A very controversial partisan move by the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) to severely reduce the Tibetan language services at Radio Free Asia (RFA) and Voice of America (VOA) in the beginning of the year, and an equally subsequent disturbing remarks by the Bush Administration’s point person on Tibetan affairs, Paul Dobriansky, Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs as well as Karen Hughes, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs during hearings on the Hill further convoluted the case, thereby raising serious concerns about the fate of the twin broadcasts. But common sense and truth prevailed at the end.
Exhibiting solid bi-partisan support for the Tibetan cause, the full House Appropriations Committee of the U.S. Congress quietly saw the passage of the subcommittee’s recommendation to restore full funding for Radio Free Asia (RFA) and Voice of America (VOA) on June 17, 2007. Earlier on June 5, 2007 the key House Appropriations Subcommittee panel headed by New York Democratic Congresswoman Nita Lowey, and ranking Republican Congressman Frank Wolf voted to fully fund the two Tibetan broadcast services. It was Congressman Wolf who saved the Cantonese service last year at a crucial subcommittee hearing, then chaired by himself.
Early this year, the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), under pressure from White House to save money for other priorities, tried to completely eliminate the Cantonese services and severely cut the Tibetan services of both VOA and FRA along with several our East European languages services – a controversial partisan maneuvering which prompted active lobbying by the RFA and VOA unions and the Tibetan-American community as well as efforts by the good office of the His Holiness the Dalai Lama envoy in Washington D.C. all seemed to have brought enough pressure against proposed cuts.
The full House Appropriations Committee’s recommendation includes $194,093,000 for VOA, which is $22,561,00 above the fiscal year 2007 level and $15,747,000 above the request, and includes $8,000.00 to retain the current level of VOA English broadcasts, and ensures restoration of the Albanian, Bosnian, Croatian, Greek,, Macedonian, Serbian, Ukrainian, Georgian, Uzbek, Hindi, Cantonese, Thai, and Tibetan.
The Committee provides $80,471,000 for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty which is $22,561,000 above the fiscal year 2007, and $15,747,000 above the request.
Within these amounts $4.635,000 is earmarked for Radio Farda, $3,980,000 for Radio Free Afghanistan, and $1,988,000 for Radio Free Iraq. The Committee recommendation includes $35,220,000 for Radio Free Asia, which is $3,636,000 above the fiscal year 2007 level and $3,763,000 above the request. As as been the tradition, the Committee strongly continues to support increased broadcasting efforts to China, Tibet, Burma, Vietnam, North Korea, Laos, and Cambodia. The Committee recommendation includes sufficient funding to fully restore the reductions proposed bin the fiscal year 2008 request in the Tibetan and Cantonese language services.
In addition, the recommendation includes the increased funding proposed for broadcasting to North Korea to pursue objectives outlined in the North Korean Human Rights Act of 2004. The Committee also continues to support initiatives by the BBG to defeat jamming and reach a wider audience for Radio Free Asia and Voice of America broadcasts to China, Tibet, Vietnam, and North Korea.
As reported by the RFA Guild in its latest bulletin, efforts to preserve funding for the Tibetan and Cantonese language services crossed a major hurdle when a key House subcommittee rejected the propose cuts. Now the bill moves to the full House and Senate for approval, and it’s a lengthy process during which lobbying will continue to ensure the funding remains intact throughout the legislative process.
