Kampagner for Tibet
(VOT) RADIO SIGNALS
The Foundation Voice of Tibet (www.vot.org) and its listeners are extremely concerned by the increasing efforts by the Chinese authorities to disturb the VOT signal. According to informaiton from The foundation "Voice of Tibet" (VOT), Oslo, Norway, top rank Chinese officials have stated that the VOT radio "should be silenced once and for all".
"Voice of Tibet" (VOT), with administrative office in Oslo and main editorial office in India, is an NGO providing daily radio programmes in Tibetan and Mandarin language.VOTs daily radio service, focusing mainly on Tibet related issues, is beaming its signals on short wave to most parts of Asia, with Tibet and China as the main target area. Also in Europe and elsewhere the signal is clearly audible when not jammed.
BACKGROUND:
Since starting the Mandarin language service in late 1999, VOT has faced increasing efforts by the Chinese authorities to disturb the VOT signal. The jamming by China har increased to an unpresedented level this year, with China using all means to block VOTs signal and prevent citizens´ access to unbiased information. For this purpose the Chinese authorities have produced distorted high frequency sounds which is being aired on top of VOTs signal.
VOT, being an independent station providing unbiased news and information to a region where free speech is denied, sees the Chinese jamming efforts as a confirmation of the fact that unbiased information and facts about Tibet can not be tolerated by the central authorities in Beijing, thus breaking international agreements and treaties to keep radio programmes unavailable for the Tibetan and Chinese people. VOT has received reports from high ranking meetings both in Lhasa and Beijing where top rank officials have stated that the VOT radio "should be silenced once and for all" and that the money needed will be made available.
Due to very limited financial resources VOT can afford to beam its signal on maximum two simultanous frequencies. VOT broadcasts simultanously on meter band 19 and 13 in the evenings (20:15 to 21 Beijing time), making slight frequency changes regularly to avoid jamming. According to numerous reports from inside Tibet, listeners have got used to tuning to find VOTs signal. All the frequencies used by VOT is registered on VOT, and can not be used by other stations.
Also other radio stations, especially Radio Free Asia and Voice of America (Mandarin/Chinese and Tibetan short wave services), have also experienced the Chinese efforts to block their signal. Especially for VOT and its many listeners inside Tibet seeing VOT as a lifeline to the free world, the jamming is severely threathening the very existence of the service.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Send letters, fax or e-mails of protest to Chinese authorities c/o the Chinese embassy in your country
(for address etc.: see http://www.chinese-embassy.no/eng/c4777.html)
- confront China in bi- and multilateral fora on breaking international agreements and treaties by denying their own citizens access to free media.
- protesting The Peoples Republic of Chinas (PRC) continous jamming/interference of the "Voice of Tibet" daily short wave radio service in Tibetan and Mandarin language.
- pointing out that the "jamming" from Chinas side is a serious breach of international agreements and treaties, and must stop immediately.
- demanding an explanation why China is carrying out this illegal actions and demanding that China immediately stops breaking international agreements and treaties.
Please mail feedback on your actions: Voice of Tibet (voti@online.no)
APPEALS TO:
President Jiang Zemin
Central Committee Zhongnanhai Xi Cheng Qu
Beijingshi
People's Republic of China
President Jiang Zemin
c/o Embassy of the People’s Republic of China
Øregaards Alle 25
2900 Hellerup
Fax: (+45)39625484
Telex: 27019 Chinem
Email: adm@chinaembassy.dk