RADIO INTIFADA Programs, January 2007 to May 2007
Produced and hosted by members of SWANA Collective, as noted
Note: Many of these programs are available in the Pacifica Radio Archive
1/04/07 - "The Other Israel: the Arab Citizens of Israel and Democracy
More than 1 million citizens of the Jewish state, roughly 20%, are not Jewish, but rather Arabs - Palestinians as well as Bedouins. The question of whether Israel can be both Jewish and Democratic is not an abstract issue for them as they face both disciminatory legislation and practices. Straddling the thin line between their fellow Israeli-Jewish citizens and their fellow Palestinians in the Occupied Territories, these Arab citizens are asserting their distinct nature more forcefully than ever before.
This week's program will discuss the history and present conditions of this population and their recent united initiatives to place their concerns on the Israeli agenda.
Our three guests are:
Jonathan Cook, journalist based in Nazareth, author of Blood and Religion: The Unmasking of the Jewish and Democratic State
Dr. Thabe Abu Ras, Assistant Professor of Geography, Ben Gurion University and contributor to the newly drafted document "Future Vision of the Palestinian Arabs in Israel"
Nabila Espanioly, Palestinian Israeli feminist and peace activist, director of Al-Tufula Pedagogical Centre and Multipurpose Women's Centre in Nazareth
Featuring music by Reem Kalani and poetry of Nathalie Handal
Hosted and produced by Hagit Borer and Sherna Gluck
1/11/07 Assessing U.S. Imperial Policy in Iraq: Vietnam Revisited
Before assessing US Imperial Policy in Iraq, the first segment of this week's program will survey how the SWANA region reacted to Saddam's execution.
Guests:
Professor Jim Kelleher to discuss American foreign policy and his drive to impeach Bush.
Dr. Bagher Habibi to examine the Iranian connections
Dr. Zaman Stanazai to examine the regional implications of Saddam's execution, now seen in the Arab world as a martyr.
Produced and hosted by Hamoud Salhi
1/18/07 Is Iran a Diversion or a Real Threat?
Plans are already in the making to attack this Persian country. Is this just the administration's way of diverting our attention from its failures in Iraq and holding it accountable for the unjustified killing of thousands of Iraqis and Americans? Or is Iran a real threat?
Discussion with a group of experts including Iranian activists and scholars, Touraj Daryaee, Niki Akhavan and Gulf specialist Abdullah Mohamed Sindi.
Produced and hosted by Hamoud Salhi
1/25/07 The Consequences of Exercising Free Speech in Turkey: The Assassination of Hrant Ding
Hrant Dink, a prominent Istanbul-based Armenian journalist was murdered last week, on January 19, for his outspoken views. He was a human rights and freedom activist in Turkey. Radio Intifada will be discussing Hrant Dink's life and the repressive laws that might have contributed to the climate that led to his assassination.
Produced and hosted by Lucy Der-Tawaitian
2/01/07 Vindication for the LA 8 - Free Speech, Democracy and Immigrant Rights
On January 30, 2007, 20 years and 4 days after their long saga began, Immigration Judge Einhorn terminated the case against LA 8 key defendants, Michel Shehadeh and Khader Hamide.*
This week’s program will open with a brief discussion of Einhorn’s decision by SWANA member Muna Coobtee, who will also introduce a previous Radio Intifada special on the case co-produced and co-hosted by SWANA members Sherna Gluck and Michael Shahin.
Center for Constitutional Rights attorney, David Cole, talks about the implications of the LA 8 case and defendants, Michel Shehadeh and Khader Hamide, recount their experiences and how the case has affected their lives.
Brought to you by SWANA (South and West Asia and North Africa) Collective of KPFK.
Background: The saga of the LA 8 began twenty years ago, in January 1987, when the 7 young Palestinian activists and the Kenyan wife of one of them were rudely awakened in pre-dawn raids on their homes. Three years later, the provisions of the McCarthy era McCarran-Walter act that was used as the justification to deport them was ruled unconstitutional. However, that did not end the matter. Instead, the Immigration Act of 1990 was used retroactively to continue the effort to deport them. Then, the Patriot Act was applied retroactively in the government’s relentless effort to deport Michel Shehadeh and Khader Hamide. The immigration law judge charged with re-hearing their case terminated the case on January 29, 2007.
2/08/07 The Lobby: The Debate over AIPAC's Influence on US Foreign Policy
What role does the pro-Israel lobby play in the shaping of American foreign policy? Although discussions of this issue date back decades, the debate has recently been brought into the mainstream by an article published in the London Review of Books in March 2006 by John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt, which charges that the influence of the Israel lobby result in policies that are in essence incompatible with American interests. Apart from the predictable chorus of Anti-Semitic accusations which the article gave rise to, it also gave rise to a serious debate within the progressive movement, in an attempt to accurately assess the power of the lobby and its influence both on policies and on public opinion.
