<nettime> [B92press] Message of solidarity

["Ivo Skoric" <ivo@reporters.net>]

------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
>
>Message of solidarity from Radio B92/Free B92 and the
>Association of Independent Electronic Media in Yugoslavia to
>Radio KPFA, Berkeley, and Radio WBAI, New York.
>
>
>
>BELGRADE, July 28 - Radio B92, a banned independent radio
>station in Belgrade, Yugoslavia,expresses solidarity with
>the threatened stations in the Pacifica network - KPFA and
>WBAI.
>
>Despite your local character, over the past decade you have
>presented to stations around the world a model for freedom
>of speech and the unhindered availability of information. By
>supporting civil activism, peace movements and ethnic
>tolerance as well as various progressive local initiatives,
>you have been the quintessential community radio stations.
>As the oldest American local stations you have shown that
>despite media monopolies and manipulations it is possible to
>preserve a spirit of tolerance, freedom and truth and to
>allow dissenting voices to be heard.
>
>Your struggle to preserve your autonomy in the growing
>conflict with  your owner has revealed an unexpected
>similarity between the media in the US and Serbia today, the
>freedom of speech is being stifled in a similar manner,
>journalists are being persecuted and intimidated and
>progressive radio stations are prevented from operating. The
>similarity of the media situation in our two nations, which
>differ in many things, demonstrates that the character of
>media repression is virtually the same under openly
>totalitarian dictatorships as it is under democratic systems
>which are increasingly influenced by conservative
>structures.
>
>The examples of Radio B92, Radio WBAI and Radio KPFA show
>that freedom and democracy are universal ideals which must
>constantly be protected throughout the world regardless of
>the political system and social order of particular
>countries.
>
>Radio B92 condemns in the strictest terms the repression and
>exertion of force against the staff of Radio KPFA and Radio
>WBAI and their listeners.
>
>We therefore join the protests against the attempts to
>control your work.
>
>We wish you the strength to persevere in your struggle for
>the freedom of speech, truth, and the preservation of your
>authenticity.
>
>Long live freedom of speech! And down with media repression
>which knows no ideological or national boundaries, either in
>Berkeley or in Belgrade.
>
>Jointly,
>
>Free B92 and ANEM Belgrade, Yugoslavia
>
>July 28, 1999
>
>
>
>
>Poruka solidarnosti Free B92/Radio B92 i Asocijacije
>nezavisnih elektronskih medija iz Jugoslavije radio
>stanicama KPFA iz Berkeleya i WBAI iz New York.
>
>BEOGRAD, 28.jul - Radio B92, nezavisna radio stanica iz
>Beograda -  Jugoslavija ciji je rad zabranjen, izrazava
>svoju solidarnost sa ugrozenim stanicama Pacifica mreze -
>KPFA i WBAI.
>
>Uprkos tome sto ste prevashodno lokalnog karaktera, tokom
>protekle decenije, vi ste pruzili stanicama sirom sveta
>jedan model slobode izrazavanja i neometanog pristupa
>informacijama. Podrzavajuci gradjanske akcije, mirovne
>pokrete i etnicku toleranciju kao i razne progresivne
>lokalne inicijative vi ste predstavljali jednu pravu radio
>mrezu lokalnih zajednica. Kao mreza najstarijih americkih
>lokalnih stanica pokazali ste da je moguce, uprkos medijskim
>monopolima i manipulacijama, ocuvati duh tolerancije,
>slobode i istine i omoguciti ljudima sa drugacijim stavovima
>da se oglase.
>
>Vasa borba za ocuvanje vase autonomije u okviru narastujuceg
>sukoba sa ideologijom vasih vlasnika je razotkrila
>neocekivanu slicnost izmedju medija u SAD i Srbiji danas -
>sloboda govora se gusi na slican nacin, novinari se progone
>i koristi se taktika zaplasivanja, a liberalne radio stanice
>se ometaju u svojim uobicajenim aktivnostima. Slicnost
>medijske situacije u nasim dvema zemljama, koje se inace
>razlikuju u svemu ostalom, ukazuje da je karakter medijske
>represije u sustini isti pod neskriveno totalitarnim
>diktaturama kao u okviru demokratski uredjenih drustava na
>koja sve vise uticu konzervativne strukture.
>
>Primeri Radija B92, Radija WBAI i Radija KPFA dokazuju da su
>sloboda i demokratija univerzalne ideje koje se moraju
>stalno stititi sirom sveta bez obzira na politicko i
>drustveno uredjenje pojedinih zemalja.
>
>Radio B92 najenergicnije osudjuje represiju i primenu sile
>protiv osoblja Radio KPFA i Radio WBAI  i njihovih
>slusalaca. Stoga se pridruzujemo protestima protiv pokusaja
>da se kontrolise vas rad. Zelimo da imate snage i
>istrajnosti u vasoj borbi za slobodu govora, istinu i
>ocuvanje vase autenticnosti.
>
>Za slobodu govora! Dole sa medijskom represijom koja ne
>poznaje ideoloske ili nacionalne granice, bilo u Berkliju
>ili u Beogradu.
>
>
>Free B92 i ANEM Beograd, Jugoslavija
>
>22. jul, 1999. godine
>
>===========================================================
>B92press-l is a closed mailinglist used by Radio B2-92 from
>Belgrade to distribute announcements and press releases. The
>traffic on this list is low and posting by subscribers is
>not possible. More information on B2-92 can be found at
>http://www.freeb92.net
>


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