1. Introduction 2. Afghan Media 3. The Media Environment 4. Ideas for Afghan Media Development 5. List of People Met 6. Note on Afghan NGO Community IntroductionFour people working under the auspices of International Media Support (IMS)1 undertook a mission to Pakistan from 26 October to 9 November 2001, during the third and fourth weeks of the war in Afghanistan. At that time, there were no clear signs of an end to the war and no firm indications of what the post-conflict scenario would look like. It was, however, becoming clear that the UN would be expected to play a major role in post-conflict Afghanistan.
The purpose of the mission was twofold, first to assess an Afghan Radio project proposed by the Baltic Media Centre (BMC) and second to undertake an analysis of the Afghan media both in Pakistan and Afghanistan and to make concrete project recommendations. The present Report covers the second part of the mission objectives.
The project recommendations in this Report are intended as input for NGOs and others wishing to undertake Afghan media support activities, both as a source of ideas and to inspire co-ordination. In this respect, this Report builds on the meeting in Geneva on 8 October 2001 called by Media Action International with UNESCO support, which was aimed, among other things, at promoting sharing of information and co-ordinated action in the field of humanitarian information and media development for Afghanistan.
The situation in Afghanistan is obviously in a state of great flux at the moment but at the time of the mission the media, both print and broadcast, remained firmly under the control of the Taliban in the areas under their control, and the same was largely true of the Northern Alliance in the areas under their control. A variety of Afghan print media exist in Pakistan, mainly in Peshawar. There are no Afghan broadcasters in Pakistan, but BBC World Service runs an Afghan Education Project in Peshawar, which generates a sizeable amount of Afghan radio programming.
At the time of the mission, the number of civilian casualties, due to the conflict, was growing, as was the number of people being uprooted from their homes. On 8th November, the UNHCR estimated that 135.000 people had fled from Afghanistan to Pakistan, despite the 'closed borders', and "hundreds of thousands" had been internally displaced. UNICEF estimated (9 November) that more than five million people in Afghanistan - 70 pct of them women and children - would need humanitarian aid to survive the oncoming winter, and that the numbers could rise 'significantly'.
The international aid community was mounting relief efforts but these were severely hampered by the continued bombing and Taleban reluctance to allow unhindered access to Afghanistan. Relief efforts established on the Pakistan side of the border were more effective but the Pakistani Government was keeping the border largely closed, so most refugees were unable to reach the aid and shelter available there. The Pakistani military government has so far resisted the substantial pressure from the international community to open its borders to all Afghan refugees.
This Report looks first at Afghan media, both in Afghanistan and Peshawar. It then analyses the legal and policy environment in which these media function, primarily from the perspective of the right to freedom of expression. Finally, this Report looks at a number of possible project activities to support Afghan media development, both directly and in terms of the environment in which they function. These proposals range from the very concrete to ideas, which could only take place in a post-conflict phase.
The mission consisted of Martin Breum, Deputy Director, IMS, Waseem Mahmood, Chief Consultant, BMC, Toby Mendel, Head of Law Programme, ARTICLE 19 and Ralph McMullan, Consultant, BMC, with assistance from Khalid Saeed, Forevents, based in Karachi. The team met with a variety of Afghan NGOs and media people, a broad selection of representatives of the international humanitarian assistance community, as well as Pakistani officials and NGO representatives. Meetings were held in Islamabad, Peshawar, Karachi and Lahore. Most of the information in this Report was collected at these meetings. It is almost impossible to verify much of this information, so errors are inevitable, but where directly conflicting reports were received this will be indicated.
Two annexes to this Report contain, respectively, a list of people met along with contact details and a short note on the Afghan NGO community in Pakistan.
2. Afghan Media 2.1. Media in AfghanistanAfghanistan once boasted a relatively developed media sector comprising a large number of publications as well as both radio and television broadcasting. Under the Taliban, the number of print publications dropped to a reported 10 2, all firmly under Taliban control, including through the appointment of Taliban editors-in-chief. However, a number of print media outlets - including Anis (a daily, historically primarily in Dari, a language close to Persian, but now with both Dari and Pashto), Hawad (a daily, historically primarily in Pashto but now with both Pashto and Dari) and the Kabul Times (an English weekly) - have been in operation for some time and it is likely they form the nucleus of a post-conflict Afghanistan print media sector.
