Iran Disrupts the Signals of Kurdish Satellite Channels

Kurdish Daily paper Awene

Friday 5 October 2007

Iran disrupts the signals of Kurdish Satellite Channels

In Iran not only Kurdish education is banned, but even the Kurdish Satellite channels are exposed to disruption by The Islamic Republic of Iran.
The fact that there are no dire Kurdish words visible on the billboard of boutiques or the name of streets is probably the strangest thing for a Kurd from Southern Kurdistan crossing the border into Eastern Kurdistan. In Iran not only the education of Kurdish language is forbidden, but also the Kurdishn satellite channels are disrupted by Islamic Republic of Iran and they could not be viewed.

Abdullah Moini who is a satellite provider and fixer in Sardasht told Awene:" It is more than a month that Iranian authorities have set up a large dish on the roof of Sardasht garrison. The aim is to cause the disruption of Kurdish Satellite channesl signals so people are not able to watch them".

Although in accordance to a decision by Iranian government the possession of satellite dishes are forbidden, but there are barely anyone who is without one. People discreetly set up little dishes in the backyard of their homes and try to fix it to get signals coming from Europe.
Abdullah added" in the beginning people were not aware of this parasite in Sardasht and its environs. They were delivering back the dishes that they had bought. They thought they may be out of function, I have re-adjusted my own dish three times".
This disruption signals has blacked out the Kurdish and Persian speaking satellites which sent their programs from Europe. The Iranian government has sat up large dishes over high positions in various cities to disrupt all signals sent via Hotbird. This has led to huge disruptions so many satellite channels are not viewable.

Arezu, a young woman in her early 20s from Mahabad told Awene from the beginning of spring Mahabad is exposed to disruptive parasites. It is obvious that there is a political agenda behind all this. The Islamic Republic of Iran is worried about the developments in the region. They are afraid of consolidation of national awareness among the people. They want to hide their bombardment of the border regions and its effects on Kurds. They want the people of Eastern Kurdistan not to show any interest for politics and political events".

All these measures are taken at a time where many youths of this part of Kurdistan are illiterate in Kurdish. Most of them are very keen to learn reading and writing in Kurdish. Some people are trying by using books, newspapers and magazines and even watching satellites to learn about their language. Most of the literate Kurdish youths are fed up with obligatory education in Persian and prefer to leave the school .Most of them are deeply indignant of discrimination among Persians and Kurds. Therefore they think of finding a job instead of going to school. They see that just 10% of Kurds to go to higher free schools.

Shiwa Qereni who is an eighteen years old student, still can not read and write in Kurdish. She pointed out:"By reading Kurdish and watching some programs on Kurdish televisions I tried to learn reading Kurdish, but the Islamic Republic of Iran is denying that to me and many others by disrupting satellite signals".

The report prepared by: Necibe Muhamad, Sardasht

Translated from Middle-Kurdish into English