Voice of America
(VOA) With-in the Eritrean Context
Amanuel
Biedemariam
When
listening to the Voice of America (VOA) Tigrigna one must ask why is there a
need for such a program. What are the reasons that the US spends tremendous
resources on broadcasters, technical experts, directors, editors and on
expensive equipments to reach Eritrea? What does the US gain from broadcasting
in Tigrigna into Eritrea? Why not Tigre or Bilen? How does that benefit or hurt
Eritrea? What are the missions and purposes of the VOA? These types
of questions are what every Eritrean must ask when consuming information
provided by outlets like Deutsche-Welle, BBC and in this case, the VOA.
The
VOA is founded to distribute information and news from American perspective in
pursuit of US interests. The VOA is an extension of the State Department public
diplomacy efforts in pursuit of US policies and agendas regardless of how the
mission statements are worded and, regardless of the values they claim to
espouse.
Recently
introduced bill by Rep. Ed Royce
(R-Calif.), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, co-sponsored by
Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), with overwhelming support of both houses intends to
change the mission statement of VOA to, “Support U.S. public diplomacy
efforts.”
The
bill intends to change the governance structure and the status of the
“reporters” to “agents” that forward US agendas and do away with traditional
reporting. The VOA has many branches like the Radio Free Europe. Under the
legislation, the VOA would be reorganized into a single organization called, “The
Freedom News Network.”
New
information and news competition from Russia’s RT News, CCTV and others is used
as a pretext to change the mission. Critiques of the bill are decrying the new
approach as un-American because it changes the VOA into a propaganda outlet. It
also turns the VOA journalists to propaganda agents doing-away with traditional
reporting altogether.
How
will these changes affect the broadcasting and approach into Eritrea?
The
US State Department’s position on Eritrea and the overall US Eritrean policies
have been consistently hostile. As branch of the State Department the VOA
propagated US policies. Hence, whatever changes US congress makes the agenda
will not change.
The
question thence, if the VOA is a branch of the State Department that pursues
hostile policies how will the new bill influence the Tigrigna broadcast into
Eritrea? What will the Tigrigna broadcast look like in the future? How has it
traditionally broadcasted into Eritrea etc…?
To
get some basic understanding or perspective one needs to look at the way the
VOA Tigrigna is structured, how it is funded, the message it consistently
sends, the issues that it tries to tackle, the personalities-interviewed and
the make-up of the hosts etc…
The Hosts
The
VOA is made up of Tigrigna speaking “reporters” from Eritrea and Ethiopia. One
can argue that it is a perfect way to ensure neutrality since there is
appearance of balance. However, the issues discussed are overwhelmingly
Eritrean. The focus of the VOA is Eritrea. What that means then is that the VOA
accords ownership and platform of Eritrean issues to anyone even those that are
avowed enemies. The new bill will give VOA cart-blanch to magnify the
propaganda to the highest level possible.
The Guests
Who
are the invited guests, what are their interests, what is the criterion used to
qualify the guests etc…? These are key questions that can lead to answers into
the agendas, objectives of the messages and results thought by the US. And based
on information the VOA provided in the past; based on guests interviewed and,
based on the history of US Eritrea relations it is rather easy to conclude what
the intended objectives are.
The
VOA Tigrigna is a medium that intends to disseminate US interest based news.
However, the broadcasting is done by Tigrigna speaking broadcasters and the
guests are almost entirely Tigrigna speaking. It is a rarity for American
officials or non-naturalized nationals to interview with VOA to address Eritrea
related matters. The last time that happened was when the VOA interviewed three
diplomats that advocated for the warming of relations between Eritrea and US.
The
daily news VOA provides is limited, nominal, not-far-reaching or extensive. The
focus of the programming is talk-programs that aim to live amidst
Eritrea-specific controversies. Furthermore, most of the guests that they bring
have limited or no constituency in Eritrea or within Diaspora Eritrea.
Yet,
the issues that these minority groups raise are presented as main issues and as
if they have following. This is done to undermine Eritrea’s priorities. They do
this by coupling guests that have mainstream credibility and pair them with
those that have limited constituency, (sometimes Tigrayans) with negative views
of Eritrea. The VOA elevates the issues The State Departments advocates through
the fringe elements and gives it platform that it cannot get elsewhere.
After
the programming airs reactions are encouraged and these reactions are recorded
on voice mail. The VOA then selects specific comments; edits them to focus on
the agendas-thought and, accords both sides equal time when aired on subsequent
programming. In this arrangement the VOA controls the message while the
participants relinquish control of their voices in a lopsided process that only
favors the VOA.
