{"id":26325,"date":"2017-06-10T07:50:05","date_gmt":"2017-06-10T11:50:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=26325"},"modified":"2017-06-10T09:25:18","modified_gmt":"2017-06-10T13:25:18","slug":"radio-erena-provides-a-voice-for-the-voiceless","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/06\/radio-erena-provides-a-voice-for-the-voiceless\/","title":{"rendered":"Radio Erena “provides a voice for the voiceless”"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

(Source: Open Democracy<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\n

Eritrean radio station Radio Erena provides a voice for the voiceless<\/h3>\n

Broadcasting from Paris, Fathi Osman’s Radio Erena challenges the government’s monopoly on truth and champions those who gave their lives for freedom of expression.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Last night turned out to mark a double-celebration for Eritrean journalist Fathi Osman. While the father-of-four nearly let his 51st birthday slip by unnoticed, he certainly couldn\u2019t play down his radio station\u2019s spectacular win at One World Media Awards in London\u2019s BAFTA building.<\/p>\n

Radio Erena (\u2018Our Eritrea\u2019) broadcasts from Paris, where Fathi now lives with his wife and children, having fled the dictatorship five years ago. The station was founded in 2009 by the well-known exiled Eritrean journalist Biniam Simon, with support from Reporters Without Borders. The goal? To offer a lifeline of independent news, information and entertainment for Eritreans both in their homeland and worldwide.<\/p>\n

As Fathi held out his hand to shake mine, he noticed his fingers were stained inky blue. \u201cAh, you can tell I\u2019m a writer,\u201d he observed with a smile. Currently Radio Erena\u2019s Assistant Project Manager, in the past Fathi worked variously as a journalist and diplomat before he left the Eritrean embassy in Riyadh to seek safety in France. \u201cI had developed ideas that the government did not accept,\u201d he explained, \u201cand you know, with these kinds of conflicts, in the end you will meet trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fathi\u2019s family was among more than 4,000 Eritreans who flee each month. And is it any wonder, given the UN June 2016 report that the regime has been responsible for crimes against humanity since 1991? Known globally as a predator of press freedom, President Isaias Afewerki has led Eritrea to be ranked consistently as the very lowest of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders\u2019 World Press Freedom Index, though in 2017 the regime came second-last as North Korea deteriorated even further.<\/p>\n

Afewerki\u2019s purges in September 2001 ended Eritrea\u2019s free press \u2013 by now, seven of the 11 journalists arrested at that point have died in detention. This year at least 15 journalists are believed to be detained without charge or trial. Dawit Isaak, a Swedish-Eritrean citizen who had returned to Eritrea to open Setit \u2013 the first independent newspaper there, has not once talked to a lawyer in 16 years of imprisonment. His fate is unclear.<\/p>\n