The two guests on our program have been important contributors to that debate:
Norman Finkelstein is a Professor of Political Science at DePaul University. He is the author of a number of books as well as articles on the history of Zionism, and on the role of the holocaust in shaping Israeli present day policies. His latest book published in (2005) is Beyond Chutzpah: On the Misuse of Anti-Semitism and the Abuse of History.
James Petras is a retired Bartle Professor (Emeritus) of Sociology at Binghamton University, SUNY. He is the author of numerous books and articles on the making of state power and globalization, in the context of the US and Latin America and most recently in the Middle East. Is latest book published in 2006 is titled The Power of Israel in the United States.
Hosted and produced by Hagit Borer
2/15/2007 – FUND DRIVE SPECIAL – On the Ground in Palestine and Israel
With special guests whose works are offered as premiums:* (see below)
Mohammed Omer, award-winning Gaza journalist
Mohammed Alatar, Director of film, “The Iron Wallâ€
Jonathan Cook, journalist/author of
Blood & Religion: The Unmasking of the Jewish and Democratic State
Produced by Sherna Gluck, for SWANA (South and West Asia and North Africa) Collective
2/22, 3/01 – Fund Drive Pre-emptions
3/08/2007 - International Women's Day Special- Palestinian, Iranian and Afghan Women in Struggle
Join us in this International Women's Day Special as we explore the struggles of women in the region:
Nabila Espanioly, Palestinian Israeli activist in Nazareth
Elahe Amani, Iranian feminist,founder of Coalition of Women from Asia and the Middle East
Meena Nanji, director of film, A View from a Grand of Sand, on Afghan women
featuring the poetry of Suheir Hammad and Partow Nooriala and music of Reem Kalani and Googoosh Co-produced and co-hosted by Lucy Der-Tawitian and Sherna Gluck
3/15/2007 Durbar (Unstoppable): The Sex Worker Movement in India
We will spend the hour with Dr. S. Jana, the Chief medical Advisor to the Sonagachi Project, an initiative which aided sex workers in the Sonagachi District of Kolkata, West Bengal, the largest red light district in India, in creating an unstoppable force in the international sex worker scene. This union of female and transgender sex workers, now known collectively the Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee and 65,000 strong, proudly brandishes such slogans as, "Sex work is bread labor! We demand workers' rights!".
Co-produced by Turjo Ghosh and Sejal Patel and hosted by Sejal Patel
3/22 Recent Kurdish Conferences - International Conference on Kurdish Women for Peace and Equality; Annual Conference of the Kurdish National Congress of North America (KNC NA)
In this week's program, Nyma Ardalan will be talking to Saman Shali, president of the KNC-NA, and Soraya Falah, Chair of International Conference on Kurdish Women for Peace and Equality, about their recent trips to Iraq and Kurdistan.
And Bill Cody and Simone Allmen will talk about their recent movie, "thank you for my eyes"
3/29 Hollywood Demonizes Asians ("300"), while Bush Pushes to Escalate the War in Asia
Radio Intifada host Afshin Matin will interview Touraj Daryaee, professor of ancient and medieval history, about the film "300," the most recent Hollywood blockbuster celebrating war and demonizing Persians and all Asians.
During the hour's second half, Iran specialist and frequent Radio Intifada guest, professor Sasan Fayazmanesh, will offer an update analysis of the stand off between Iran and the U.S.
Produced and hosted by Afshin Matin
4/05 WE WILL NOT BE SILENCED!
In remembrance of Deir Yassin & Land Day,and Celebrating Free Speech Radio
On April 9, 1948, 124 Palestinians in the village of DeirYassin outside Jeruslaem were massacred in a prelude to what Palestinians call the nakba the catastrophe that led to the expulsion and flight of 750,000 Palestinians from what became Israel. 28 years later, on March 30th, six Palestinian citizens of Israel were killed and 100 injured as they went on strike against massive land confiscations in the Galilee,
In the face of recent, vicious attacks on Radio Intifada and KPFK accusing us of being anti-Semitic RADIO INTIFADA is proud to again present the voices of Palestinians and Israelis not heard in mainstream media. We will not be silenced and we will not participate in the silencing of Palestinians and Israelis who speak out against the Israeli violation of human rights, UN resolutions and international law.
This week;s program,commemorates those events with a focus on the ongoing struggle for peace and justice waged on the ground by Palestinians, Israelis and internationals and their refusal to be silenced.
Guests:
Naseer Samara, Bil'in Popular Committee Against the Wall and Occupation
Jamal Juma', Stop the Wall Organization
Jeff Halper, Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions
and featuring songs of resistance by David Rovics
NOTE: at the end of the program, GM Eva Georgia will address the recent attack on Radio Intifada and KPFK station (see below for details).
