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Press freedom and freedom of speech have nothing to do with Tolo Attack by Taliban
Afghan media and their Western allies claim the attack of the Taliban is an attempt to limit press freedom and freedom of speech in Afghanistan. The truth is, Tolo is not a journalistic platform, neither is there any such a thing a free press in Afghanistan.
First of all, Tolo is part of Moby Group. The organization is partially owned by Rupert Murdoch. If there is any organization more hostile to values of press freedom and ethics of journalism, then it is the the owner of Fox News and numerous tabloids and gossip magazines.
All Rupert Murdoch outlets specialize in spreading hostility and disunity among people and promoting war mongering political allies of the billionaire.
Aside from Murdoch money, half of Tolo's income is from USAID funds. Tolo is not independent and neutral because it is financed by a sponsor with a specific agenda: to promote interests of America.
Aside from Tolo, all other major commercial and private tv stations in Afghanistan are sponsored by outsiders to promote their political and economic interests.
Recently, USAID boasted about training over 7000 Afghans in practicing journalism. All media outlets in Afghanistan either promote Pashtun nationalism, Tajik nationalism, Uzbek nationalism or the corrupt Afghan government.
The media in Afghanistan is nothing like the media in America or Europe. Out here in Western countries, there are various alternative sources of information people can access via the internet. These alternative media platforms are not sponsored by big business interests, oil executives, military industrial complex or political demagogues.
Afghanistan doesn't even allow non-aligned media. Journalists who do not enjoy protection from powerful groups in Afghanistan cannot practice their profession. Persecution, torture and even murder of journalists is committed by entities involved in the current regime.
Afghans do not have access to quality journalism and this is due to the fact that all the money invested in media in Afghanistan comes from people with evil motives.
The Taliban attack against unarmed civilians is an act of terrorism. Terrorism is political violence, the weapon of the weak, not the powerful. The powerful groups in Afghanistan who sponsor divisive platforms like Tolo indefinitely imprison people even for reciting poems and regularly beat up people, even in front of the camera for saying unpleasant things about them.
What the Taliban did is merely a procession of what is happening already in Afghanistan for years. As a country, Afghanistan never experienced freedom of speech and free press. Since the inception of modern mass media, it is always employed by the powerful to manipulate and misguide the ignorant and largely illiterate masses.
Weeping for something that doesn't even exist is therefore disingenuous. Afghans should use the modern technology and develop their own independent platforms and compete with the mainstream media. Attacking and killing workers of these criminal organizations only makes them martyrs and gives them a status they do not deserve.
First of all, Tolo is part of Moby Group. The organization is partially owned by Rupert Murdoch. If there is any organization more hostile to values of press freedom and ethics of journalism, then it is the the owner of Fox News and numerous tabloids and gossip magazines.
All Rupert Murdoch outlets specialize in spreading hostility and disunity among people and promoting war mongering political allies of the billionaire.
Aside from Murdoch money, half of Tolo's income is from USAID funds. Tolo is not independent and neutral because it is financed by a sponsor with a specific agenda: to promote interests of America.
Aside from Tolo, all other major commercial and private tv stations in Afghanistan are sponsored by outsiders to promote their political and economic interests.
Recently, USAID boasted about training over 7000 Afghans in practicing journalism. All media outlets in Afghanistan either promote Pashtun nationalism, Tajik nationalism, Uzbek nationalism or the corrupt Afghan government.
The media in Afghanistan is nothing like the media in America or Europe. Out here in Western countries, there are various alternative sources of information people can access via the internet. These alternative media platforms are not sponsored by big business interests, oil executives, military industrial complex or political demagogues.
Afghanistan doesn't even allow non-aligned media. Journalists who do not enjoy protection from powerful groups in Afghanistan cannot practice their profession. Persecution, torture and even murder of journalists is committed by entities involved in the current regime.
Afghans do not have access to quality journalism and this is due to the fact that all the money invested in media in Afghanistan comes from people with evil motives.
The Taliban attack against unarmed civilians is an act of terrorism. Terrorism is political violence, the weapon of the weak, not the powerful. The powerful groups in Afghanistan who sponsor divisive platforms like Tolo indefinitely imprison people even for reciting poems and regularly beat up people, even in front of the camera for saying unpleasant things about them.
What the Taliban did is merely a procession of what is happening already in Afghanistan for years. As a country, Afghanistan never experienced freedom of speech and free press. Since the inception of modern mass media, it is always employed by the powerful to manipulate and misguide the ignorant and largely illiterate masses.
Weeping for something that doesn't even exist is therefore disingenuous. Afghans should use the modern technology and develop their own independent platforms and compete with the mainstream media. Attacking and killing workers of these criminal organizations only makes them martyrs and gives them a status they do not deserve.
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