17-07-2014, 09:23 Category: English, Media Diversity, News
Intensive workshop was held on July 7-11, 2014 at
Bishkek under the supervision of the media trainers from Spain, Kazakhstan and
Kyrgyzstan, who have extensive experience in ethnic and inclusive journalism,
production of multimedia product.
For five days journalists from 17 media of Kyrgyzstan mastered theoretical and practical methods of reports production and articles focused on ethnic diversity, improved their understanding of interethnic situation, and the new language policy of Kyrgyzstan, took a look at the terms used to cover such issues, learned how to use multimedia tools for create infographics, timelines, interactive photo and slideshows.
Zaiyrbek Ergeshov, an expert of the department of ethnic, religious policy and interaction with the civil society at the Kyrgyz Republic Presidential Administration, held a session on the importance of civil identity and said that the media must serve the interests of all ethnic groups living in the country.
"The state sees the role of journalists in the production of unbiased and objective material, in ensuring information security,” he emphasized.
During interactive discussions, the participants noted that when describing the lives, traditions, culture of ethnic groups they often substituted the notion of "diversity” with "differences”. Often material about the lives of ethnic groups is reported by the media focused on the peculiarities of such communities that distinguish them from the other part of society.
"The media should avoid negative message, not associate negative actions with ethnic, language, cultural identity of people,”Eran Fraenkel, a media trainer from Spain, who has extensive experience of working with the media on the Balkans, South and Central Asia, said.
Fraenkel recommended local journalists to learn to
live in the diverse world and teach the same to their audience, to be tolerant,
to accept, understand and respect any signs of diversity. "[It is necessary] to
learn and find what is common for various communities,” he emphasized.
The participants agreed that the reporters did not need to focus on ethnic identity of the main characters of their stories. However, it is important to tell the audience about their perception of the world, education, contribution to the national development, occupation, hobbies. Besides, the media must indicate that various ethnic groups residing in Kyrgyzstan are the part of the majority, which accepts and respects them rather than isolates from them.
Shavkat Umarov, a producer of Yntymak Oblast Regional TV and Radio Company (ORTRK) of Osh, learned many new things during the training. They are the explanation of the components of the Concept of Advancing the Unity of Peoples of Kyrgyzstan and Interethnic Relations, according to which the journalist will make his reports from now on, and the international experience of diversity reporting.
"Now I know that interethnic situation reporting must be complex,” Umarov shared his impression. "The story should pay special attention to children since their upbringing plays important role in the prospects of interethnic world.”
Nurkyz Isakova, the director of Dostuk TV and Radio Company, said she acquired much knowledge she is going to share with her colleagues.
"We are not going to stop now; the topic is interesting and necessary,” Nurkyz said. "And we will be seeking more information in this regard, learn something new in the sphere of diversity reporting, since it is a critical mission of our radio station.”
On the last day of
training, participants were working over their project, where they provided
their original ideas of ethnic, language and cultural diversity reporting.
Independent board consisting of the representatives of the Soros Foundation Kyrgyzstan, and reliable local journalists reviewed 15 applications and selected 6 finalists eligible to receive grant support from the Freedom of Information Program of Soros Foundation – Kyrgyzstan. The winners will start implementing their ideas in mid-July 2014.
The following projects were found to be the best:
El TR TV Channel (Osh) – BizMyWe TV project is focused on the promotion of language and cultural diversity among young people. The main characters of talk shows and reports will be international families, representatives of other ethnic groups who have reached success in sport, young people who speak many languages.
Batken TV channel (Batken) – Yntymak TV project, "Unity” – will promote strengthening of concord among various ethnic groups, eliminate animosity, encourage cultural diversity in the region.
Yntymak ORTRK – "Menin Jashoom – My Life” TV program is intended for the younger generation. Its purpose is to teach kids and teenagers of various nationalities how to be tolerant, friendly, educated. The TV program will also have a radio version.
Format.kg media portal
(Osh) – reports "Bizdin
Kaarmandar – Our heroes” are dedicated to famous and ordinary people,
representatives of various ethnic groups. Morality stories of their lives will
help people better learn each other, get the insight into their life, culture,
traditions, and become closer to them.
Kabar Kyrgyz National News Agency (Bishkek) – the "Aimaktagy Etnikalyk Turmush – Ethnic Diversity in the Regions” TV project will tell about the life of ethnic groups in the regions focused on the issue of civil identity.
"Issyk Kul Wave” (Karakol) – "My Kyrgyzstan” radio project is focused on instilling in young people of Issyk Kul region the respect to the language, cultural, ethnic diversity and high level of civic consciousness.
The Encouraging Diversity through Media project is focused on content development, strengthening of constructive role of the media in interethnic dialog, improvement of professional skills of reporters when reporting on cultural, language, ethnic diversity issues.
