong reason because the harder you try to
hide the more obvious the deception becomes.
(Nepali Times Issue 238 Mar 11-17 via Grace-USA)

............................................

Somalia
Radio Galkayo
March 8, 2005

6980, R Galkayo, Galkayo: The transmitter is an Amateur Radio HF
transceiver, fed into a aging amp at 100 watts. The transmitter, amp and
studio equipment are all housed in a small room; please do not picture a
radio station. I would describe the setup this way: they use the same
equipment and arrangement as any NA/Euro pirate station would.

9615, R Galkayo relay in Bassaso: If it ever was, is no longer on the
air. I have done repairs and maintenance to the R Galkayo setup and there
is no evidence that there ever was a relay, unless it was simply just
picked up off the air in Bassaso and rebroadcast.

There are only 3 SW stations being heard in Somalia, R Galkayo 6980, R
Mogadishu 6960 and R Hargesia 7530. I would expect the other two stations
use a similar set up and equipment as R Galkayo.

Here in Somalia the 40/41 mb are full of rogue radio telephone setups. A
HF ARO (Amateur Radio Operator) transceiver is obtained; a small shack
for a building houses the flourishing business. There is a network of
these radio telephones; any city, town or village would have one. If you
wish to talk to someone in X Town you simply go to the radio telephone
place and the operator calls the operator in X Town, someone in X Town
will go find the person you wish to talk to and bring them to that Radio
Telephone and the conversation takes place.

When I was in Garad, Somalia helping with radio communications for
Tsunami relief, I learned from my beach shack, just how BIG the network
is; the operator in Garad came to visit and told me the "number", the
frequency of many places. Every radio telephone operation has a number, a
frequency. Not only has the 40/41mb been overrun, I have heard several
Somali Radio Telephone operations on 20/31/49 mb, which is a terrible
trend. The 40/41mb are unusable for AROs in Somalia and Kenya during
daylight hours; lord help radio if this spreads to other bands, with
higher power. Some of these radio telephones have been modified to
transmit continuous 0 to 30 MHz.
(J.Talbot-SOM Mar 08, 2005 in DSWCI DX Window March 9 via DXLD 5-044)

............................................

Syria
Legislation Seeks to Increase US Pressure on Syria Over Lebanon
March 9, 2005

Article originally posted at:
http://www.voanews.com/english/2005-03-09-voa1.cfm

By  Dan Robinson
Voice of America

Two U.S. lawmakers in the House of Representatives are backing new
legislation aimed at stepping up political and economic pressure on
Syria.

As tens of thousands of people took part in a pro-Syrian demonstration in
the Lebanese capital, Beirut, the two representatives announced the
effort aimed at helping to bring about Syria's withdrawal from Lebanon,
and ratcheting up pressure on Damascus in other areas.

Called the Lebanon and Syria Liberation Act, the bill would impose U.S.
sanctions on countries or companies that provide material or
technological support to what it calls Syrian efforts to acquire or
develop weapons of mass destruction or ballistic missiles.

This would include both import and export sanctions, as well as possible
suspension of U.S. foreign assistance to the countries involved.

Congressman Eliot Engel co-sponsored the Syria Accountability Act
approved by Congress in 2003, on which the new bill would expand. "The
Syria Accountability Act slapped U.S. sanctions on Syria for the first
time," he said. "This act takes it one step further and slaps sanctions
on third countries who may deal with Syria. We think it is very important
that there be an international boycott of Syria if Syria doesn't change
its act and improve its behavior and this is the first step in that
direction."

Both Mr. Engel and chief co-sponsor Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
note that their bill does not call for regime change in Damascus.

However, its purpose is specifically stated as establishing a program to
support a transition to a democratically elected government in Syria, in
addition to restoring sovereignty and democratic rule in Lebanon.

The bill calls for the United States to provide aid to pro-democracy and
human rights groups in Syria and Lebanon, and urges radio and television
broadcasts directed at both in support of building democracy and civil
society.

Third country or third party sanctions would remain in effect until the
Assad government in Damascus complies with both the Syria Accountability
Act and the new law, if it is approved, and with United Nations Security
Council resolutions on Syria's occupation of Lebanon.

"If Syria withdraws from Lebanon we think that is a very important first
step, in letting the Lebanese people decide their own future. We are not
trying to tell the Lebanese people what their future should be, they have
to decide it, but they should be able to decide it without the yoke of
Syrian terror remaining in their country and Syrian troops remaining in
their country preventing them from exercising their own democratic
freedoms," said Cong. Engel.

The legislation also calls on the United States to oppose Syrian bids for
U.N. leadership posts, as well as international loans to Syria, and to
support a resolution criticizing what it calls Syria's systematic
violations of human rights at home and in Lebanon.

Announcement of the legislation came as President Bush issued new calls
for Syria to pull out of Lebanon and end its support for terrorism.

While he says the White House has not reacted to the new legislation,
Congressman Engel predicts there will be ample support on Capitol Hill
for it, and that the legislation would help President Bush accomplish his
objectives regarding Syria and Lebanon.
(A.Sennit-HOL Mar 9, 2005 in Media Network blog via DXLD 5-042)

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Martin Schoech, Editor in Chief
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