2005-04-23

 

The Taliban's New Radio Station

Taliban guerillas launched a new clandestine radio station last week, called "Shariat Zhagh" or "Voice of Shariat". It goes on the air between six and seven o'clock in the morning, and the same time in the evening, broadcasting anti-government commentaries and propaganda from a mobile transmitter. The broadcast can be heard in five southern provinces, including the former regime's old power base Kandahar. Radio Shariat was the Taliban's main radio while they were in power. By satellite phone from an undisclosed location, the Taliban spokesman Hakimi said that the Taliban is fighting an insurgency in the south and east of the country. Since they were out from power in late 2001, they needed their own voice because the international media were pro-American. The Taliban's new radio station criticized US and other foreign troops operating in Afghanistan since the Taliban were ousted. When the Taliban spokesman was asked what Taliban would do if US forces disclosed and destroyed their station, Hakimi said they would install another one.

Most Afghans listen to radio BBC, Voice of America and to the ISAF radio called "Sadai-E-Azadi" which means "Voice of Freedom" which broadcast in Afghanistan's two main languages, Dari and Pashto. There are also a few local private radio stations funded by aid donors broadcasting from the capital, Kabul, and also in a few other provinces.

However, the Taliban radio runs anti-government propaganda - the people of Afghanistan will be deceived. Afghan people selected their president and they strongly support their elected government. Afghans had a bad experience from the Taliban regime and other warlords. Some Taliban know that their fight againts the coalition forces is useless. They are not able to capture any city and a large number of Taliban accepted the government-initiated national reconciliation policy and would soon announce their support of the policy. President Karzai announced that those Taliban who want to lay down their weapons will be forgiven with the exception of Mullah Omar and a few other Taliban leaders. The other Taliban who haven't committed major crimes should feel free to talk with the government and its time to rebuild our country. Many Taliban members have surrendered to the government since the collapse of the former extremist regime.

Comments:
So is the ANA working on finding the radio transmitter?
 
Well I dont expect that to make much difference, the taliban are not respected and have no support internationally

they are doomed to fail but perhaps this will help end the insurgency quicker if they adopt democratic ways rather than terror
 
Waheed, thank you for your blog, and for the timely information.

With due respect to Bryan, I would add that even a free society must limit some kinds of speech - for example, someone advocating violence, crime, or ARMED rebellion against the government would be committing a crime, even in America where we have the first amendment (freedom of speech). That is in a different category from simply criticizing the government or demanding that the government change its policies.

In any case, I hope that most of the people of Afghanistan will ignore the propaganda from the former regime. It sounds as though Afghans are committed to moving forward. I wish you all the best.
 
brian h, the Afghans only lived under Taliban rule for 5 years, not decades.

bryan kerwick, the Taliban is an armed opposition group, the enemy. Their propaganda machine should be shut down. If people have political gripes they can go and start an opposition party, unrelated to the Taliban. There's already a stack of opposition parties in Afghanistan.
 
Thanks for this great info -- I have linked to it here
 
Dear Paul
If the ANA find the location but the radio they will destroy it they are looking for it and soon I will inform every one by the blog
 
Does anyone know if this is MW/AM or FM operation and if so what frequency are they transmitting on?

Thanks

Steve
 
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