[IMC-Audio] Radio for Peace is under siege (Media Democracy Alert)

[amoshaun]

urgent news from Radio For Peace International in Costa Rica. Frieda Werden
is the producer for the Women's International News Gathering Service. I
trust her judgment that this is factual.
~amoshaun

--original-from--undone1 at mindspring.com--7-22-03------
At 11:52 PM -0700 7/22/03, Frieda Werden wrote:

>Dear radio friends,
>I just received the e-mail correspondence posted below.  It appears
>that guards from the University for Peace in Costa Rica have chained
>and surrounded Radio for Peace, an independent non-profit radio
>station set up by progressives from the US, which has been
>broadcasting via shortwave from United Nations land there since the
>1980s.  I do not have the details of the current story, but have
>heard that Maurice Strong (a Canadian), President of the Council of
>the University for Peace, previously tried to evict RFPI, then held
>back after he was told that RFPI had built their own radio station
>and owned the equipment and building, if not the actual land.  It is
>my understanding that the matter has been proceeding through the
>courts in Costa Rica.  The web site of Radio for Peace is
>www.rfpi.org.  There is nothing on it as of this writing about the
>siege, but it has information about projects, including Right Wing
>Radio Review, which has been keeping tabs on the use of shortwave
>for hate-mongering.
>
>If you're wondering who you might contact, here are descriptions of
>the principals of the University, from the University for Peace web
>site http://www.upeace.org/aboutus/history.htm :
>
>Kofi A. Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations, is the
>Honorary President of the University for Peace. As part of the
>continuing process of United Nations reform, Secretary-General Annan
>has taken a number of measures since early 1999 to reorganize,
>strengthen and internationalize more fully the University for Peace
>so as to enable it to contribute more effectively to the peace and
>security objectives of the United Nations.
>
>Maurice Strong from Canada, a Special Adviser to the
>Secretary-General, is the President of the Council of the University
>for Peace, and Elizabeth Odio, former Vice-President of Costa Rica,
>is Vice-President.
>
>I have heard that Jean Parker <global3 at concentric.net> is in Costa
>Rica now, and she may have more and/or different things to tell.
>
>Here is the info I received just now. Please forward:
>
>
>  From: Neumluth at aol.com
>Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2003 11:39:54 EDT
>To: jiver1952 at yahoo.com, nicklemar at racsa.co.cr,
>joey_bernard at yahoo.com, JCutedge at aol.com, Rlucey8812 at aol.com,
>jemoore at astro.ocis.temple.edu, jemoore at unix.temple.edu,
>Margesoren at aol.com, STARRONE at aol.com, editor at springerpub.com,
>wings at igc.org
>Subject: Re: RFPI's jailed staff
>
>Dear James - I can't believe it! The building was built with RFPI
>funds! It had the blessing of UPaz! The transmitters and power
>building all belong to RFPI! I think you have to get a lawyer --
>this is not legal! Tell us what we can do, please. Love and courage
>to all - Sally and John
>
>Subj: RFPI's jailed staff ?
>Date: 7/21/2003 5:45:26 PM Eastern Standard Time
>From: jiver1952 at yahoo.com
>To: neumluth at aol.com, scurich at pobox.com,
>paulinebartolone at hotmail.com, joey_bernard at yahoo.com,
>disabilityradio at hotmail.com
>Sent from the Internet (Details)
>
>
>
>Jean and freinds,?we have been locked into the RFPI office/studios
>at 12:30 this afternoon (July21)?guards from the U-paz chained and
>locked rfpi's gate and the staff was told that we could leave by the
>U-Paz front gate plus a two week notice was given by u-paz for us to
>remove our things etc.?? James
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Frieda Werden, Producer,
>WINGS: Women's International News Gathering Service,
>Box 95090, Kingsgate
>Vancouver BC V5T 4T8
>Canada
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