VZCZCXRO8887
RR RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHPW RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #1559/01 1281319
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 081319Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7932
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 4032
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 001559 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/FO DAS GASTRIGHT, SCA/A 
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 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER PGOV PREL PHUM AF
SUBJECT: EMBASSY SUPPORT FOR WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY 
 
REF: A. STATE 55366 
     ¶B. KABUL 1332 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1. (U) While freedom of the press is currently a 
highly sensitive issue in Afghanistan, World Press 
Freedom Day provided the opportunity for Embassy Kabul 
to go on the record supporting media freedoms in 
Afghanistan.  The Ambassador released a press 
statement on the issue, and the DCM attended a 
workshop for members of Parliament and journalists 
that included several high level GOA and international 
community officials.  Interestingly, the controversial 
Minister of Information himself handed out 
certificates honoring courageous journalists to some 
of the very journalists who are criticizing him.  End 
summary. 
 
AMBASSADOR WOOD ISSUES PRESS RELEASE 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶2.  (U) On May 3, the Embassy issued the following 
statement by the Ambassador on the issue of media 
freedoms in Afghanistan.  The statement, which was 
also posted on the Embassy's public website, received 
limited coverage in the Afghan print and electronic 
media due to several high profile security incidents, 
including the assassination of a Senator and a bomb 
attack against an ANP bus, that captured significant 
media coverage during the day.  The statement was read 
aloud by the Afghan master of ceremonies at the May 3 
World Press Freedom Day event (para 4). 
 
¶3.  (U) Begin text:  On the occasion of World Press 
Freedom Day, I would like to underscore U.S. support 
for a free media around the world.  The free and open 
exchange of ideas is the foundation of accountable 
governance.  On World Press Freedom Day, we remember 
and mourn all of the journalists who have lost their 
lives in Afghanistan this past year.  We will continue 
to support the Government of Afghanistan, journalists 
and civil society as they work together to foster a 
free and vibrant Afghan media.  End text. 
 
EMBASSY SIGNALS SUPPORT AT SEMINAR ON PRESS FREEDOM 
------------------------------------------ 
¶4.  (U) The same day the DCM and human rights officer 
attended a seminar on media freedoms attended by about 
150 members of Parliament, journalists, diplomats and 
NGO's.  The seminar was organized by Internews, a 
media lobbying NGO, whose advocacy activities for 
freedom of the press in Afghanistan are partially 
funded by USAID.  Parliamentarians who attended the 
seminar included members of Parliament's Commission on 
Religious and Cultural Affairs, which is responsible 
for drafting amendments to the Media Law currently 
being debated in Parliament. 
 
¶5.  (U) Vice President Khalili and Minister of 
Information and Culture Khuram both gave remarks at 
the seminar.  Both speakers asserted the GOA's 
commitment to ensuring freedom of the press in 
Afghanistan, with Khalili describing it as "a gift 
from God," but both also spoke about the need for an 
Afghan media that is "more professional" and that 
"respects Islam and Allah."  VP Khalili specifically 
noted that the significant gains in freedom of the 
press since the fall of the Taliban should be credited 
to the GOA, which he said was committed to the further 
expansion of "information dissemination throughout 
Afghanistan." 
 
¶6.  (U) Minister of Information Khuram acknowledged 
that, "If there is no free media, democracy cannot be 
achieved," and that, "Criticism of the government 
 
KABUL 00001559  002 OF 002 
 
 
plays a key role in correcting the government." 
However, he was careful to add that, "If we do not 
regulate this freedom, it will explode and the country 
will suffer."  He then criticized the media, noting 
that its professional capacity needs to be increased 
in order to "avoid misunderstandings" (an indirect, 
yet clear reference to the recent incident between 
Tolo TV and Attorney General Sabit; reftel B).  Noting 
that "The news is now a source of power," Khuram 
likened it to "an armed group with a different 
appearance" and criticized the media community as 
having many unprofessional journalists who have not 
had proper education in journalism or who are 
unfamiliar with the laws regulating media activity. 
 
¶7.  (U) Other speakers included chiefs of mission from 
the EU and EC (both of whom criticized the 
Parliament's recent decision not to convert Radio 
Television Afghanistan from a state-run media outlet 
into an independent public service broadcaster) and 
the Canadian Ambassador.  Copies of the U.S. 
Ambassador's press release were distributed during the 
seminar.  During the seminar, several journalists were 
presented awards by VP Khalili and Minister Khuram, 
including one that was given posthumously to Ajmal 
Naqshbandi, the journalist recently executed by the 
Taliban.  Khalili and Khuram also presented awards to 
two journalists who were being recognized for bravery 
in the face of allegedly being beaten by Afghan 
security officials and the other for allegedly being 
imprisoned by the GOA for having contact with Taliban 
officials.  (Note: It is unclear whether Khalili and 
Khuram had been briefed on who they would be issuing 
the awards to beforehand or whether they were aware of 
the irony of having such awards presented by the GOA. 
End note.) 
 
¶8.  Comment:  The event was an important occasion for 
the journalistic community to lay down a marker that 
press freedom is an international issue and how it 
plays out in Afghanistan is being monitored both 
inside and outside the country.  At the same time, 
governmental spokesmen such as Minister Khoram, as 
well as media representatives themselves, were forced 
to confront the tensions between the value of a free 
media and the exigencies of fighting an insurgency. 
The result was one day of healthy dialogue on these 
important issues. 
WOOD