[Reader-list] This is Radio People's Republic

[Kavita Joshi]

"This is Radio People's Republic."

The Maoists are taking the revolution to the airwaves with their own FM radio
RAMESWOR BOHARA in NEPALGANJ

SOURCE: The Nepali Times, No. 215, 24-30 September, 2004
<http://www.nepalitimes.com/issue215/nation_2.htm>

An increasing number of antennas are popping up on rooftops all over midwestern
Nepal. They aren't for tv, but radio aerials to help people in the western tarai
catch the FM broadcasts of the Maoists' clandestine Radio Janabadi Ganatantra.
The broadcasts are feeble and not regular since the mobile transmitters are
always on the move to avoid detection. But people listen anyway, more to find
out the Maoist partyline than out of a desire to get information.

"We don't really believe what they say on the radio, it's mostly political
slogans, but it is interesting to find out what they are saying and planning,"
says one Gulariya resident, who did not want to be named. A year ago, the rebels
launched the broadcasts without much fanfare. The Maoists are currently
broadcasting on 100 mhz and say they have a transmitter mast with a capacity of
up to 500 kilowatt. This would make the station as powerful as Radio Sagarmatha
in Kathmandu. Locals need to hook their battery radio to an aerial to be able to
catch the signal properly. The broadcasts began last year from the Maoist
heartland of Thawang in Rolpa. The Bheri-Karnali Broadcasting Service followed,
and now they have also begun the Seti-Mahakali Broadcasting Service.

A typical news broadcast this week went as follows: "Because of a courageous
ambush laid by the brave people's liberation army, 22 Royal American Army
soldiers have been killed and a huge quantity of arms and ammunition have been
recovered." The rest of the news contained excerpts of speeches by various
leaders of the autonomous regional 'people's governments', information on those
on whom a sentence of 'safaya' has been declared as well as announcements on
forthcoming bandas and blockades.

Locals are not very surprised by the propaganda-laden style and language of the
Maoists broadcast, and tell us it is not so different from what state-owned
Radio Nepal broadcasts in its news about "so many terrorists killed and a large
amount of explosives, detonators and documents captured". But the rebel radio is
one notch ahead in the use of jargon and derogatory labels like "killer king" or
"Royal American Army". Lately, there is also a lot of abuse hurled at the
"reactionary Indian government for supporting the fascist regime" in Kathmandu.

For programs that are supposed to create awareness and win over public opinion,
the language is crude and provocative, but it does seem to work in some places.
One recent evening, the radio announcer repeated in a shrill voice: "We must
uproot any state power responsible for discrimination." Some dalit listeners
nodded their heads in agreement. Rebel leaders told us they have been trying to
improve their radio presentation skills by being less propagandistic and more
persuasive. "We have already begun giving journalism training to our
correspondents and program producers," says Maoist Banke-Bardia in-charge, Anal.

The Bheri-Karnali service broadcasts three times a day on 100 mhz. From 6-7AM
there are discussions, current affairs and liberation songs with a news bulletin
at the end. The afternoon transmission airs 'people's songs' and a news
bulletin. In the evening, transmission begins at approximately 6PM and usually
goes on for three hours with the day's news in Nepali and local languages.
Agriculture, health, education, communist philosophy and rousing liberation
songs are also aired. The radio targets minorities and ethnic communities, and
exhorts them to rise up against oppression.

A rebel journalist told us their studio equipment is still rudimentary, and none
of the programs are aired live. The broadcasts are irregular, and sometimes the
transmissions stop for weeks without explanation. The Maoists' regional
communication in-charge, Biswajit, explains that this is because their
transmitter has to be moved often to avoid detection. The stations have their
own correspondents across the midwest. One of the senior Maoists looking after
the broadcasts, Hari Das 'Prakhar', was killed in action three months ago, an
event covered in detail by Radio Ganatantra.

Ironically, the first people to notice the Maoist's Bheri-Karnali broadcasts
were the security forces. Sentries guarding the television tower in Surkhet
intercepted the signals but were not able to pinpoint the location of the
transmitter accurately. The most dedicated listeners in fact seem to be the
security forces, who say they tune in to find out what the enemy has to say.

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