[New-imc] Urgent help with starting Indymedia Baghdad

[Rocky Mountain IMC]

This got forwarded around until it hit the Rocky Mountain IMC (not the
best prepared to help out).
It looks like they could use some help, mostly in tech, but it looks
like they got some volunteers to get it rolling. 
Don't know if it's been discussed elsewhere. - dB
 
> -----Original Message-----
> From:     Peter Lems [mailto:PLems at afsc.org]
> Sent:     Friday, April 18, 2003 1:40 PM
> To: AskAboutIraq
> Subject:  IRAQ: IndyMedia Baghdad - coming soon!
> 
> AFSC Iraq working group, regional directors and communications 
> department:
> 
> We need to support this.
> 
> I have received an appeal for help with setting up
> the foundation for
> IndyMedia Baghdad.  This will be initiated by the
> Iraq Peace Team and
> others.  I believe we need to be involved.  One
> suggestion is to use the
> human face of war page as a broadcast mechanism,
> another may be setting up
> and supporting student dialogue groups and video conferencing.
> 
> I am convinced that this would be an excellent
> project for Friends Meetings
> and AFSC offices around the country.
> 
> I welcome your feedback..
> 
> Appeal below
> 
> ******************
> 
> Dear Friends,
> 
> I've been able to locate 4 of the students who we
> worked with on the
> dialogue exchange: Haider, Hamza, Walid & Majed. All
> are very enthusiastic
> about starting a newspaper & setting up something
> like indymedia baghdad.
> 
> Over the next few days, we are going to:
> 
> - locate a house to rent, that can serve as an
> office for the project, as
> well as office/living space for VitW & friends here
> in Iraq.
> 
> - compile a list of equipment we have on hand
> (computers, printers, cameras,
> office supplies, etc...)
> 
> - compile a list of equipment we *need* (computers,
> printers, cameras,
> office supplies, etc... LOL)
> 
> - locate a printing company that can print 10,000
> copies a week, of an
> Arabic/English newspaper that we are going to start.
> 
> We NEED from you:
> 
> - MONEY: start raising $$$ *NOW* - this project is
> going to need money to
> pay for rent, equipment, printing costs, and web
> costs, ASAP!!! We will work
> toward making it self-sufficient as soon as
> possible, but that, for sure,
> ain't right now! Voices is sending
> a small group of people here (one in a week, a
> couple of more soon after) -
> so we need to send in money & equipment with them.
> 
> - EQUIPMENT: for a fact, I *KNOW* that we're going
> to need at least 2 more
> computers, 1 more office printer, 2
> broadcast-quality video cameras, and 2
> digital cameras. Another satellite modem & satellite
> phone would be nice too
> (as well as $$$ to cover the costs
> of the current sat modem over the next, several
> months).
> 
> - WEB HELP: we need help, from the outside, on
> setting up a website for the
> newspaper and/or indymedia Baghdad, where we can
> post text, pictures, &
> video produced here - English *AND* Arabic. Some of
> these kids are very web
> savvy, but the infrastructure is NOT
> in place for them to start doing web work from here
> right now. The war took
> out telecommunications in a *big* way - certainly
> for weeks, likely for
> months.
> 
> I (we, I hope!) are going to help out with advice,
> training, equipment &
> money - but this is going to be an Iraqi project,
> from top to bottom. These
> folks can finally speak for themselves - let's help
> them do that!
> 
> Please let me know how all of you can help
> 
> 
> PS: In addition to this, I will, of course,
> reconnect with schools &
> start-up the pen-pals project as soon as schools are
> again open here...
> 
> PPS: We should have one sat phone here in a few
> days, and can do another
> dialogue as soon as that happens. I believe John
> Alpert is either on his
> way, or maybe already here, to follow up on the DCTV dialogues too 
> (many of the same kids). Please put John in touch with
> me as soon as possible!
> 
> 
> 
> Peter Lems
> American Friends Service Committee
> 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia PA 19102
> Tel: 215/241-7170  /  Fax:215/241-7177 
> <http://www.afsc.org/conscience/Default.shtm>
> 
 
 
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