The Taliban stopped national television broadcasting for religious reasons but the facilities, which existed prior to 1994, are reportedly still in Afghanistan, undamaged. When the Taliban took over the State radio broadcasting system, they renamed it Radio Sharia and this has served as their main media outlet and, indeed, the main internal media system. Transmission was through a medium wave transmitter in Kabul, reaching a large part of the country, along with relay stations and a number of transmitters based in various provincial cities, carrying both Kabul broadcasts and locally produced material. The equipment is reported to be old fashioned and deteriorating. The Kabul facilities, as well as those in Kandahar and some other cities were recently hit by US forces. The main transmitter in Kabul has not been operational in recent days although Radio was reported to be operating from Kandahar as of 2 November.
The content of Radio Sharia is primarily religious, although it is also used to disseminate political messages as well as social information. A number of humanitarian agencies, including ICRC, UNICEF and WHO, used Radio Sharia before the current conflict to disseminate pre-recorded humanitarian information, something that no longer happens.
The Northern Alliance also produces some radio and television broadcasting from areas under their control.
Afghans also have access to a number of international broadcasts in Pashto and Dari, of which the most popular are the BBC and VOA. The former carries 135 minutes per day of Pashto, as well as larger amount of Persian programming, accessible to Dari speakers, although this targets the larger Persian speaking audience, in addition to Afghans.
Some expatriate print media does reach Afghanistan, particularly from Pakistan although the volume is now significantly reduced due to the conflict. Also, stringent restrictions introduced by the Taliban, purportedly for religious reasons, affect the circulation of foreign material, both media and other, inside Afghanistan. For example, pictures of faces are not allowed, and have been blotted out on books and magazines in bookstores. An interesting example of foreign material getting into Afghanistan is through the box libraries operated by ACBAR, a coordinating NGO body. These are portable boxes containing about 25 books, which are circulated inside Afghanistan, with the negotiated agreement of the Taliban.
There are a number of Afghan media available online, produced by the expatriate community, but they are oriented more towards the expatriate than the local audience and, in any case, Internet access inside Afghanistan is extremely limited. Some Afghans reportedly have satellite dishes and hence can access free-to-air transmissions, although the prevalence is very low.
The mission heard various views on the capacity of the journalist profession in Afghanistan. It is clear that, at least until recently, the country boasted a respectable cadre of individuals who have been trained or have worked as journalists, and who identify themselves as journalists. At the same time, a large number of journalists have relocated to Pakistan or further abroad, including many of the best journalists, a trend that has accelerated during the current conflict. Furthermore, the technical skills of Afghanistan-based journalists are reportedly to be relatively limited and their journalistic style old-fashioned and formalistic.
2.2 The Afghan media community in Peshawar, Pakistan
There are a number of Peshawar-based newspapers serving the Afghan community, coming out on a daily, weekly and monthly basis, in both Pashto and Dari. Most of these newspapers are Pakistani owned and controlled but the staff is mainly Afghan. These newspapers do carry some news, along with cultural and social material. However, a number of journalists, reportedly up to 25, who write anti-Taliban material, have been killed, allegedly by the Taliban or their supporters in Pakistan. This has clearly exerted a severe chilling effect on political reporting about events inside Afghanistan. A variety of literary, historical, cultural and/or academic publications are also available, in both Pashto and Dari.
A number of Afghan NGOs based in Peshawar and other parts of Pakistan publish various documents oriented towards the Afghan community, ranging from minutes of their meetings, to reports on their activities, to more socially oriented material. For example, some NGOs produce political analyses on events within Afghanistan or serve as a means of expression for the broader Afghan community. The NGOs we met said there was some demand for these publications. ACBAR runs a small printing press for NGO publications, as well as a substantial information centre containing a wealth of Afghan print material, such as historical newspapers, maps and most NGO publications. They currently have plans to put their information work on a more systematic footing.
Both newspapers and NGO publications from Pakistan do circulate in Afghanistan, albeit sporadically. This appears to have continued during the present conflict, although access is obviously less frequent.
There are no Afghan broadcasters in Pakistan (see below). However, the BBC World Service runs a significant Afghan Education Project in Peshawar, currently producing some 240 minutes of programming per week with plans to add another 150 minutes as of 10 November 2001. This programming includes mainly drama, features and children's programming and addresses a range of social issues (mental health, development issues, humanitarian/survival information), as well as providing entertainment. The 150 minute planned expansion will focus mainly on humanitarian information.
There is a relatively well-developed Afghan journalist community in Peshawar, which includes people working for various publications, the BBC Education Project and NGOs, as well as a number of people who have journalistic training or who used to work as journalists in Afghanistan. However, a number of the best journalists have travelled on to other countries, a process which continues. The BBC Afghan Education Project has trained a large number of journalists, up to 100, as part of their ongoing operation, including some management training. It was also reported that a number of Afghans have studied journalism in Pakistan, for example at the University of Peshawar. These include a number of women but there are very few women employed as journalists. A few women do freelance work, mainly from their homes.