Far from having deterred the four journalists based in Radio Erena\u2019s newsroom (as well as their 25 or so correspondents worldwide), these appalling abuses have driven them to pour every effort into remedying the crackdown. The station broadcasts in Tigrinya and Arabic by satellite and short wave \u2013 and is available online or via a mobile phone app.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithin the whole of Eritrea there\u2019s only one radio station, one newspaper,\u201d Fathi explained. \u201cThat means the \u2018truth\u2019 is dominated by the government. Radio Erena is working to counter that. We do everything, from exposing news that the government doesn\u2019t want people to know, to hosting shows for singers and writers \u2013 and raising awareness of human rights is very important to us.\u201d[…]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Continue reading the full article on Open Democracy’s website.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Note:<\/strong> Radio Erena can be heard on 11,965 kHz between 1700-1800 UTC. They broadcast from\u00a0Kostinbrod in Sofia, Bulgaria with 50 KW.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(Source: Open Democracy) Eritrean radio station Radio Erena provides a voice for the voiceless Broadcasting from Paris, Fathi Osman’s Radio Erena challenges the government’s monopoly on truth and champions those who gave their lives for freedom of expression. Last night turned out to mark a double-celebration for Eritrean journalist Fathi Osman. While the father-of-four nearly […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[56,869,3,43],"tags":[4109,870,2421,1136,2616,2420],"class_list":["post-26325","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-broadcasters","category-clandestine","category-news","category-shortwave-radio","tag-clandestine","tag-clandestine-radio","tag-eritrea","tag-free-press","tag-press-freedom","tag-radio-erena"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-6QB","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":8328,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2013\/12\/radio-erena-would-like-to-reach-a-broader-audience-with-shortwave\/","url_meta":{"origin":26325,"position":0},"title":"Radio Erena would like to reach a broader audience with shortwave","author":"Thomas","date":"December 18, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"This is a fascinating video about how one Paris based clandestine radio station gets an independent voice into the only country in the world that rivals North Korea for a lack of press freedom: Eritrea. Radio Erena currently uses satellite to reach its audience, but would like funding to broadcast\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Clandestine"","block_context":{"text":"Clandestine","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/clandestine\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":27183,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/07\/radio-erena-a-symbolic-lifeline-to-eritrea\/","url_meta":{"origin":26325,"position":1},"title":"Radio Erena: “a symbolic lifeline” to Eritrea","author":"Thomas","date":"July 16, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: The Guardian) [Radio Erena founder, Biniam Simon, writes:] \u201cYou have to understand: Eritrea is completely closed. No information is available there at all, about the outside world or what is going on internally. So if you\u2019re an Eritrean journalist, and you make it to a place where so much\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Eritrea-Ethiopia-1024x497.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Eritrea-Ethiopia-1024x497.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Eritrea-Ethiopia-1024x497.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":21926,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/10\/radio-eritrea-and-radio-ethiopia-jamming-intrudes-on-amateur-frequencies\/","url_meta":{"origin":26325,"position":2},"title":"Radio Eritrea and Radio Ethiopia jamming intrudes on amateur frequencies","author":"Thomas","date":"October 26, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Vlado (N3CZ), for sharing the following story from the South African Radio League newsletter: Broadcasters, jammers wreak havoc on amateur radio frequencies The ARRL reports the battle in the amateur radio 7 MHz band continues between Radio Eritrea and Radio Ethiopia, which is said\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"eritrea-ethiopia","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Eritrea-Ethiopia-1024x497.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Eritrea-Ethiopia-1024x497.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Eritrea-Ethiopia-1024x497.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":28445,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/09\/bbc-world-service-new-shortwave-services-to-ethiopia-and-eritrea\/","url_meta":{"origin":26325,"position":3},"title":"BBC World Service: new shortwave services to Ethiopia and Eritrea","author":"Thomas","date":"September 20, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Note that, in terms of press freedoms, Reporters Without Borders ranks Eritrea the second most repressive country in the world, next to North Korea. (Source: BBC Media Centre) BBC World Service continues expansion with new services for Ethiopia and Eritrea Three new language services for Ethiopia, Eritrea, and the diaspora\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Ethiopia-Eritrea-Map.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Ethiopia-Eritrea-Map.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Ethiopia-Eritrea-Map.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Ethiopia-Eritrea-Map.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":51418,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/01\/carlos-shares-shortwave-art-and-recordings-of-ethiopian-jamming-and-bbc-news-tigrinya\/","url_meta":{"origin":26325,"position":4},"title":"Carlos Shares Shortwave Art and Recordings of Ethiopian Jamming and BBC News Tigrinya","author":"Thomas","date":"January 5, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to\u00a0SWLing Post contributor and political cartoonist, Carlos Latuff, who has been exploring the world of clandestine radio, documenting the on-going conflict in Ethiopia via shortwave radio. The following are two examples of his radio log art, this time for documenting jamming of Dimtse Wegahta Tigray and BBC News\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Art"","block_context":{"text":"Art","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/art-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Carlos-Latuff-Shortwave-Art-2.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Carlos-Latuff-Shortwave-Art-2.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Carlos-Latuff-Shortwave-Art-2.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Carlos-Latuff-Shortwave-Art-2.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Carlos-Latuff-Shortwave-Art-2.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7024,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2013\/08\/radio-free-sarawak-is-back-on-the-air\/","url_meta":{"origin":26325,"position":5},"title":"Radio Free Sarawak is back on the air!","author":"Thomas","date":"August 11, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Thanks to Rob Wagner's blog, The Mount Evelyn DX Report, I just learned that the clandestine station, Radio Free Sarawak, is back on the air after declaring a break on May 8, 2013 (see our previous post). Radio Free Sarawak will broadcast daily from 11:00-12:30 UTC on 15,420 kHz. The\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"RadioFreeSarawak","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/RadioFreeSarawak.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26325","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26325"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26325\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26325"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26325"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26325"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}