VZCZCXRO2811
PP RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHPW RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #1229/01 1021413
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 121413Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7465
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3953
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 001229 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/FO DAS GASTRIGHT, SCA/A, SCA/PPD 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG 
NSC FOR HARRIMAN 
OSD FOR SHIVERS 
CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76 POLAD 
 
SENSITIVE, SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958 N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PHUM AF
SUBJECT: Afghan Media Honor Partial Ban on Taliban Reporting 
 
REF:  KABUL 01191 
 
-------- 
SUMMARY 
-------- 
 
¶1.  (U) In response to the April 8, 2007, execution of an Afghan 
journalist by the Taliban, many Afghan media outlets are fully or 
partially boycotting Taliban-related news for one week.  While most 
government media already limit their reporting on the Taliban, this 
development is especially noteworthy for the independent media, who 
have previously asserted their right as a free press to report on 
the Taliban (reftel).  This development could signal a shift in the 
Taliban's previously masterful manipulation of the free press to get 
out its messages. 
 
¶2.  (U) The Taliban abducted Afghan journalist and translator Ajmal 
Naqshbandi, along with the Italian journalist Daniele Mastrogiacomo 
and a driver, last month in Helmand Province.  Mastrogiacomo was 
released in a controversial deal brokered by the GOA which involved 
exchanging five Taliban prisoners for his freedom.  The driver was 
beheaded last month. Ajmal Naqshbandi, a 23-year old newlywed, was 
executed by having his throat slit on April 8, 2007, in Helmand 
Province. 
 
¶3.  (U) On April 9, 2007, the day after Ajmal's execution, the 
National Union of Afghan Journalists convened a gathering of media 
organizations, including the Union of Independent Afghan Reporters 
and the Afghan Journalist Defense Committee, along with 
representatives from major Afghan print and broadcast media 
organizations. The Union called on Afghan media to take measures 
protesting Ajmal's death and to enforce a ban on Taliban-related 
news.  The Union asked Afghan print media to print the front page of 
their next day's edition in black and for broadcast media to cease 
all broadcasts for one minute at 1500 hours local time on April 9. 
In response, about half the major dailies printed half or part of 
their first page in black the next day.  Broadcast media honored the 
Union's request en masse.   Almost all major broadcast outlets in 
Afghanistan, including both private and government radio and 
television, participated in the one minute of silence. Participants 
included Tolo TV, Shamshad TV, Ariana TV, and Aina TV (private 
nationwide/international stations) and Radio Azadi (Radio Free 
Europe, US supported but independent).  Government broadcast media 
went beyond this:  Radio Television Afghanistan ceased broadcasting 
for two minutes, while Radio Afghanistan played a song of grief for 
ten minutes at the specified time. 
 
¶4.  (U) Once calls for the ban became public, according to the 
Afghan Independent Journalist Association (AIJA), several 
journalists and media outlets received phone calls threatening their 
lives if they participated in the ban. 
An AIJA representative also confirmed reports that the Taliban have 
said journalists should not use the terms "terrorists" and 
"insurgents" to describe the Taliban and that they would abduct and 
kill any journalists who did. 
 
 
---------------------------- 
BANNING TALIBAN-RELATED NEWS 
---------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (U) The Union also asked Afghan media to boycott any news 
provided by the Taliban or about the Taliban for a period of one 
week.  (Note: Minister of Information Khoram told Charge and PAO 
that the boycott idea originated with him and that in his view it 
should last a month to be effective.)  The Public Affairs Section 
polled government and independent broadcast outlets to determine how 
many are participating in the ban and to what degree.   Although 
several print media outlets are not participating in the ban, our 
poll found that most Afghan broadcast outlets are enforcing the ban 
to varying degrees.  While most government media already do not 
cover the Taliban, several independent media outlets are enforcing a 
partial ban.  Under this partial ban, they will not cover news 
provided by any Taliban spokesman or news that would aid the Taliban 
for one week; they will, however, report on Taliban-related news 
provided by the GOA or from the International Security Assistance 
Force (ISAF). 
 
KABUL 00001229  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶6.  (U) Most noteworthy is the participation of Tolo TV in the 
partial ban.  Officials from Tolo, the country's leading independent 
television station, state that they will enforce the partial ban for 
one week from Monday, April 9, to Monday, April 16, 2007.  This is a 
significant departure for Tolo TV, which has been painted by the GoA 
as its adversary due to Tolo's regular coverage of Taliban-related 
news, including broadcast of statements by purported Taliban 
spokesmen.   In fact, Tolo TV refrained from reporting an April 10 
attack carried out by Taliban militants in Zabul Province during 
which several Afghan National Army soldiers were killed. 
 
¶7.  (U) Ariana TV and Shamshad TV, also nationally popular 
independent stations, have stopped reporting Taliban-related news as 
well.  Officials from both said they wish to show solidarity with 
the Afghanistan National Journalist Union and other media 
organizations in Afghanistan. 
 
----------- 
PRINT MEDIA 
----------- 
 
¶8.  (U) Pajhwok, Afghanistan's only independent nationwide news wire 
service, is honoring the ban and has not reported on the Taliban 
since Monday, April 9.  The government news wire, Bakhtar 
Information Agency (BIA), is also enforcing a partial ban, stating 
that if there is a report about the Taliban which would demonstrate 
the Taliban's power or would boost their morale it won't be 
reported, but if a report will support the Afghan government, it 
will be reported.   Since BIA feeds news to government papers such 
as Anis and Hewad, these publications are, in essence, also 
enforcing the partial ban.   Weesa Daily (independent) is not 
participating in the ban on Taliban-related reporting.    Cheragh 
Daily has long honored the GoA's request to not report on the 
Taliban. 
 
------------------------------ 
INTERNATIONAL PRESS COMMUNITY 
------------------------------ 
 
¶9.  (U) Although the international press community in Afghanistan 
was not asked to participate in the Afghan media ban of 
Taliban-related news, it has lent its support to the Afghan media 
community following the killing of Ajmal Naqshbandi.  Numerous 
international media organizations, including AP, signed a petition 
condemning the killing.  AP and AFP sent representatives to the 
tribute organized in Zar Nigar Park for Ajmal on Tuesday, April 10, 
where some five hundred citizens and representatives of social and 
journalism organizations joined to honor their slain colleague. 
 
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COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶10.  (U) Amidst an environment of tension between the free Afghan 
press and the GoA (reftel), many members of the Afghan media have 
decided voluntarily, albeit temporarily, to suspend their right to 
free speech to make a statement against the Taliban.  By executing a 
young, defenseless Afghan journalist, the Taliban has driven the 
Afghan media community towards solidarity with the GoA. 
Traditionally, the Taliban has masterfully manipulated the free 
press to get its messages out, and in spite of GoA criticism, much 
of the Afghan press has exerted its right to freedom of speech by 
continuing to report on the Taliban.  In this instance, however, the 
Taliban may have miscalculated or underestimated the outrage the 
Afghan media community would feel over the killing of one of its 
own.  The partial ban on Taliban reporting occurring this week in 
Afghanistan shows that the Afghan media are willing to sacrifice an 
ideal they believe in to protest a deplorable act.  What remains to 
be seen is whether the Afghan media might extend its ban on Taliban 
coverage in response to other Taliban atrocities committed against 
non-journalists.  That can only be evaluated after the ban's 
conclusion on Monday, April 16.