A few NGOs based in Peshawar cater to the media. Key among these is the Afghan Media Resource Centre (AMRC), with a focus on the electronic media, which provides training, maintains an archive and serves generally as a focal point for journalists.
3. The Media Environment3.1 Afghanistan
The media in Afghanistan are firmly under Taliban control and there is no effective media freedom. Radio Sharia is run by the Taliban and its broadcasts are notoriously one-sided. The editors-in-chief of all Afghanistan-based newspapers are appointed by the Taliban and no criticism of the Taliban or their policies is permitted. In these circumstances, it is virtually impossible to provide useful support to any media based in Taliban-controlled parts of Afghanistan.
There is a French supported radio operating in the areas controlled by the Northern Alliance, presumably under an agreement with them. Although to date the Northern Alliance has achieved little in the way of territorial gains, there is a real possibility this will change in the near future, including through the possible conquest of Kabul. It is unclear what sort of media regime might pertain should this happen.
It remains possible for individuals to move between Pakistan and Afghanistan even in the current circumstances, and many Afghan NGOs based in Pakistan have informal agreements with the Taliban to facilitate such movement. Some journalists do venture into Afghanistan to gather information, including for the international media, but this is very dangerous and any unsanctioned media work risks attracting severe sanction. In a departure from previous practice, international media were invited into Afghanistan to provide coverage of the conflict and a number of journalists from broadcasters such as Al-Jezeera and BBC now operate have bureaux inside Afghanistan.
One estimate suggests that approximately 75% of families in Afghanistan had radio sets, 3 although the number is lower for people fleeing the conflict or in refugee camps. Most radios are battery rather than mains electricity operated and it would appear that batteries are still available in Afghanistan. Some families still have television sets although these are illegal.
3.2 Pakistan
The print media in Pakistan is quite free compared to that of Afghanistan but is still subject to a number of constraints. There are a number of criminal restrictions on the content of what may be published. The government has also abused general laws to limit media freedom. For example, the offices of a leading English daily, Dawn, along with other publications of the same group, were raided by military officers on 27 September 2000, ostensibly to check for illegal electricity installations. Equally serious are a number of non-legal measures, which exercise a chilling effect on freedom of expression. It is widely acknowledged that government representatives are employed at the major newspapers. Furthermore, a series of both carrot and stick commercial measures serve to limit editorial independence. These include the threat of losing government advertising, a very significant proportion of all advertising revenue, as well as perks in the form of preferential or corrupt business deals.
The media is also constrained by public pressure, which sometimes takes extreme forms. For example, the offices of the Frontier Post, an English language newspaper, were burned last year as retribution for publishing a letter allegedly containing blasphemous material.
These constraints have resulted in a situation where direct criticism of government, particularly the current military government, is muted. In addition, the mainstream media, particularly the vernacular press, often fails to provoke debate about sensitive matters of national importance including, for example, the Taliban government in Afghanistan. Despite this, there is a vibrant, diverse media in Pakistan, including three main national publishing houses, each with national dailies in Urdu and English, as well as numerous regional and local newspapers in a variety of languages, including Pashto.
The situation as regards broadcasting is rather different. Apart from one exception, broadcasting is a State monopoly with the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) providing three nation-wide radio channels and Pakistan Television (PTV) airing three national television channels. Both PBC and PTV are part of the Ministry of Information. There have been some moves recently to enhance internal pluralism in PBC and PTV both structurally, through boards with some private representatives, and in terms of programming, but both broadcasters remain under government control.
The one exception to the State broadcasting monopoly consists of three city licences for FM 100 radio, issued by the Bhutto government in 1995.4 A legal challenge to the grant of these licences was declared admissible but, although still formally pending, is effectively stalled. Significantly, the FM 100 licensees are prohibiting from carrying news programmes.
Developments to implement a system for licensing private broadcasters have been underway since at least 1997 but so far none has born fruit. The Electronic Media Regulatory Authority Ordinance, passed in February 1997, was briefly in effect but lapsed before any licences were issued. The latest version of this, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) Ordinance, was approved by the Cabinet in January 2001 but has not yet been promulgated by the President. Officials stated to mission members that it would be promulgated in November of this year, but this is unlikely. PEMRA establishes a licensing body for private broadcasters, with a majority of non-official members. However, as with the FM 100 licences, PEMRA prohibits private broadcasters from carrying news programmes. It will thus be some time before free private broadcasting is permitted in Pakistan.
