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Biso na Biso community radio now broadcasting live
With sun, rain and wine Radio "Biso na Biso of Pokola” was inaugurated on June 7th.
The official opening of Radio Biso na Biso (which means “among us” in the local Lingala language) was a day of big smiles and proud faces in Pokola. A simple, yet well-planned and thoughtful ceremony took place outside the radio station. The right atmosphere was helped along by a local band playing traditional songs accompanied by dancing.
The audience – guests, officials, VIP’s, chiefs and others - were lined up to hear the words of Robert Hunink, representing the DLH Group, and Scott Poynton, representing the Tropical Forest Trust, both of whom, together with Dr. Jerome Lewis (UCL), John Nelson (Forest Peoples Programme) and the CIB team, have been instrumental in developing this project.
Robert Hunink expressed the commitment of DLH and CIB to the Biso na Biso radio project and Scott Poynton explained the objectives of the community radio: "Biso na Biso is not just a radio, it is a philosophy, a set of ideas and behaviours ... "
After the speeches, the ground was sprinkled with wine as a ritual offering. Then, finally, the red ribbon was cut and the station was officially inaugurated.
In the guestbook of Biso na Biso, Adolphe Elemba describes perfectly what the radio is all about:
"It will certainly be a space for dialogue…. It is an instrument for promotion and acceptance of differences because otherwise development will not be possible ... “
About community radio 'Biso na Biso'
The inauguration of Biso na Biso is a milestone for a project that has been in the making for many years. It is the first community radio station to broadcast in local indigenous languages and it offers a voice to the community as a whole, enabling them to communicate amongst themselves throughout CIB’s concessions. The process allows them to raise issues that are important to their communities and to find solutions through a lively debate.
The community radio is part of the wide range of innovative solutions developed in partnership by CIB and the Tropical Forest Trust to meet the social criteria of FSC for sustainable forest management. The construction and running of the radio station is possible thanks to generous financial support from the World Bank Development Marketplace, CIB/DLH, and ‘Fondation Chirac’.
The project is a first class example of how governments, NGO’s, academics, indigenous peoples and private enterprises can work together to formalise the recognition of indigenous peoples’ rights.
Visit our website and read more about the Biso na Biso project