FEATURE| January 26, 2014
2 MIN READBy ALDWIN QUITASOL
www.nordis.net
SAGADA, Mountain Province — Indigenous peoples (IPs) from different countries in Asia gathered here to their experiences and perspectives of bringing the issues and concerns of IP communities in various venues of media.
IVA. The participants to the IVA skills sharing training pose for posterity in Quezon City, Philippines. Photo courtesy of IVA.
From January 21 to 25, IP media practitioners and communication officers from Indonesia, Thailand, Nepal and Cambodia met with their Filipino counterparts here in the Philippines to exchange their experiences and insights on using media to voice out their issues, their cases, studies, plans and challenges.
Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas (KAMP) and Kodao productions presented on the 1st day the bringing up of an alternative and people’s media. They also oriented the media representatives on the current IP situations.
Mona, a journalist and project coordinator of the Indigenous Voices of Asia (IVA) and media relations officer of Aliansi Masyarakat Adat Nusantara (AMAN) said that running a community radio intended for IP advocacy is like going against the odds. She said that they have had a community radio and a program that went critical to ongoing mining operations threatening to displace the IP communities. She said that the radio transmitter and its facility were burned down. She said that the mining company was reported as allegedly behind the attack and burning of the community radio.
Mohan, a former president of the Federation of Nepalese Indigenous Journalists (FNIJ) said that getting a license to operate a community radio is difficult as they have to produce the financial requirement. He also said that the license they can get from the government is only good for 6 months so they have but a few months to again look for financing yet it is important for them to continue the IP focused community radio as it serves the interests of Nepalese IPs and the people.
Radio Sagada station manager Mary Carling meanwhile said that they also have difficulties operating an IP community Radio.
The participants resolved to bring up practical actions and persevere of bring the voices of IPs to the wider arena of media. They also resolved to set plans on the exchange of materials, information and resources. # nordis.net
