Dr. Kundan Aryal

Like just one-and-a half-decades ago in Nepal, journalists in Afghanistan today state that journalism is dangerous yet sacred profession for them. As the warring factions don't limit themselves to the gun, tanks and ammunition, communicators used to be trapped in between the crossfires in any war-torn country. Now after a complete takeover of power, the Taliban, the new rulers of the country, have declared that the war has ended but the Western media have been expressing grave concerns over the professional and material security of media institutions and journalists.

The political system shapes the media institutions, profession, freedom and the normative values. The Western media have depicted the Taliban as the enemy of press freedom. The journalists, both Afghani and foreign, were been reporting that they are at a great risk and feel unsafe mainly because of war. The locals were primarily in a vulnerable situation because their news and views were used to be detrimental to the Taliban or the US-backed Afghan government. In either case, they were compelled to face threats from both sides. Likewise, the Western media were threatened and attacked mainly because of their rhetoric against the Taliban and consistent support for NATO forces.

Safety concern
The Western media, which were reporting from Afghanistan with the cooperation of the US and NATO coalition forces, are now in the soup. When President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani left the country, leading to the collapse of his government as well as political system, the New York-based The Committee to Protect Journalists asked the US President to ensure the safety of Afghan journalists. When the US President addressed the nation informing about the offence of the Taliban, the publishers of the major US newspapers issued a joint statement asking him to take protective measures for their Afghan colleagues. The publishers of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post asked him to rescue them from there. Earlier this month, the US State Department had already announced a priority designation giving the US Refugee Admissions Programme access to Afghans employed by the US-based media organisations in Afghanistan. Read More on The Rising Nepal