DATE=        AUGUST 23, 1997
TYPE=        EDITORIAL
NUMBER=      0-07414
TITLE=       EDITORIAL:  CHINA JAMS R-F-A BROADCASTS

CONTENT=THIS IS THE ONLY EDITORIAL BEING RELEASED FOR BROADCAST 
AUGUST 23, 1997.

ANNCR:
THE VOICE OF AMERICA PRESENTS DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW ON A WIDE 
VARIETY OF ISSUES.  NEXT, AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF
THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.

VOICE:

    IN THE SPRING OF 1989, AS MASSIVE PRO-DEMOCRACY 
DEMONSTRATIONS TOOK PLACE IN BEIJING AND OTHER CITIES, THE 
CHINESE GOVERNMENT BEGAN JAMMING MANDARIN LANGUAGE BROADCASTS OF 
THE VOICE OF AMERICA AND THE BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION.  
AFTER THE DEMONSTRATIONS WERE BRUTALLY CRUSHED IN JUNE 1989, THE 
JAMMING CONTINUED.  THIS MONTH, IT WAS REPORTED THAT CHINA IS 
ALSO INTERFERING WITH MANDARIN BROADCASTS OF RADIO FREE ASIA.

    LIKE V-O-A, RADIO FREE ASIA TRANSMITS FROM MULTIPLE SITES IN 
THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION.  AS A RESULT, IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE
FOR THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO JAM EVERY TRANSMISSION.  AS R-F-A 
PRESIDENT RICHARD RICHTER SAID, "DESPITE THE EFFORTS OF THE 
BEIJING GOVERNMENT TO PREVENT THE CHINESE PEOPLE FROM HEARING OUR
BROADCASTS, WE KNOW THAT WE ARE GETTING THROUGH."

    RADIO FREE ASIA WAS ESTABLISHED IN ACCORDANCE WITH 
LEGISLATION PASSED BY THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS IN 1994.  LIKE 
THE VOICE OF AMERICA, R-F-A IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE ACCURATE AND 
TIMELY NEWS, INFORMATION AND COMMENTARY.  BUT WHEREAS V-O-A HAS 
THE ADDITIONAL TASK OF TELLING THE WORLD ABOUT AMERICAN THOUGHT, 
INSTITUTIONS AND POLICIES, R-F-A'S SPECIAL MISSION IS "TO BE A 
FORUM FOR A VARIETY OF OPINIONS AND VOICES FROM WITHIN ASIAN 
NATIONS WHOSE PEOPLE DO NOT FULLY ENJOY FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION."

    R-F-A BEGAN BROADCASTING IN MANDARIN IN SEPTEMBER 1996.  
SINCE THEN, IT HAS ADDED BROADCASTS IN TIBETAN, BURMESE, 
VIETNAMESE, KOREAN AND LAO.  NEXT MONTH, IT PLANS TO BEGIN 
BROADCASTING IN THE KHMER LANGUAGE TO CAMBODIA.  UNFORTUNATELY, 
THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IS NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT JAMS RADIO FREE 
ASIA.  VIETNAM AND NORTH KOREA ALSO INTERFERE WITH R-F-A 
BROADCASTS.  MEANWHILE, CHINA JAMS V-O-A BROADCASTS IN BOTH 
MANDARIN AND TIBETAN, AND CUBA INTERFERES WITH TRANSMISSIONS OF 
RADIO AND TELEVISION MARTI.

    AS THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS MAKES CLEAR, 
"EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT. . .TO SEEK, RECEIVE AND IMPART 
INFORMATION AND IDEAS THROUGH ANY MEDIA AND REGARDLESS OF 
FRONTIERS."  THE U.S. CALLS ON CHINA, VIETNAM, NORTH KOREA, AND 
CUBA TO HALT THEIR JAMMING OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTS.

ANNCR:

    THAT WAS AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE UNITED 
STATES GOVERNMENT.  IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE HEARD ON THIS ISSUE, 
PLEASE WRITE TO EDITORIALS, VOICE OF AMERICA, WASHINGTON, D-C, 
20547, U-S-A.  YOU MAY ALSO SEND US A FAX AT (202) 619-1043.  
YOUR COMMENTS MAY BE USED ON THE AIR.

22-Aug-97 12:48 PM EDT (1648 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.