Afghan journalists announce boycott to protest execution

AfghanWire has comprehensive coverage this week of Afghanistan's response to the murder of Ajmal Naqshbandi, the Afghan journalist beheaded by Taliban forces on Sunday. I found this phrase, from a pamphlet, particularly poignant: "The whole country is in mourning of this young man who travels to the south not to fight with any one; not to kill anyone but to guide a journalist, someone who is like a mirror to the world..."

Ajmal's execution strikes a nerve for Afghans, who in it see in it a microcosm of their national tragedy. Foreign powers get involved in Afghanistan and enlist the help of Afghan allies. But when things go wrong they'll pay any price to bail themselves out, leaving Afghans to pay the price. MORE

Photo: Ajmal Naqshbandi, the Afghan journalist who was executed by the Taliban Sunday. Source: Afghan Embassy.

The incident has stirred anger at the Taliban (The Kabul daily Arman-e Milli editorializes: "Once again they proved that they respect no customs of Islam. It didn’t make any sense for the Taliban to kill their Muslim brother, but to release the non-Muslim.")

But frustration is also directed at internationals and the Karzai government for failing to deliver (The Afghan Association of Journalists "condemns the lack of support from the international community as regards obtaining the release of Ajmal Naqshbandi."). In a press release, the government suggested it did everything it could and that Naqshbandi was to be released as part of the prisoner exchange, but the wording of its statement is vague and not wholly convincing: "The Afghan Government looked into their demands and decided to release five of their prisoners, but in return the Taliban only released the Italian journalist and held Ajmal Naqshbandi in captivity." On the other hand, a Taliban spokesman said that Ajmal was killed because the government wouldn't exchange him for two insurgents.

Below I have reprinted the response of the Afghanistan Association of Journalists, which has announced a month-long boycott of reporting news from the Taliban:

ANNOUNCEMENT OF ASSOCIATION OF JOURNALISTS

Published in Arman-e Milli on Monday the 09. of April 07

The Association of Journalists, in addition to expressing their condolences for Ajmal’s family on the occasion of his martyrdom by Taliban and government opponents, wishes him paradise and prays for him.

 

The Association also calls for the foreign and domestic media and press reporting on this news to carry out the following:

* The print media should publish their first page as a black sheet and the media should take a moment of silence at around 3:00pm on the 9th April 2007 to mourn for Ajmal.

* Media and press should boycott the reporting of Taliban activities for at least a month.

* Media must avoid mentioning Mullah Dadullah’s name within their reports.

The Association of Journalists considers the biggest members responsible for Ajmal’s death as those high-ranking Afghan government officials who refused to deal with the Taliban to make an exchange for Ajmal.

The Association of Journalists for Afghanistan also condemns the lack of support from the international community as regards obtaining the release of Ajmal Naqshbandi.