Produced and hosted by Sherna Gluck
4/12/2007 - ART IN ACTION- SPOKEN WORD, POETRY AND PHOTOGRAPHY
Featuring activists from South and West Asia choosing art as peaceful action,
with guests:
D'LO, Sri Lankan spoken word artist
Sara Anjargolian- Photographer. Middle Eastern and Armenian women's culture.
Dima Hilal, Lebanese born California poet and writer who humanizes the marginal, the intimate through poetry of love and eyewitness.
Co-produced by Lucy Der-Tawitian, Sejal Patel and Solmaz Sharif
NOTE from SWANA Collective:
Radio Intifada thanks the KPFK listeners, programmers and management for their support during the recent attack on us for our commitment to present the voices of struggle, voices for change in South and West Asia and North Africa - the voices of those shaking off (intifada) oppression.
4/19/2007 - PSYCHOLOGY OF DENIAL AND THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
What would drive a nation to commit genocide and furthermore deny its occurence?
Special Guests:
Taner Akcam will speak to us regarding Turkey's double history.
Coliin Chirstenson from The Genocide Intervention Network will discuss House Resolution 106, US resistance to the bill and the need to confront genocides in their totality.
Produced and hosted by Lucy Der-Tawitian
| RADIO INTIFADA - thanks for support + update on boycott of KPFK |
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| UPDATE: 4/19/07 We thank all the listeners for their support of Radio Intifada and KPFK. Thanks to your responses, except for Gelson's, the other vendors have indicated either their support (Whole Foods, Peet's) or clarified that they were not responding to the boycott but simply enforcing company policy on the use of their logo/name (Trader Joe's). If you wish to thank Whole Foods, please use the following number. THE FOLLOWING POST was dated in early April: Thanks to our listeners for support of Radio Intifada and KPFK in the face of the recent attack on us, accusing us of being anti-Semitic. Here are the latest developments: First, the good news is that corporate office of WHOLE FOODS has indicated its support of KPFK; and Peet's Coffee refused to be intimidated from the beginning and indicated its support. We should be thanking both of these food donors: Peet's Coffee & Tea, P.O. Box 12509, Berkeley, CA 94712-3509; 800-999-2132, webmail@peets.com This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it ; Whole Foods, Jessie Walker, Customer Communications Specialist, (512) 542-0878; customer.Questions@wholefoods.com This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it Second, Trader Joe's has remained silent. Continue to contact their CEO Listen to the Report to Listener for discussion of the issue, Friday, 4/06/07. Sherna
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5/10/2007 – West Asian artists working for change
This Thursday, Radio Intifada explores artistic terrian as the show will focus on 2 artists of West Asian origin, voices from our communities who are working to create change in this world through creative expression. Using different mediums - film, poetry, and performance - all three artists give voice to the struggles they themselves, and members of other oppressed communities are living through.
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS:
Juliano Mer Khamis - Palestinian-Israeli actor, filmmaker, activist, and Artistic Director of the Palestinian Children's Theatre in the Jenin Camp (please read below for screening times for this weekend in Los Angeles on his documentary, "Arna's Children" about the Theater Company!)
Dima Hilal - A Lebanese born California poet and writer who humanizes the marginal, the intimate through poetry of love and eyewitness
D'Lo - Los Angeles based Sri Lankan poet, performance artist and activist
This week's show is hosted by Lucy Der-Tawitian and produced by Lucy, Khanum Shaikh and Sejal Patel
5/17 PART I Iran: The1988 Massacres of Political Prisoners; How and Why
In 1988, the Iranian government summarily and extrajudicially executed thousands of political prisoners held in Iranian jails. The government has never acknowledged these executions, or provided any information as to how many prisoners were killed. The majority of those executed were serving prison sentences for their political activities after unfair trials in revolutionary courts.
Azizeh Shahmoradi is an Iranian political and Human Right activist in Diaspora. In 1984, she was arrested along with her husband and their 18-month-old son by Islamic Security forces at their home. In 1988, she was condemned to death by whipping for being an atheist. Azizeh was ultimately released in 1989.
Jafar Yaghoobi was born in the city of Tabriz, Iran in 1950. He traveled to US in 1973 to attend graduate school at the "University of California in Davis. He returned to Iran in 1979.He joined Organization of People's Fedaee after returning to Iran. In 1984, he was arrested along with 100's of other activists across Iran. He survived that mass killing and was freed into house arrest in Tehran in 1989.
