WASHINGTON—Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) announced at their annual fall reception at the Newseum on Sept. 17 the launch of their new broadcasts to the Afghan-Pakistani border region.
Richard Holbrooke, the U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, said at the dedication of the new broadcasts, “We cannot concede the battle to the Taliban,” and “Why we are in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and why we are there as friends” needs to be explained to the local populations.
The Pashtun regions of Pakistan, where the new RFE/RL programs are to be broadcast, have harbored terrorists and Islamist militant organizations such as the Taliban. One of its tactics lies in using extremist radio stations to spread propaganda and misinformation.
The RFE/RL Radio Free Afghanistan’s new six-hour local Pashto-language news and events programs will increase the quality and reach of Radio Free Afghanistan, which currently has a nationwide weekly audience in Afghanistan of 7.9 million adults. The new programs are funded by the $10 million FY 2009 Afghan War Supplemental authorized by Congress.
Richard Holbrooke, the U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, said at the dedication of the new broadcasts, “We cannot concede the battle to the Taliban,” and “Why we are in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and why we are there as friends” needs to be explained to the local populations.
The Pashtun regions of Pakistan, where the new RFE/RL programs are to be broadcast, have harbored terrorists and Islamist militant organizations such as the Taliban. One of its tactics lies in using extremist radio stations to spread propaganda and misinformation.
The RFE/RL Radio Free Afghanistan’s new six-hour local Pashto-language news and events programs will increase the quality and reach of Radio Free Afghanistan, which currently has a nationwide weekly audience in Afghanistan of 7.9 million adults. The new programs are funded by the $10 million FY 2009 Afghan War Supplemental authorized by Congress.
Conflict has increased in Afghanistan. The Associated Press reported last week that a car bomb went off in Kabul, killing six Italian soldiers and 10 Afghan civilians. It was also reported that insurgent violence reached its highest level since the Taliban was forced out from power in late 2001, and that this increase was spurred by the additional U.S. troop presence to increase security, following last month’s still unresolved presidential election.
“[The Taliban] have become dramatically more sophisticated in the past few years,” said Gretchen Peters, in the evening’s panel discussion entitled, “Fighting Hate Radio Along the Afghanistan-Pakistan Border.”
Ms. Peters, an Emmy-nominated journalist and author covering Afghanistan and Pakistan, was joined by J. Alexander Thier, director of Afghanistan and Pakistan programs at the United States Peace Institute, and Akbar Ayazi, director of Radio Free Afghanistan/“Radio Azadi.”
“[The Taliban] have become dramatically more sophisticated in the past few years,” said Gretchen Peters, in the evening’s panel discussion entitled, “Fighting Hate Radio Along the Afghanistan-Pakistan Border.”
Ms. Peters, an Emmy-nominated journalist and author covering Afghanistan and Pakistan, was joined by J. Alexander Thier, director of Afghanistan and Pakistan programs at the United States Peace Institute, and Akbar Ayazi, director of Radio Free Afghanistan/“Radio Azadi.”
“The [presidential] election has been deeply marred by allegations of fraud,” said Thier. There have been allegations of ballot stuffing and intimidation. The U.N.-backed Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) announced in a press release on Sept. 10 that ballots from 51 polling locations in Kandahar province should be invalidated due to clear evidence of fraud.
During the elections, Radio Free Afghanistan asked the public to report to the station on different issues, including their viewing of cases of fraud, said Ayazi.
Thier said, “The most important thing is that people can trust the government again. That has been dealt a real blow.”
During the elections, Radio Free Afghanistan asked the public to report to the station on different issues, including their viewing of cases of fraud, said Ayazi.
Thier said, “The most important thing is that people can trust the government again. That has been dealt a real blow.”
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