Category: World Service
Date: 16.02.2005
Printable version
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service is back on air on FM in Banda Aceh, Indonesia where it is now broadcasting in English as well as in Indonesian.
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Three other local radio stations in Aceh are re-starting Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service FM broadcasts this week.
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Local radio stations and radio transmitters were virtually destroyed by the earthquake and Asian tsunami which struck the region on Boxing Day.
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Menuk Suwondo, Head of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Indonesian service, said: "People want to know what is happening both in Indonesia and in neighbouring countries which were hard hit by the tidal waves.
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"It is important that people in Aceh know they are not alone and can see the global picture.
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"Our local partner stations have told us that they need the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ programmes back as soon as possible."
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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service has a strong audience in Indonesia's Aceh province, where there has been a long-running war between the government and local separatists.
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The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's impartiality has gained trust among listeners in the area.
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Before the tsunami struck four leading local FM stations rebroadcast the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Indonesian service programmes live.
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They are in Banda Aceh, Meulaboh, Lhokseumawe and in Sigli.
The disaster destroyed most of their broadcast facilities and took away some of their staff.
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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔs, bridges and roads were destroyed by the tsunami. The lack of transport created extra logistical difficulties in restoring Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service on FM broadcasts in Aceh.
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Surviving radio journalists have transported the much-needed satellite dishes and receivers from the neighbouring provincial capital, Medan, to Aceh on local charter vans.
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"None of this could have been done without their help," said Menuk.
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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service has also found a new partner station in central Aceh, a hilly part of the province which was relatively unaffected by the tidal waves.
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It has become one of the places where people from the affected areas have taken refuge.
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Apart from providing FM partners with satellite dishes and receivers to relay the Indonesian service programmes, the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ has also assisted some of them with radio production equipment such as microphones, programme mixers and computers.
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As many as 500 locally made receivers have been distributed across the refugee camps along the western coast of Aceh.
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Indonesia has so far buried 119,349 people who died in the tsunami. Almost 115,000 others remain missing, the Indonesian government has said.
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Thousands of the dead and missing are from Aceh and the death toll is expected to climb higher. Many thousands of the survivors are now homeless.
