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Afghan poll media blackout urged Afghan poll 'must lead to reform'
(about 6 hours later)
Afghanistan has called on domestic and foreign media not to cover any violence on the day of the presidential election in case such reports scare away voters. Presidential elections in Afghanistan must be accompanied by major reforms in governance and aid, a leading international agency has warned.
The government urged a media blackout on any attacks from 0600 to 2000 during polling on Thursday and asked reporters to avoid the scene of such incidents. Oxfam said that despite massive investment a third of Afghans still faced hunger and poverty.
Human-rights activists and journalists condemned the move. The warning comes a day before presidential elections which the Taliban have vowed to disrupt.
It came after nearly 20 people died in attacks across the country, including a suicide blast in Kabul. On Tuesday more than 20 people were killed in attacks across the country, including a suicide blast in Kabul.
Thursday's vote will be Afghanistan's second presidential election since the US-led invasion in 2001 toppled the Taliban regime. The government has asked the media not to report on violence on poll day to avoid deterring people from voting.
Hamid Karzai is tipped to be re-elected president, although correspondents say he could face a run-off against one of his strongest challengers, ex-Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah. Several dozen candidates are in the race. But early on Wednesday more unrest was reported in Kabul. Armed men were said to have attacked a bank; officials said it was not clear whether they were robbers or insurgents.
'Prevent exaggerating' 'Wasteful'
The foreign ministry said in a statement on Tuesday: "All domestic and international media agencies are requested to refrain from broadcasting any incident of violence during the election process from 6am to 8pm on 20 August." The presidential election on Thursday will be the second since the overthrow of the Taliban in 2001.
Since then, says Oxfam, billions of dollars of aid have been channelled into Afghanistan by foreign governments but these have been "woefully insufficient" to deal with the legacy of three decades of conflict.
Too few Afghans were benefitting from the money and much of it had been "ineffective, uncoordinated or wasteful".
The group said the election of a new government had to be accompanied by major reforms. "Aid can make a huge difference in Afghanistan but it has to be well-spent," it said.
Afghanistan's media has flourished in the last eight years
Hamid Karzai is tipped to be re-elected president in Thursday's polls, although correspondents say he could face a run-off against one of his strongest challengers, ex-Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah. Several dozen candidates are in the race.
The Taliban says it will use violence to disrupt the poll and on Tuesday the government urged a media blackout on any attacks from 0600 to 2000 on polling day.
"All domestic and international media agencies are requested to refrain from broadcasting any incident of violence during the election process from 6am to 8pm on 20 August," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
We condemn such moves to deprive people from accessing news Rahimullah SamanderAfghan Journalists' Association Afghan election fraud is unearthed In pictures: Kabul car bomb Q&A: Afghan electionWe condemn such moves to deprive people from accessing news Rahimullah SamanderAfghan Journalists' Association Afghan election fraud is unearthed In pictures: Kabul car bomb Q&A: Afghan election
The interior ministry requested "all respected mass media not to enter the scene of any terrorist incident such as suicide bombings, explosions or rocket attacks, which causes destruction of initial evidence for investigation". Siamak Herawi, a spokesman for President Karzai, said the decision would prevent the media from having a "negative impact".
Siamak Herawi, a spokesman for President Karzai, said: "This decision will control the negative impact of the media. If something happens, this will prevent them from exaggerating it, so that people will not be frightened to come out and vote." "If something happens, this will prevent them from exaggerating it, so that people will not be frightened to come out and vote."
But journalists and activists said Afghans had a right to know about the security threats they faced.But journalists and activists said Afghans had a right to know about the security threats they faced.
Rahimullah Samander, head of the Afghan Independent Journalists' Association, told Reuters news agency: "We condemn such moves to deprive people from accessing news."Rahimullah Samander, head of the Afghan Independent Journalists' Association, told Reuters news agency: "We condemn such moves to deprive people from accessing news."
The New York-based organisation Human Rights Watch said: "An attempt to censor the reporting of violence is an unreasonable violation of press freedoms."The New York-based organisation Human Rights Watch said: "An attempt to censor the reporting of violence is an unreasonable violation of press freedoms."
Taliban attacks
The Kabul bomb was the deadliest attack on TuesdayThe Kabul bomb was the deadliest attack on Tuesday
The move came after militants acted on their threats to disrupt election week, despite heightened security ahead of polling day. On Tuesday, despite heightened security ahead of polling day, militants acted on their threats to disrupt election week.
A suicide car bomb in the Afghan capital Kabul targeted a convoy of Western troops on Tuesday, killing 10 people and injuring more than 50. A suicide car bomb in the Afghan capital Kabul targeted a convoy of Western troops, killing 10 people and injuring more than 50.
A Nato soldier and nine Afghans, including two UN staff, died in the explosion, the Nato-led force said. The Taliban claimed responsibility.A Nato soldier and nine Afghans, including two UN staff, died in the explosion, the Nato-led force said. The Taliban claimed responsibility.
In other attacks on Tuesday:In other attacks on Tuesday:
• A rocket was fired into the presidential compound in Kabul• A rocket was fired into the presidential compound in Kabul
• Two US soldiers died in a roadside bomb in the east of the country• Two US soldiers died in a roadside bomb in the east of the country
• In the usually peaceful north, an election candidate was shot dead in Jowzjan province, and three poll workers were killed in Badakhshan when their car hit a bomb• In the usually peaceful north, an election candidate was shot dead in Jowzjan province, and three poll workers were killed in Badakhshan when their car hit a bomb
• Two civilians and three Afghan soldiers died when a suicide bomber on foot blew himself up in southern Uruzgan province• Two civilians and three Afghan soldiers died when a suicide bomber on foot blew himself up in southern Uruzgan province
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