OSCE Centre supports newsletter to provide information to communities in southern Kyrgyzstan
OSH, Kyrgyzstan, 5 April 2011 – A newsletter supported by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek to provide reliable information to people living in southern Kyrgyzstan was presented at a news conference in Osh today.
The newsletter, to be published in the Kyrgyz, Uzbek and Russian languages, will be produced as part of a project implemented by the nongovernmental organization the Public Association of Journalists. The project, implemented in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), also aims to support public confidence in the Kyrgyz government by providing a trustworthy source for information about post-conflict rehabilitation efforts.
The newsletter, called “Peace to your Home”, will contain information on topics such as housing, schooling, public safety and welfare issues. It will be distributed to households in the provinces as well as at bazaars and public transportation stops. It was also produced last year from October to November, with some 7,000 copies distributed weekly.
Ambassador Tesoriere, the Head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, said: “The OSCE continues to support this community-focused initiative, as part of our overall efforts to support the government’s communications with the public, thereby reinforcing stability and restoring trust among the population.”
A team of 10 journalists and two editors, with equal representation of ethnic Kyrgyz and Uzbek, will produce the newsletter. Some 4,000 free copies will be distributed. An online version will be published at www.aimaknews.kloop.kg
“Timely and verified information is a key tool in dispelling confusion and destructive rumors in the sensitive post-conflict period in Osh. Our role as journalists is to contribute to stability by providing timely and factual information to people,” said Marat Tokoev, the head of the Public Association of Journalists.
The newsletter is part of the OSCE Centre’s effort in addressing information and communication vacuum in the southern Kyrgyzstan.