In
the Diaspora, Eritreans know how the VOA operates, its intentions and they know
exactly what these fringe elements are up-to. But for those that are not aware,
the messages could be misleading and lead to some misadventures as seen in
parts of the world. In many countries the VOA is banned specifically for these
reasons.
While
in Asmara, on March of 2013, the VOA aired a program that featured a Tigrayan
priest and excommunicated Eritrean ex-priest from Medhine Alem Tewahdo Church
Washington DC to talk about new Eritrean refugees in the US. The VOA presented
them as men of faith concerned about Eritreans. The ex-priest happens to be a
staunch anti-Eritrean that runs a politically charged controversial and
incendiary weekly radio program from DC.
To
the listeners in Eritrea his responses could appear humanitarian and genuinely
concerned about the individuals he claims to be helping. However, he was
advertising; if you come here I will help you. In other words encourage youth
flight. These are the kinds of subtle, subliminal and sometimes direct messages
the VOA induces on the psych of Eritreans. The messages of the ex-priest are
consistent with US State Department’s agenda that focuses on the Eritrean
youth.
By
interviewing the excommunicated priest the VOA undermined the Orthodox Church
in Eritrea and disrespected Eritreans in the Diaspora that base their faith in
accordance with the synod of the Orthodox Church in Eritrea. One can look at
issue after issue but the methodology the VOA applies is consistent no matter
the subject. It is to try to light fire wherever possible.
Moving Forward
In
the West, the iron-dome of information has proved to be impenetrable. It is
designed in a way that forwards messages based on agendas and outcomes the West
desires. The notion of free-press, freedom of expression is farcical. It exists
only within outlined parameters.
Eritreans
have seen and experienced a lot about local and national news networks that
ignored their cry for coverage when they pleaded for justice against unfair US
Eritrea policies that attempted to undermine the very existence of their
nation. However, when 10 anti-Eritrean elements demonstrate they are advertised
as if the entire nation is demonstrating.
Fortunately,
the internet is providing alternative information sources. It also appears the
world is looking for additional sources of information. Unfortunately, these
are state based news sources looking to do the same thing that Western news
sources have done for decades.
However,
the availability of competing information sources is providing alternative and
diverse perspectives thus nullifying previously western-dominated news that
always attempted to frame issues from their perspective.
If
there is one thing Africans can learn from the new information sources like RT
is to see and apply some of the methodologies that they use to combat western
based propaganda; learn how to defuse it; forward their own-agendas to benefit
their people, enhance and promote their images.
That
means considerable resources must be dedicated into developing the
infrastructures and human resources capacities in order to compete in this
global war of information. It is of utmost importance for Africans to
understand that and increase their efforts to combat outside sources of
information that are designed to program them into perpetual enslavement.
It
also means understanding and outing the indigenous-agents that these news
sources use, the institutions that fund them and, deny these agents access
because they are always going to work for the agendas of the foreign agents
because there exists no news organization that is designed to serve on the
interests of Africa.
What is Current
US Policy on Eritrea?
Unless
US change its Eritrea policy, information that the VOA disseminate into Eritrea
will reflect the policy. Unfortunately, these hostilities are continuing with
no end in sight. The US Africa Summit to be held on August 5-6 in Washington DC
is meant to foster the future partnership between US and African nations.
Self-reliant Africa is what the current administration believes that Africa
needs. However, the leaders this administration invited are not capable to
comprehend self-reliance let alone apply it when their budgets are entirely
dependent on foreign assistance.
To
the contrary the people and government of Eritrea have been saying, “Self
Reliance, partnership based on respect to sovereignty and self-determination”
which Washington finds unacceptable. As a result, Eritrea which should be the
best ally the US could have is shunned from the summit. This is a display of
unprovoked hostility towards the people and the government of Eritrea.
If
partnership is what Washington seeks the people of Eritrea should have been
represented. If self-reliance in Africa is what Washington’s targeted-outcome; Eritrea
should have been touted as example and hope. Instead, every strategy on the
books is applied to deny Eritrea her human and material resources. The VOA will
always reflect the policy.
“Africa
doesn’t need strongmen, it needs strong institutions…” President Barack Obama,
in 2009, Ghana.
Wining
and dining beggars and strongmen will not forward partnership or self reliance.
Conclusion
This
summit is a perfect reminder of what to expect .The can-do Eritrean people must
always understand the base from which information emanate and exercise
tremendous caution when consuming information from any outlet be it VOA or BBC.
It is a historic fact that Eritrea’s resilience and self reliance is what
brought about Dimitsi-Hafash that sustained them through tough time. That is
history worth nurturing at the highest of levels!
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Received on Sat Aug 02 2014 - 23:21:58 EDT