4. Ideas for Afghan media development
The following ideas range from the very concrete to the general and from the imminently achievable to longer-term brainstorming possibilities. The idea is to provide a resource of ideas for NGOs and others wishing to promote Afghan media development. Given the difficulty of working inside Afghanistan at present, these ideas are based mainly on the premise of working with the Afghan community in Pakistan, particularly in Peshawar, with the expectation of a longer-term impact inside Afghanistan.
The Afghan community has traditionally been very divided and partisan, and this has inhibited the development of independent organisations. There is need, therefore, for a variety of capacity building in this area.
Media development should ultimately serve to increase the range of material available to Afghans. The need for more and better media content of different types was repeatedly raised in meetings. Specific suggestions in this regard included:
news and current affairs, including information on developments inside Afghanistan;
humanitarian information;
development information, for example in the areas of health and agriculture;
other social information, for example for peace-building and on human rights;
moderate religious information; and
entertainment, including music and cultural material (it was noted that entertainment can help promote a sense of normalcy, even if briefly, something Afghans desperately need at the moment).
Media output should be in a variety of Afghan languages, not just Pashto and Dari, and should target a range of sectors of society, from peasant farmers to young elites.
4.1 Promoting New Media
At the moment, it is impossible to support the development of new Afghan media within Afghanistan but it is possible to promote Pakistan-based Afghan media with a longer-term plan of relocating in Afghanistan when this becomes possible. A lot of the people we met stressed the need for more Afghan owned and controlled media, both print and broadcasting. As noted above, there is relatively little in the way of Afghan media offering news and current affairs, or humanitarian information.
There are a number of broadcasting initiatives currently being developed. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has imminent plans to establish a unit to produce humanitarian information, initially in print form. Over the longer term the idea is to produce broadcast material and, when this becomes possible, to establish transmission capacity inside Afghanistan. The French supported radio in the area controlled by the Northern Alliance has already been noted. BMC plans to establish a broadcaster rooted in the Afghan community in Pakistan with the idea of relocating to Afghanistan when this becomes possible, and it was reported that another NGO, Internews, has similar plans. A decision has also been made by US officials to establish a Radio Free Afghanistan, based in Prague. It is unclear what will happen to the BBC Afghan Education Project in future, and this no doubt depends on developments inside Afghanistan, but it would be ideally placed either to form the nucleus of a new public broadcaster or of a private broadcasting concern.
It was clear from our meetings, and from the prevailing situation, that there is a need for Afghan print media outlets, although it would appear that no one is working actively to establish one at the moment.
A number of challenges face any new media. A key issue is how to ensure effective Afghan control and one idea is through a locally constituted board or advisory body. The mission considered this issue in some detail, noting that the Pakistan based NGOs working for Afghans are organised in four umbrella organisations, ACBAR (Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief), ANCB (Afghan NGO Co-ordination Bureau), SWABAC (Southern & Western Afghanistan Baluchistan Association for Co-ordination and ICC (Islamic Co-ordination Council). The mission met with representatives of ACBAR (which represents Afghan NGOs as well as international NGOs in Peshawar) and ANCB (which represents only Afghan NGOs) and both expressed their willingness to represent the NGO community in the BMC radio project, mentioned above.
Broadcasters need to obtain a licence, either in Pakistan - which is difficult (see above) - or somewhere else. Afghans have been exposed to a lot of international radio, their main source of news for many years now, so any new broadcaster would need to be competitive. Getting news information out of Afghanistan remains extremely difficult, although this is a problem faced by everyone. In terms of personnel, as noted above, there are a number of Afghan journalists both within Afghanistan and in Pakistan but training would be needed before a professional media outlet could be made operational. Sustainability is also a key issue, given that the present heightened interest in Afghanistan, with attendant availability of funding, is unlikely to last for long if the situation stabilises. Finally, there is a great deal of uncertainty about the post-conflict environment for the media inside Afghanistan. This means that long-term planning, particularly in relation to relocating inside Afghanistan, is difficult.
The mission found that recruitment for any new media projects must take into consideration the staffing problems of the existing media and a general shortage of skilled Afghan media workers. This is likely to become more acute and conflicts relating to 'staff-poaching' could seriously undermine any attempts to forge partnerships and constructive alliances in the broader context of Afghan media development.
AMRC has plans to undertake a media use assessment among recent arrivals in the Afghan refugee camps in Pakistan, through a survey using eight focus groups. Longer-term plans include a possible media survey inside Afghanistan. Both reports would, of course, be very relevant to any new Afghan media projects.
