| Subject: IPS: E
Timor's Freedom Fighters Move to the Airwaves
MEDIA: East Timor's Freedom Fighters Move
to the Airwaves
By Sonny Inbaraj
DILI, Dec 2 (IPS) - Falintil resistance
fighter Akhita seems happy in his new job. He now broadcasts messages of
peace and reconciliation from a radio station in East Timor's capital
Dili, minus his AK-47 rifle -- a stark contrast to the days he fought
Indonesian troops in malaria-infested jungles in the territory's
mountainous central region.
A small room, whose walls are adorned by
a large portrait of Falintil's commander-in-chief Xanana Gusmao and
posters depicting Radio Falintil, serves as Akhita's studio.
''It's quite modest here,'' he said
pointing to the transmitter powered by a car battery, a mixer, two
microphones and a cassette- tape deck. ''We certainly need more equipment
but we have to start somewhere, rather than wait for hand-outs,'' added
Akhita taking a swipe at aid agencies.
''Several promises have been made by UN
agencies to help us with equipment and training. But we've yet to see
them. Maybe they're scared of the name Falintil.''
Radio Falintil, broadcasting on FM88.10
for two to three hours everyday, is the only other station in Dili besides
Radio UNTAET operated by the UN Transitional Authority in East Timor,
whose broadcasts include a variety of public education and entertainment
segments.
But Akhita, who like most Falintil
commandoes, uses only one name, is not new to the world of radio. ''I
helped operate the transmitter in Falintil's base camp in Waimore (east of
Dili) which was used to transmit Falintil Commander Taur Matan Ruak's
orders to the regional commanders,'' he said.
Radio Falintil was born when the
resistance moved into a new base camp in Remexio district east of Dili in
preparation for the return of Xanana Gusmao, who was travelling to East
Timor from the northern Australian city of Darwin, 500 kilometres from
Dili.
Xanana and an entourage, including three
bodyguards, fled to Darwin in mid-September to escape death threats in
Jakarta. He had taken refuge at the capital's British Embassy when
Indonesian authorities released him after seven years in prison.
This followed the orgy of killing and
destruction by pro- Indonesia militias in East Timor on Sept 4 after the
outcome of a UN-held ballot on the future of the territory.
The results of the Aug 30 poll favoured
separation from Indonesia by an overwhelming 78.5 per cent, against 21.5
per cent opting to remain with Indonesia but with broad autonomy.
Akhita said the initiative to start Radio
Falintil came from young Falintil commandoes who felt that the resistance
had now a new role to play following the withdrawal of all Indonesian
troops from East Timor and the presence of an armed international
peacekeeping force.
''Many Falintil fighters have now decided
to come down from the mountains to be with their families in Dili and this
radio station helps them keep in touch with their commanders and
Falintil's plans for a transition to peace,'' said Akhita.
The Falintil commando also pointed out
the radio station will play an important role in getting pro-Indonesia
militia members, still hiding in Dili, to surrender themselves to the
Australian- led international armed forces.
''Radio Falintil broadcasts messages
everyday urging these militias to give themselves up. We also give them
assurances that they won't be harmed if they surrender. After all they are
also East Timorese and Commander Xanana has urged all of us to forgive one
another for peace and reconciliation,'' added Akhita.
With three full-time broadcasters, Akhita
also helps coordinate 13 volunteers at the station.
''The broadcasters can also double up as
technicians and one of them is a communications graduate from Indonesia,''
said Akhita. ''The volunteers are mostly students who have returned home
from Java and Bali in Indonesia and mostly help out in news gathering and
writing.''
''These students are the hope of the new
East Timor. We want Radio Falintil, ultimately, to be the voice of the
young.''
Indeed, a Radio Falintil poster on the
wall describes the radio station using the Portuguese words 'Vos de
Esperanca' or the ''Voice of Hope''. East Timor was formerly a Portuguese
colony before it was invaded by the Indonesians in 1975.
According to Akhita, the radio station
will soon move into a new phase in the year 2000.
''Taking into account that East Timor
will be the newest nation in the 21st century, we, too, will evolve. We
plan a top-of-the- hour news bulletin, more interviews, modern music and
hard- hitting, no-nonsense radio features,'' he said.
''But for these to happen,'' explained
Akhita, ''we have to be independent.''
''Sometime next year, we hope to drop the
name 'Falintil' from the station and replace it with 'Radio Vos de
Esperanca'. With so many parties in East Timor now, from the United
Nations to NGOs and multinationals, we want the radio station to act as a
watchdog,'' he added.
To a limited extent, the radio station
has already begun moving in this direction.
Added Akhita: ''When the World Bank
mission was in Dili, we managed to do a live interview with one of the
members in the assessment team. Our listeners wanted to know how much
money the international community was willing to commit to East Timor, and
we had a duty to inform them.''
The Falintil commando admitted the radio
station was run like a military operation with the commandoes overseeing
it. But he added that was about to change.
''When we move beyond the peace and
reconciliation stage we will disband the current operational structure and
make the radio station into a corporate entity -- with the students
playing a bigger role,'' he said.
''In order to make the station
financially viable we will be soliciting advertisements to keep the radio
running and pay salaries,'' added Akhita.
But he was still disappointed with the
aid agencies, whom he accused of being biased against Radio Falintil.
''None of them have approached to help us with training or equipment. We
are already broadcasting with the little we have. But motivation alone is
not enough, we need extra equipment and some resources to help meet our
expenses.''
''Don't be afraid of Falintil. We've
moved from being freedom fighters, with AK-47s, to broadcasters with
microphones in front of us.'' (END/IPS/ap-cr/si/ral/99)
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