Iraj Mesdaghi , was arrested in 1981 in relation to Iranian Mujahedin. In 1982 he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was finally released in 1991 and left 1994 left Iran with her wife and 25-day-old son illegally. Last year he published a 300-page collection of poems about the 1988 prison killing
Mehdi Aslani, an Iranian activist, was a member of Organization of Iranian Fedaee when he was arrested during the second half of 1984. Mehdi spent close to 5 years in confinement. He was released in 1989 and left Iran in 1997. He currently lives in exile in Germany.
PanteA Bahrami, was an activist in Iran when she was arrested in 1981. She was held as a political prisoner for four years and released from prison in 1986. She has since obtained her Ph.D. in Journalism from the University of Dortmund and has done extensive research in comparison of the identity of women in Iran before and after the Islamic Revolution
This program was produced and hosted by members of the SWANA Collective, South and West Asia, North Africa Collective of KPFK. We wish to extend our gratitude to all the persons whose cooperation made this program possible, namely Parvin Moussavi, who helped in production, Lucy Der-Tavitian, the narrator, and to others who dedicated countless hours of research and hard work to make this program a reality. This program was edited and engineered by Meliza Figueroa.
5/24 PART II- Iran: The1988 Massacres of Political Prisoners; How and Why
This is the second in a 2-part series dedicated to the memory of thousands of Iranian Political Prisoners who were secretively and summarily executed during the summer and fall of 1988, immedicately after the end of Iran/Iraq war.
The only official account of these events from the memoirs of Ayatollah Hussein Ali Montazeri published in 2001. Montazeri at the time was one of the highest-ranking government officials in Iran and the designated successor of Ayatollah Khomeini.
We will continue our discussions with 4 of the surviors of the 1988 mass prison killings, Mr. Mehdi Aslani, Mr. Iraj Mesdahi, Mr. Jafar Yaghoubi and Ms. Azizeh Shamoradi and one of the survivors of the random arrests and killings of the early 1980s, Mr. PanteA Bahrami.
Azizeh Shahmoradi is an Iranian political and Human Right activist in Diaspora. In 1984, she was arrested along with her husband and their 18-month-old son by Islamic Security forces at their home. In 1988, she was condemned to death by whipping for being an atheist. Azizeh was ultimately released in 1989.
Jafar Yaghoobi was born in the city of Tabriz, Iran in 1950. He traveled to US in 1973 to attend graduate school at the "University of California in Davis. He returned to Iran in 1979.He joined Organization of People's Fedaee after returning to Iran. In 1984, he was arrested along with 100's of other activists across Iran. He survived that mass killing and was freed into house arrest in Tehran in 1989.
Iraj Mesdaghi , was arrested in 1981 in relation to Iranian Mujahedin. In 1982 he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was finally released in 1991 and left 1994 left Iran with her wife and 25-day-old son illegally. Last year he published a 300-page collection of poems about the 1988 prison killing
Mehdi Aslani, an Iranian activist, was a member of Organization of Iranian Fedaee when he was arrested during the second half of 1984. Mehdi spent close to 5 years in confinement. He was released in 1989 and left Iran in 1997. He currently lives in exile in Germany.
PanteA Bahrami, was an activist in Iran when she was arrested in 1981. She was held as a political prisoner for four years and released from prison in 1986. She has since obtained her Ph.D. in Journalism from the University of Dortmund and has done extensive research in comparison of the identity of women in Iran before and after the Islamic Revolution
This program was produced and hosted by members of the SWANA Collective, South and West Asia, North Africa Collective of KPFK. We wish to extend our gratitude to all the persons whose cooperation made this program possible, namely Parvin Moussavi, who helped in production, Lucy Der-Tavitian, the narrator, and to others who dedicated countless hours of research and hard work to make this program a reality. This program was edited and engineered by Meliza Figueroa.
5/31/2007 - The current affairs of Northern Lebanon and the delicate situation in Turkey.
Radio Intifada explores the current battle between the Lebanese army and Fatah il Islam in Nahr al Bared inside the Palestinian Refugee camps of Northern Lebanon. We will discuss the United States $30 million worth of military aid to the pro-American Lebanese government and the opposition's stance on further American involvement in Lebanon and the possibility of a peaceful resolution. We will also take a look at where Turkey is heading. Will the military intervene once again in politics? How strong are the Islamists in the country? What is next for the presidential elections?
Special Guests:
Basheer Yadoui is a professor of Sociology and Cross Cultural Studies; and a founding member of the Midlle East Cultural and Information Center (MECIC), a group that aims to provide alternative perspectives on critical issues affecting the Arab Muslim world in general and Palestine in particular. He's a long time activist living and working in Southern California.
Olfat Mahmoud lives in Beirutand. He works in Palestinian refugees camps in Bourj Al Barajneh, Shatilla, and Mar Elia in Beirut and in Tyre south of Lebanon.
Burhan Yavas, born and raised in Turkey, is a professor at California State University at Dominguez Hill.
Produced and hosted by Hamoud Salhi