4.1.1 Providing humanitarian information
The mission established that there is presently a severe shortage of information on the nature, extent and accessibility of ongoing international relief efforts reaching the Afghan population inside Afghanistan. Although, as noted above, the BBC has increased dissemination of humanitarian information, the mission received consistent advise that, however competent and comprehensive, the BBC broadcasts would be far from enough to effectively cover the need for humanitarian information. In addition, Radio Sharia no longer broadcasts pre-recorded information packages from international agencies such as ICRC, UNICEF and WHO.
Dissemination of humanitarian information in the current crisis, although crucial, is controversial. For example, disseminating information about the movement of food aid could increase the risk of the transport trucks being raided, since their route would now be known to a wider audience. Information about the closure of the Pakistani border might be regarded as criticism by the Pakistani authorities. As many people pointed out to the mission members, extreme sensibility to the ethnic divides in Afghanistan is necessary if information is not to exacerbate problems.
4.2 Support for Existing Media and Journalists4.2.1 Training
Practically everyone we talked to stressed the need for training for Afghan journalists and other media workers. Although the BBC Education Project does on-the-job training, and formal training seem to be available, for example at universities in Pakistan, many Afghan journalists either lack practical work experience or have worked mainly in a formal media environment which does not stress independent or investigative news and current affairs reporting. Many journalists also lack experience with modern media technology. Training needs to address these problems.
In the very immediate term, there are serious dangers for journalists who do venture into Afghanistan, for instance on behalf of the international news media. They should be provided, in advance, with security training.
The Geneva based Media Action International is proposing a training project on humanitarian reporting which would train some 25 young Afghan journalists over a 12-month period, including producing of a monthly magazine in Pashto and Farsi, in conjunction with AMRC and some international partners.
The University of Kabul used to produce some 100 graduates a year in journalism in the early 1990s. The faculty was not formally closed under the Taliban, but most of the professors left and the curriculum was amended to focus on religion, with the result that it is now effectively defunct. Training schemes could try to engage former University of Kabul professors in Pakistan or in Kabul. In the longer term, there will be a need to re-establish the faculty in Kabul.
4.2.2 Support for NGO Publications
As noted above, a number of NGOs produce publications which, particularly in the absence of Afghan newspapers, play an important role in disseminating information and serving the public's right to know. These publications have a number of needs, including direct support, training, institutional support and so on.
4.2.3 Institutional Support
There are a number of needs in terms of institutional support. The Afghan Media Resource Centre provides an important resource, particularly for Afghans working with electronic media, and could be assisted, particularly with implementation of specific projects. The print media also need some sort of institutional support, for example in the form of a centre, which could co-ordinate training and provide access to basic resources, such as computers and the Internet.
It is particularly difficult for women to work as journalists in a male dominated society and the few women who do journalistic work operate mainly from their homes. This increases their isolation and makes it difficult for them to access basic resources (again, such as computers). A professional centre for women journalists is needed to provide them with an opportunity to meet together as professional journalists, as well as access to equipment and perhaps training.
4.2.4 Journalists' Organisations
At present, there is no broadly representative Afghan journalists organisation, or union. However, Reporters sans Frontières have recently assisted in establishing an organisation called the Afghan Working Journalists' Association, but few of the journalists we talked to are aware of it. There is, therefore, a need for further work in this area.
Before the Taliban took power, the Afghan Journalists' Union in Kabul was reportedly quite active, issued a magazine etc., but it stopped its operations with the arrival of the Taliban and key figures are now living abroad.
4.3 Ideas for lobbying and coordination4.3.1 Lobbying for a Post-Conflict Afghanistan
Powerbrokers both within the Afghan community and abroad are at this moment negotiating the future of a post-conflict Afghanistan. Human rights and media NGOs can play a role in ensuring that their concerns in relation to freedom of expression are at least on the table during these negotiations. Some individuals stressed that now is the time to focus on advocacy around these issues, even though energies are focused elsewhere, given the formative stage these negotiations are in. There is probably small window of opportunity in which real change is far more likely than afterwards. Advocacy efforts should focus on key national governments as well as international organisations. For example, relevant actors at the UN, within the US government and within Europe could be targeted. The message should be that the international community, by being involved in Afghanistan, has an obligation to ensure respect for human rights, including freedom of expression. Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo and East Timor serve as examples in this regard. The international community should make it clear to the key Afghan players that they expect them to take measures to promote media freedom, including by allowing independent private media, by ending government interference in existing newspapers and by transforming Radio Sharia and the dormant television station into a public service broadcaster.
