peace jirga

Photo by Fardin Waezi
Today is the last day of the four-day peace jirga between Afghanistan and Pakistan being held in Kabul. Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf is expected to make a speech at the closing ceremony.

radio station destroyed by taliban

Radio Yawali Ghag of Sayedabad district was burned down by Taliban last night.

A large number of Taliban fighters attacked the southern district of Sayedabad in Wardak province at around 02:00 AM today. A fierce battle broke out between police and Taliban using small arms and RPGs. The fight continued for three hours until the dawn, Taliban fled when Army reinforcements arrived from Kabul. A talib fighter body is left at the scene; however the accurate number of casualties from both sides is not yet confirmed.

In the first hour of attack, a group of ten or twelve came to the radio station, tied up and beaten the guard. “they took one computer and the guard with them, but burned down everything else” said Hazratuddin Nosrat manager of yawalighag radio station. The guard was later found alive in the mountains.

Radio Yawalighag is a community radio station and an affiliate of Salam Watandar network. The station was broadcasting around ten hours a day, including four hours of salam watandar. The radio station board adopted an editorial policy inline with the local culture. “we had appropriate programs. In sayedabad we have to strictly adhere with Islamic principles” said Hazratuddin Nosrat. The radio station since its establishment has managed a good community relation. it was never threaten by Taliban or any other group. The destruction of the station wasn’t a deliberate target but rather an opportunistic sabotage action. According to radio station guard, the Taliban could have been local, they had a wardak accent.

IFJ condemns abduction of Kabul reporter Kamran Mir Hazar

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is shocked to learn of the detention under murky and suspicious circumstances of Kamran Mir Hazar, chief editor for a popular news website in Kabul and reporter for Salam Watandar Radio.
According to information received from IFJ associates in Afghanistan, Mr Hazar was picked up outside his office by gunmen who identified themselves as personnel of the Afghanistan National Security Directorate (ANSD). A professional colleague’s eyewitness account reports Mr Hazar being threatened and coerced, before being taken away to an unknown location.

IFJ associates the Afghan Independent Journalists’ Association (AIJA) and the Committee to Protect Afghan Journalists (CPAJ) have since made a number of inquiries with the ANSD, only to be met with a flat denial that the agency has anything to do with Mr Hazar’s abduction.
The Ministry of Information has yet to either confirm or deny his arrest.

The IFJ learns that Mr Hazar was taken for “questioning” one month back by the ANSD, following a number of media reports critical of high-ranking Afghan government officials. Following his release after four days of detention, he was reportedly living inside the Kabul office of an international media development organization.

Journalist organisations have referred that particular detention to the empowered body under Afghan media law, for an advisory opinion about its validity under law. The IFJ understands that no official determination has yet been made and the reasons for his first detention remain unaccounted.

“We have heard from reliable sources that the program Salam Watandar, or ‘Hello, Citizen’, has been making a significant contribution to enriching the public discourse in Afghanistan”, said Jacqueline Park, IFJ’s Director for the Asia Pacific.

“We stand as one with the community of journalists in Afghanistan in demanding his immediate release and a complete accounting by the government for his continuing harassment”.

The IFJ lends its unconditional support to the AIJA, the CPAJ, and the emergency committee formed in defence of Kamran Mir Hazar.

A global body representing over 600,000 journalists in 114 countries, the IFJ fully endorses the demand made after a meeting of the emergency committee that Mr Hazar be released immediately, and that the men responsible for his abduction be identified and brought to account at once.

For further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +61 2 9333 0919
The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 114 countries

Korshied Samad on Sounds Like Canada

… I caught most of an interview of Khorshied Samad.

I have to say up front that when she was introduced as "Khorshied Samad, the wife of Afghan ambassador to Canada Omar Samad", it made me feel a little odd. I knew nothing of this woman, but surely if she is being interviewed on the radio then she has done something more important than just being "husband to" somebody. At least I hope so.
http://bradgagne.blogspot.com/2007/06/korshied-samad-on-sounds-like-canada.html

And then after a lengthy interview detailing the struggles of women in Afghanistan, how they are mistreated, belittled, and marginalized... wait for it.. Kevin Sylvester goes on to conclude the interview just as he started it: summarizing this woman's life experience and accomplishments as "Khorshied Samad, wife of Omar Samad, Afghan ambassador to Canada."

Great work there CBC.