The project of School of Peacemaking and Media technology is funded by the Freedom of Information Program of Soros Foundation – Kyrgyzstan.
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Within the current context, media and journalists in Central Asia face the following dilemmas: How to cover issues happening in Afghanistan now? How to communicate information to the audience while describing the Taliban, whose image has been presented mainly in reports on terrorist attacks for almost 20 years? Can journalists offer audiences updated and redesigned narratives about a seemingly ex-terrorist group, while complying with standards and ethics?
Conflict-sensitive approaches, peace and solutions journalism tools, and new media formats can help create strategies to offer audiences a sufficiently clear and objective story.
Not Terrorists Anymore?
Kazakhstan was the first Central Asian country to officially remove the Taliban from the list of banned terrorist organisations. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said Astana took this step based on "the importance of developing trade and economic cooperation with present-day Afghanistan and understanding that this regime is a long-term factor”.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan soon reported the same decision, emphasising that it was "aimed at strengthening regional stability and maintaining a dialogue”.
In mid-September 2024, the media reported on the "unofficial visit” of the head of Tajikistan’s State Committee for National Security Saimumin Yatimov to Kabul and his meeting with the Taliban security chiefs. It was noted that the visit was made to "strengthen bilateral relations between Tajikistan and the Taliban”.
Official Dushanbe has not yet made any statements on this, however, at the time of writing this article, the Taliban were not on the list of terrorist and extremist organisations. Economic interests play their role. Tajikistan exports electricity to Afghanistan and has reopened five markets in border towns where goods are traded on both sides. Foreign trade turnover between the two countries totalled about $46 million in the first six months of 2024.
In Uzbekistan, the Taliban were not included in the 2016 list of 22 terrorist organisations banned by the Supreme Court of Uzbekistan. After the Taliban came to power, official Tashkent opened the Uzbek-Afghan border for the delivery of essential goods and humanitarian aid.
This August, Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov visited Kabul. According to media reports, Aripov met with Taliban leaders and discussed bilateral relations and strengthening trade and business between the two countries. As a result, five trade and investment agreements were signed in the energy, agricultural, and industrial sectors.
Turkmenistan had been in contact with the Taliban representatives even before they came to power amid growing tensions over the paramilitary attacks across Afghanistan. On September 11, 2024, in the border town of Serhetabad, Turkmenistan and the Taliban representatives relaunched the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) Natural Gas Pipeline Project. This large-scale project was first initiated almost 10 years ago.
The pipeline is expected to transport up to 33 billion cubic metres of natural Turkmen gas to South Asia annually.
On the one hand, the Central Asian region is becoming an important partner for Afghanistan offering infrastructure and trade projects and increasing cooperation with the regime in Kabul. This cooperation is taking place despite violations of the rights of women, girls, and minorities, restrictions on media freedom, arbitrary executions, and active calls by the UN and other international human rights bodies to put an end to such violations. The regime’s representatives in Kabul are still on the UN Security Council Consolidated Sanctions List.
On the other hand, Central Asian countries are concerned about security issues.
For example, in early September, a suicide bomber, a member of ISIS (an organisation banned in Central Asia), detonated an explosive device near the Kabul prosecutor’s office killing 6 people and injuring 13.
This fact and the length of the common Central Asian border with Afghanistan, which is more than two thousand kilometres long, pose a danger of infiltration into the region by members of ‘sleeper terrorist cells’.
Where Do We Start?
Define the unified terminology you will use in reporting on Afghanistan-related topics.
How should we describe the formerly banned and terrorist Taliban movement now?
Refer to international documents. Look up the UN-used terminology in the Case Law Database. In the latest speech of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, the regime in Kabul is referred to as the ‘de facto authorities’. This is quite a correct phrasing as it does not legitimise the authorities but only shows the reality.
In statements and reports of the European Union, the authorities in Kabul are called ‘the Taliban’. Many foreign media – BBC, CNN, Al Jazeera, and others – also use this term. For the Central Asian media, it is less acceptable because for several years, the phrase ‘the Taliban’ was necessarily labelled in brackets as ‘the terrorist and banned movement’.
The following is a list of terms that may be acceptable to use.
To use definitions correctly, it is necessary to update editorial guidelines and compile a list of terms for reporting on Afghan issues.
More precise terminology is necessary to create a balanced and impartial narrative when describing events related to Afghanistan.
What Events Should I Select for Reporting?
The most suitable topics may include:
Human Rights and Other Sensitive Topics
Many media avoid reporting on this sensitive issue amid Central Asian countries’ selective cooperation with Afghanistan. However, reporting on human rights violations is a journalist’s ethical obligation.