4.3.2 Ensuring Afghan Voices are Heard
The conflict in Afghanistan has brought renewed international attention to the region, as reflected, for example, in the number of recent initiatives to establish Afghan radio stations. There is a real risk either that Afghans will not be consulted in relation to media developments or that any consultation will be ad hoc. It is important that Afghans are involved in a holistic way in planning their future, including in relation to the media. At the moment, there is no system for sustained and substantial (i.e. not just reactive) Afghan input. One concrete proposal to ensure that Afghan voices are heard would be to organise a consultative meeting bringing together the key Afghan players to discuss as a group priorities and concerns in this area. Such a consultation might also lead to ongoing meetings or some help seed a network for purposes of consultation.
4.3.3 Promoting Culturally Rooted forms of Communication
Traditional Afghan culture embraces a number of means of communication, of which at least two deserve mention here. The first is the system of announcements at Mosques, known as qutba, which ensures wide dissemination of information. The second is the jirgah, or daily village-level meeting, which brings together the men of the village. Humanitarian agencies, in particular, might be encouraged to make better use of these pre-existing forms of public communication.
4.3.4 Coordinating the Provision of Humanitarian Information
The present conflict in Afghanistan has resulted in proliferation of humanitarian bodies, as well as plans to significantly increase the number of media outlets disseminating humanitarian information. It is important to co-ordinate information dissemination activities so that the broader target audience receives complete and clear information. One concrete suggestion would be a regular (say weekly) meeting between the various humanitarian bodies and their media counterparts.
4.3.5 Coordinating Media Development Activities
As mentioned above, a number of media development agencies are now engaging in media development for Afghanistan.
In order to promote effective information sharing and forging of relevant partnerships the mission suggests the establishment of an Afghan Media Development Forum. This forum would bring together on regular basis representatives of the Afghan media community, international media development agencies and relevant donor agencies. Meetings could take place in Peshawar or in Kabul, depending on where actual implementing of projects will eventually take place.
4.3.6 Dissemination of Radio Sets
There may be some need for dissemination of radio sets inside Afghanistan, for example to ensure that people can access humanitarian information. The team heard conflicting reports on the situation, with some claiming that most people had access to a radio and others suggesting otherwise. IOM has plans to distribute some 30 - 50,000 radio sets to those in the refugee camps but, as far as we are aware, there are no concrete plans for radio set distribution more generally within Afghanistan.
4.4 Post-Conflict Activities
It is important to start preparing now for post-conflict activities inside Afghanistan, even if it is impossible to predict with any certainty what will happen. The following outlines two key areas where assistance will be necessary.
4.4.1 State media in transition
The media development initiatives discussed above were envisaged as taking place for the moment in Pakistan, with a view to relocating in Afghanistan when that become feasible. At that time, it will also be important to work with both the State broadcaster to help it perform more of a public service role and with existing newspapers, which have been under Taliban control for the last 5 years, to reorient them to promote a free flow of information. There will also be a need to rebuild distribution systems for both the print media and broadcasters.
4.4.2 Freedom of Expression
As noted above, it is important to start advocating now ensuring that planning for post-conflict Afghanistan takes freedom of expression issues into account. This will remain a key priority during the post-conflict stage. Possibilities here include ongoing advocacy work directed at key players in Afghanistan, as well as technical and expert support for the Afghan authorities to ensure a legal and policy environment, which is consistent with international guarantees of freedom of expression.
International Media Support / ARTICLE 19
November 2001
List of People Met
Joint mission between
Baltic Media Centre, Article 19 and International Media Support (IMS)
List of people met:
(Pakistan country code: +92)
Pakistani authorities:
Fazalur Rahman Malik, Director General
Chief Executive Secretariat
Min. of Information and Media Development
Islamabad
Tel: 51-9203744, res: 9266042
Asif Yasin, Brigadier
Chief Executive
Secretariat
Government of Pakistan
Islamabad
Jeved Jabbar, former Minister for
Information and Media Development
48-B Block 6, P.E.C.H.S.
