IFJ urges SAARC nations to provide safe haven to journalists stranded in Afghanistan

As the United States left war-torn Afghanistan on August 31, thousands of journalists who have been covering the stories of the nation are in a state of exile. Addressing the concern of the scribes still reporting from the Taliban-captured country, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and South Asia Media Solidarity Network (SAMSN) on September 3 urged the SAARC national governments and international communities to provide a safe haven to Afghan journalists seeking help.

According to the statement released by the international scribe federation, the situation for media workers on the ground was 'extremely challenging'.

IFJ logged more than 2,000 requests from media workers for assistance

According to the federation, the situation has even worsened after an ISIS-K suicide bomber killed over 200 including 13 US soldiers and three Afghan scribes on August 26. According to the IFJ Sources, hundreds of journalists and their families were desperate and without passports, visas or funds to survive.

According to the media federation, it has logged more than 2,000 assistance requests from press workers attempting to flee the country.

"The IFJ is informed that at least 150 Afghan media workers fled their provinces due to fears for their safety and arrived in Kabul before the Taliban took control of the city. Some are said to be looking to return to their provinces out of desperation and lack of support facilities or safe houses, but many are under financial stress and cannot afford the transport cost as their media outlets have shut down," said IFJ, in a statement released 18 days after the Talibani captured the already war-torn country. 

Despite Taliban assurance, the ground situation tells a different story

The organisation underlined that the Taliban, despite assurances, has failed to respect women’s rights and free media. Despite numerous promises made by the Taliban to safeguard media workers, those working on the ground experience other stories, stressed the IFJ. 

A 29-year-old journalist whose nine close relatives managed to board one of the evacuation flights, said in a conversation with the Associated Press (AP) on August 28,

“There is a feeling of desperation in Afghanistan. Imagine if you had made a building for 20 years now, that building is getting destroyed and you cannot go out from that building. It feels very bad. Our education, our hopes for ourselves, for our children, for our future, for our country is all destroyed. People are calling me saying that there’s no salary by the government or by the Taliban now. And banks are closed and they cannot afford their families’ evacuation.”

(With inputs from AP)

(Image Credit: AP/Pixabay)