Kabul: Dec 7, 2013
Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Thursday issued a stern warning to some Afghan media, which he said are “spreading language and ethnic discrimination in Afghanistan”.
Addressing the participants in a conference in Kabul, Afghan president said, “Those involved in spreading differences among Afghans should be dealt with in accordance with the strict rule of law”.
President’s comments came following a series of serious debates in the Upper House of Parliament over the inclusion of peoples’ ethnicities in the new electronic National Identification Cards. The Afghan government awaits the approval of Afghan parliament for issuing the new electronic National Identification Card to all citizens. The debates in the Upper House even led to physical attack among the law makers.
After the debate among the lawmakers in the Parliament, a TV commentator in a private TV channel, Zhuwandun made serious controversial and insulting comments about all Afghan monitories, calling them “illegitimate” and saying “they don't belong to Afghanistan”.
Zhuwandun TV, according to some Afghans is known for hosting shows and inviting bias commentators who have severe negative views of all Afghan minorities.
President Karzai seems to have echoed people’s point, as he said that there were Afghan TV channels and newspapers trying to undermine the unity of ethnicities and tribes in Afghanistan, by abusing language and inciting hostility.
The Afghan President emphasized on supporting media and freedom of speech in Afghanistan, but said that those who are trying to destroy the national unity of the country are not representing the people of Afghanistan.
President Karzai then warned all media and their commentators, "I consider it my job to take strict legal action against those who are promoting discrimination”.
Afghanistan Journalists Center condemns the unprofessional, biased and unethical performance of Zhuwandun TV in broadcasting such a show that clearly promotes hate speech.
AFJC appeals to the government to take serious legal actions in accordance with the Afghan Constitution and Afghan Media Law against such individuals, who use media to propagate hatred and abuse the freedom of expression code of conducts.
Presently a total of 69 private TV channels along with the state run RTA National television, 157 radios stations and over 100 news publications are actively operational in Afghanistan.
The end