Karachi 75400
Tel: 21 - 4543932, fax 21-4546559
Res: 4557823
Abbas Sarfaraz,
Federal Minister
Northern and Kashmir Affairs
Islamabad
Afghan media community /media contacts
Shirazuddin Siddiqi, Director,
Afghan Education Projects, BBC
Abdara Road, PO BOX 946
University Town Peshawar
Tel 92 91 842320
Email:bbcaep@pes.comsats.net.pk
Nafees Takar, reporter
BBC World Service Pashto
Abdara Road, PO BOX 946
University Town Peshawar
Tel 92 91 42409
Email: Takar22@yahoo.com
Nasruallah Partaw Naderi
BBC World Service Pashto Service
Abdara Road, PO BOX 946
University Town Peshawar
Tel 92 91 42409
Farisha Ahkbar, journalist
Afghan Media Resource Centre
2 canal Bank Road
U.P.O 909, University Town
Peshawar
Tel: 91-41691, fax: 91-841785
Email: amarc@brain.net.pk
Kamaluddin Kochi, Deputy Director
Afghan Media Resource Centre
2 Canal Bank Road
U.P.O. 909, University Town
Peshawar
Tel: 91- 41691, fax: 91- 841785
Email: amarc@brain.net.pk
Haji Abdul Wahab, Archive Dep
Afghan Media Resource Center
2 Canal Bank Road
U.P.O 909, University Town
Peshawar
Tel: 91-41691, fax:91-841785
Email: amarc@brain.net.pk
Zulfiqar Ali, Staff correspondent
Dawn Group of Newspapers
State Life Building, Peshawar
Tel: 91- 279971, fax: 91 - 279976
Mobile: 03205202015
Email: zulfijournalist@yahoo.com
Behroz Khan, Bureau Chief
The News, Peshawar
Tel: 91-271512
Mobile: 3008595283
Email: ehroz@pes.comsats.net.dk
Ikram Shinwari, chairman
Afghan Working Journalists Association
Peshawar
Mobile: 0300 8593 145
Iqdal Khattak, correspondent
Reporteurs sans Frontiers
Mobile: 03009590083
Email: khattak63@yahoo.com
Imtiaz Alam, South Asia Free Media Ass.
Editor, The News Int.,
13, Sir Agha Khan Rd, Lahore
Tel: 42-6368750, fa: 6360866
Mobile: 0342 - 7574758
Email: mpp@hotmail.comNGOs working for Afghans
Nancy Dupree, Senior Consultant
Afghan Resource and Information Centre (ACRI)
2 Rehman Baba Road, U.P.O Box 1084
Box 1084
University Town, Peshawar,
Tel 091 - 45316, 44392 fax: 091 840471
Email: aric@brain.net.pk
Website: www.afghan-resources.com.pk
Abdul Raouf Zia, Manager
Afghan Resource and Information Centre
2 Rehman Baba Road, U.P.O
University Town, Peshawar
Tel: 091-45316, Fax: 091 840471
Email: aric@brain.net.pk
Zayed Fazlullah Wahidi, chairman
Afghan NGO's Coordination Bureau (ANCB)
25 Chinar Road, University Town
Peshawar U.P.O. Box 1041
Tel: 91- 44536, fax 43476
Email:ancb@pes.comsats.net.pk
Or wahidi_aghco@hotmail.com
Mobile: 03204294983
Thomas Thomsen, director
Danish Committee for Aid to
Afghan Refugees(DACAAR)
10 Gul Molhar Lane
P.O. Box 855,
University Town, Peshawar
Tel: 91-40731, Fax: 91 840516
Mobile: 0303-786 4040
Email: dacaar@pes.comsats.net.pk
Email residence:thomsen@pes.comsats.net.pk
Barry Salaam, Ass. Public Inf. Off.,
Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees (DACAAR)
10 Gul Molhar Lane
P.O. Box 855 University Town, Peshawar
Tel: 91 - 40731, 44 237, 843078, fax 91- 840516 Fax: 91-840516
Mobile: 0303 - 786 4040
Email: dacaar@pes.comsats.net.pk
Peter Krause, Public Inf. Off.
Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees (DACAAR)
10 Gul Molhar Lane
P.O. Box 855, University
Town, Peshawar
Tel: 91-40731, 44 237, 843078,
Fax 91-840516
Mobile: 0303 - 786 4040
Email:dacaar@pes.comsats.net.pkInternational aid agencies / UN
Paul Oqvist
Coordinator UNDP/UNOPS,
Paragon Regional programme for Asia,
Senior Regional Governance Advisor,
Tel: 51 - 2279165 - 74, ext. 2229
Email: paul.oqvist@undp.org
Frank Reiby, Information Officer
Int. Org. of Migration
House no. 6, Main Embassy
Islamabad
Mobile: 0300 856 7322
Email: freiby@iom.com
Fernando del Mundo,
Public Information Office of
UNHCR
94, Rue de Montbrillant
1202 Geneva
Switzerland
Tel: 41 22 739 84 86
Fax: 41 22 739 73 14
Email: delmundo@unhcr.ch
Leslie Oqvist, Regional
Coordinator of UN
Kanahar Region, Afghanistan
292, Street 55, F-10/4, P.O.