The exclusion of women and girls from education and employment opportunities, as well as from public spaces, continues in Afghanistan. Extreme forms of violence occur. In addition to forced early marriages and sexual violence, the Taliban has adopted a decree on public flogging and stoning women to death.
The UN Women estimates that since the Taliban came to power, they have adopted 70 documents restricting women’s rights and freedoms. Such policy is carried out with no regard for the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which Afghanistan ratified in 2003.
At the end of August 2024, the law on ‘Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice’ was announced by the de facto authorities, which prohibits women from saying anything out loud in public and demonstrating their faces outside the house. This law cements policies that completely erase women’s presence in public – depriving them of their autonomy, attempting to render them into faceless, voiceless shadows.
Pay attention to the following topics:
Use Teamwork to Prepare the Material
Teamwork and cross-border reporting are great methods to gather information from different sides. Create a team of journalists and experts from several countries, including Afghanistan. Identify the topic and the person responsible for finalising the gathered information.
Citations, Statistics, and Online Resources
To keep up to date, create a similar list of Afghan media and keep track of the information. Pay attention to Afghan media amu.tv, which is based abroad. It has a separate constantly updated section on cooperation with Central Asia.
When reporting on violations of women’s rights and violence against women, in addition to using international reports, monitor incidents of gender discrimination on Rukhshana.media. This is an Afghan women’s media organisation created in memory of Rukhshana, a young woman stoned to death in Ghor province for running away after a forced marriage.
Be careful with citations. If you are going to use official press releases, it will be necessary to give some explanation in brackets after phrases such as ‘Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’ (note: This is the title of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan used by the de facto authorities since 2021), etc. The same should be considered when republishing materials from Afghan official media. If you use Russian-language versions of Afghan websites, it is worth double-checking the information several times, as problems with translation accuracy are common.
If references to Afghan statistics are needed, you can use data from the National Statistics and Information Authority (NSIA). However, there is no comprehensive information available. There is a lack of data on the ethnic composition of the population. This problem dates to 1979, the last time a population census was conducted. After a failed attempt in 2008, another census began in 2013 and was expected to be completed in six years. According to the Minority Rights Group, it was decided that the census would not include questions on language or ethnic background for fear that the results would be too politicised and lead to another failed census. However, the census was never completed.
What Background Information Should Be Used?
Reports on issues in Afghanistan should always contain background information to better explain to the audience what is happening. Since the Central Asian aspect is more focused on the events after August 2021, it is necessary to mention the process of peace negotiations in Afghanistan, why all the conditions of the Peace Deal were not fulfilled, and how the society lived before that.
For example: "De facto authorities came to power in Kabul after the previous Afghan government led by President Ashraf Ghani collapsed amid the US troops withdrawal from the country in August 2021. Earlier, in February 2020, a Peace Deal was signed between the US and the Taliban in Doha (Qatar) after more than eighteen years. The Deal addressed a reduction in violence, withdrawal of foreign troops, the start of intra-Afghan negotiations, and guarantees that Afghanistan won’t again become a refuge for terrorists. However, the Taliban failed to fulfil several conditions of the Peace Deal. The Taliban was formed in Pakistan in the 1990s after the Soviet Union’s troops withdrew from Afghanistan. Many of its early militants were trained in Pakistani madrassas. After NATO troops’ deployment, Pakistan gave the Taliban refuge”.
Such background can be shorter or longer according to the topic you are reporting on.
If the material is to cover the state structure of Afghanistan, the focus should be on comparing the Constitution of the country legally in force since 2004 with the draft Constitution that de facto authorities proposed and then abandoned.
It is also important to note that Afghanistan is a party to several international conventions, such as the Convention Against Torture and Other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment (1984), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (1979), the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (1965), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006). In addition, the country ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966), the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (2002), the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict (2000), the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution, and child pornography (2000). Explore the report describing the impact of the situation on human rights.
It is necessary to use the links to these documents in the context of human rights reporting.
Visual Design of the Materials
When using visuals, such as illustrative photos or collages, it is important to consider the nuances of traditional dress that identify different groups. If you want to show a group of Afghan men wearing dastmols (Persian: دستمال) – traditional headscarves, you need to know that these are most often soft-textured, black, grey, white, brown, mixed tones of these colours, or brown and turquoise scarves in a checked pattern.
The group of people from the de facto government can be identified by the white or black turbans on their heads. If it is not possible to find original photos, search for such illustrations.
A man wearing a red and white chequered scarf of hard texture represents Arabic or Middle Eastern style and the use of such an illustration would be wrong.
When designing visuals for the material on women’s issues, it is correct to refer to a woman’s head and face garment in the Afghan dialect as chodari (Persian: چادری) rather than burqa. It is most often a blue-coloured garment, but other colours are also found.
