Mexico. The Federal Institute of Telecommunications, IFT, granted three new concessions for indigenous social use to provide the sound broadcasting service in modulated frequency (FM), in the states of Oaxaca, Tabasco and Michoacán.
With these grants, they add up to a total of 19 broadcasting concessions that the IFT has granted for the operation of radio stations for indigenous social use, which are not only a means to offer information to their inhabitants on matters that concern the community, but also carry out a transcendent work to preserve their mother tongue, promote and rescue the cultural manifestations that give identity to the original peoples.
Likewise, the rights of indigenous peoples to free access to plural and timely information, as well as to the free expression of their ideas, established in articles 2, 6 and 7 of the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States, are promoted and guaranteed.
The new concessions were granted to:
- The Chatina Community of Rancho Viejo (Zenzontepec Variant), based in Rancho Viejo, Municipality of Santa Cruz Zenzontepec, Oaxaca, whose objective, in addition to being an alternative means of information for its inhabitants, is to promote the Chatina culture in neighboring towns and the rescue of the originality of the language in young people, and thus promote the importance of safeguarding their culture. She emphasizes that given the importance of gender equality in the town, the name that the radio station will bear will be in honor of the indigenous woman: "TI ́I KUNÁ Ä TSA ́NJÄ" (THE VOICE OF THE CHATINA WOMAN).
- The Ejido Ignacio Allende Indigenous Community, with coverage in the town with the same name and in those of Álvaro Obregón, Estancia, and Francisco I. Madero Cortázar, in the municipality of Tenosique, Tabasco, whose objective is to promote and rescue the cultural manifestations that give identity to their original people and that will serve as a channel of communication between the inhabitants and the authorities, to publicize various social programs in the Zen languages tal, chol, and tzotzil. They will include within their programming, exclusive spaces where indigenous women can participate in various programs
- Uekorheni, A.C., in Huecorio, in the Municipality of Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, whose main objective is to strengthen the social fabric of its community, preserve and promote the culture, language, customs and knowledge of the Original Peoples of Michoacán, so that the project of the station claims respect for difference and recognition of social plurality, cultural and linguistic of the Mexican nation, having as fundamental principles plurality, gender equality and equity. This broadcaster aims to become an empowering tool for women in the community, who will actively participate in the activities of the radio station, acquiring knowledge in the fields of information and technology and promoting women to be involved in the decision-making of community projects.
With these actions, the IFT continues its work in favor of the indigenous communities of the country, so that its inhabitants, through the radio, have access to cultural, educational and interest content in order to exercise their rights.