Box 1809
Islamabad
Tel: 51- 211 451
Fax: 51- 211 450
Email: leslie@undpafg.org.pk
Pascal Duport, Deputy Head of Delegation
CRC Afghanistan Delegation in Exile
House No. 1, Street 83, G-6/4, Islamabad
Tel: 51 - 2272949
Fax: 51 - 2824758
Email: kaboul.kab@icrc.org
Jacques Franquin, Head of UNHCR
Emergency Operation, Peshawar
3 - Gul Mohar Lane
University Town, Peshawar
U. P.O. Box 767
Tel: 91- 41584 - 85, fax 842102
Mobile: 0320 429 49 58
Email: franquin@unhcr.ch
Website: www.unhcr.chHuman rights / academia
I.A.Rehman, Director
Human Rights Comm. of Pak.
Aiwan-I-Jamhoor,
107-Tipu Bl. New Garden Town,
Lahore 54800
Tel: 42- 58659659, 5838341
Fax: (42) 5883582
Email: HRCPLHE@brain.net.pk
Kamila Hyat, Joint Director
Human Rights Comm. Office
Aiwan-I-Jamhoor, 107-Tipu Block,
New Garden Town, Lahore 54800
Tel: 4258659659, 5838341
Fax: (42) 5883582
Email: kamila@hrcp.cjb.net
Zaman Khan, In-Charge Complaints Cell
Human Rights Comm. Of Pak.
Aiwan-I-Jamhoor, 107-Tipu Block
New Garden Town, Lahore 54800
Tel: 42- 58659659, 5838341
Fax: (42) 5883582
Email: zaman@hrcp.cjb.net
Prof. Rasul Amin, director
Afghanistan Study Centre
U.P.O Box 887, University of Peshawar
Tel: 91-840318
Tel: 91-840266
Email: afghanstanstudycentre@hotmail.com
website: www.wafa.8k.com
Note on Afghan NGO Community
In February 2000, the Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief (ACBAR) listed 156 international and local NGOs in its Directory of Humanitarian Agencies working for Afghans (not including UN agencies, ICRC or other INGOs). The NGO's employed 705 Pakistani, 331 expatriates and 22 377 Afghans, about a quarter of whom worked in Pakistan, the rest in Afghanistan. Their total budgets ran to some US$138 million. More than $30m was spent on educational services, some $25m on mine clearance and $24m on health services. The UN provided approximately $46m (33% of the total), with international NGOs, the EU and a group of bilateral donors each spending more than $20m. Of the total spent, some 91% went to programmes inside Afghanistan and the other 9% went to programmes in the refugee communities.
Some NGOs date back to the Soviet occupation of 1979 to1989, when more than one million Afghans fled into Pakistan. A substantial flow of funds from donors in Europe and the US, much of it motivated by political rather than humanitarian concern, led to a rapid growth in the number of local organisations undertaking implementation work. However, when the Soviet forces left Afghanistan, western donors, including the US, withdrew much of their support. This created a lot of resentment in the Afghan NGO community, which is still felt today. Many NGOs still resent the fact that donor interest appeared to be driven more by cold war considerations than by a real desire to assist the Afghan people.
In Afghanistan itself, after a short break, a civil war erupted amongst the various Mujahideen factions, causing more displacement, devastation and refugee flows. The Taleban entered the picture as a serious force in1994 and two more years of war followed, leading to still more devastation and refugees flows. By now the international aid community was struggling to raise sufficient funds to meet the most basic needs of the Afghan population, and the Pakistani government, itself under serious economic pressure, was growing increasingly weary of the economic and political costs of hosting huge numbers of refugees.
The NGO community still represents for many educated Afghans in Pakistan the only real job-opportunity. Refugees are not allowed to work as government employees in Pakistan, they are not allowed to own land and they suffer from many other job-related restrictions. Many leave Pakistan when they have the chance and the 'brain-drain' has seen as many as 300-400.000 Afghans, including a large proportion of those with education, leave for Australia, the Gulf and Europe. This has left the NGO community with a significant shortage of skilled personnel.
Many NGOs deliver services through extensive networks at community level inside
Afghanistan. They have maintained and expanded networks despite the armed conflicts and have risen to the challenges posed by the Taleban's somewhat reluctant approach to cooperation.
Endnotes:
1. IMS is a newly established international media NGO assisting media in pre-conflict and conflict areas around the world. One of the aims of the organisations is to work closely with existing international media organisations. In light of this the present mission was carried out with Baltic Media Centre and ARTICLE 19.
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