Open Letter To Media

It is a foundational principle of journalism to speak truth to power and to hold people and systems accountable. According to the Australian Press Council, journalistic practice must comply with principles of accuracy, clarity, fairness and balance. With regards to the reporting on the current conflict in Afghanistan, the Australian media have by and large failed on most of these counts.

Recent reporting has lacked significant critical analysis of the conflict, including the political and historical context of the protracted intervention in Afghanistan — both from US-led coalition forces and neighbouring states. Moreover, the perspectives of Afghanistan-Australians have been repeatedly sidelined and coverage thus far has largely ignored the impact of the conflict on the people of Afghanistan.

This is a matter of reporting accurately, in a balanced and fair way that is deeply reflective of the voices that should be amplified, remembering that ultimately it is people of Afghanistan who paid the highest price and continue to do so.

It is critical to reframe whose voices and narratives are prioritised in the reporting around Afghanistan, particularly in a post 9/11 world where people of Afghanistan have been systematically silenced. Fair and balanced reporting on Afghanistan is essential to accurately reflect Australia’s role in the conflict and its inherent responsibility given ADF forces have been deployed there continuously for the past twenty years.

We urge the Australian media to interrogate their reporting to date, and to consider the following in their future reporting:

Lead with, and centre the analysis of journalists, academics and community leaders of Afghanistan. Move away from exclusively Western perspectives to those that are informed by lived experience. Collaborate with and amplify content from primary sources on the ground and in the region.

Elevate the voices of diverse activists, especially those working with marginalised and minority groups like the Hazara, Shia and the LGBTQIA+ community of Afghanistan.

Consider and be critical of the rhetoric legitimising the Taliban regime, and in some cases empowering the Taliban’s monocultural and violent takeover of Afghanistan. They were not elected democratically and, as such, their rule is not the will of most people in Afghanistan.

Amplify the work and voices of Afghan not-for-profit organisations, charities and community groups in Australia and promote their advocacy calls.

Focus on the strengths, depth of history, diversity and culture of the country. It is important to recognise that the people of Afghanistan have agency and want to self determine the future and legacy of their country. Consider the geopolitical role of other countries like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in supporting the Taliban.

Cover the impact of the conflict on the community of Afghanistan in Australia.

Alongside counselling hotlines for the Australian Defence Force and their families, include mental health and community services for the community of Afghanistan in Australia.

Recognise and celebrate the history of people of Afganistan in Australia. They have made a valuable contribution to Australia since the late 1800s, yet the focus is on the “refugee” or economic migrant.

We urge you to avoid:

• Gruesome, uncensored images of death and trauma in Afghanistan. This representation is dehumanising, creates an ‘us vs them’ culture and is profoundly traumatising to communities of Afghanistan in Australia.

• Presenting Muslims as inherently violent and legitimising Western intervention.

• Focusing on the deaths of Australian, American and British troops or nationals and ignoring the lives lost during the war by the people of Afghanistan.

• Focusing solely on the monetary cost of the war. This ignores the human cost of the war and the progress made by the people of Afghanistan towards rebuilding their country.

• Simplistic portrayals of the war in Afghanistan without critically analysing the geopolitical interests of neighbouring states.

The cumulative impact of this limited and de-contextualised coverage of the intervention in Afghanistan is that it fundamentally misrepresents and dehumanises the people of Afghanistan. In effect, it serves to perpetuate and reinforce racist, xenophobic and Islamophobic stereotypes of the people of Afghanistan, and is not only myopic but reductive.

We must and can do better.

Signed by:

1. Tahmina Ansari, Journalist
2. Sowaibah Hanifie, ABC Reporter/Journalist
3. Shamsiya Hussainpoor, Journalist, Youth Ambassador
4. Mahnaz Angury, Journalist, ABC News
5. Shamsiya Mohammadi, ABC Journalist
6. Madina Jaffari, Journalist
7. Alison Whittaker, Academic and author
8. Madeline Hayman-Reber, Journalist
9. Jim Malo, Journalist
10. Craig Foster AM, Former Socceroo
11. Max Walden, Journalist and academic
12. Aliya Ahmad, Media Campaigner, Associate Director
13. Namila Benson, ABC TV Presenter
14. Yassmin Abdel Magied, Writer/ Broadcaster / Advocate
15. Antony Loewenstein, Investigative journalist
16. Neryssa Azlan, Journalist
17. Jarni Blakkarly, Investigative journalist
18. Elaine Jung, Journalist
19. Benjamin Law, Writer & Broadcaster
20. Tito Ambyo, Journalism lecturer
21. Shakira Hussein, Writer/Researcher
22. Maxine Beneba Clarke, Author, Poet, Illustrator
23. Clementine Ford, Writer
24. Saman Shad, Writer
25. Amani Haydar, Writer & artist
26. Mariam Veiszadeh, Lawyer, Diversity Council
27. Diana Sayed, Human Rights Lawyer, CEO
28. Bobuq Sayed, Professor/Writer
29. Arif Hussein, Human Rights Lawyer
30. Sanam Ahmadzada, Mental health researcher, PhD Scholar
31. Sayed Hussainizada, Lawyer
32. Shabnam Safa, Refugee Rights Advocate
33. Shukufa Tahiri, Refugee Policy Analyst and Advocate
34. Sitarah Mohammadi, Refugee Rights Advocate
35. Bahar Sayed, Arts Worker
36. Lala Pordeli, Lawyer
37. Sara Saleh, Campaigner, Writer, Poet
38. Randa Abdel-Fattah, Academic and author
39. Elias Jahshan, Social Media Editor/Journalist
40. Omar Sakr, Writer/Poet
41. Sarah Ayoub, Journalist + Academic
42. Saba Vasefi, Human Rights Journalist, Academic
43. Roxanne Moore, First Nations rights lawyer and campaigner
44. Nyadol Nyuon, Lawyer
45. Susan Carland , Academic
46. Nasser Mashni, Company Director
47. Tarang Chawla, Advocate
48. Ameena Rahimi, Lawyer
49. Sayed Abdullah Rabbani, Policy Advisor
50. Renee Carr, National Director
51. Deepa Srinivasan, Medical Doctor
52. Faheem Nishib, Writer and Editor
53. Sahar Ansari, Student & Paralegal
54. Rawan Arraf, Lawyer
55. Mehdi Forotan, Civil Engineer
56. Trish Cameron, Legal Counsel
57. Drew Ambrose, Documentary maker, Investigative Journalist
58. Dhakshayini Sooriyakumaran, PhD Scholar and Advocate
59. Tahmina Maskinyar, Arts Worker
60. Thomas Ragnar, Student
61. Jonno Revanche, Journalist/critic
62. Hana Assafiri, Restauranteur
63. Tamana Mirzada, Human Rights and Refugee Advocate
64. Matt Aitken, Community Development
65. Fatima Aman, Community service worker
66. Melanie Tang, Lawyer
67. Zaahir Edries, Human Rights Lawyer
68. Eileen Chong, Poet and educator
69. Samah Sabawi, Author, playwright and scholar
70. Matt Chun, Artist and writer
71. Azmeena Hussain, Lawyer
72. Sherene Hassan, Advocate
73. Martin Hodgson, Senior Advocate
74. Alex Bhathal, Social worker
75. Zarlasht Sarwari, PhD Scholar and Social Researcher
76. Danielle Rizk, Radio Broadcaster/Lecturer
77. Shaqaeq Rezai
78. Neha Prasad, Refugee Lawyer
79. Sumarlinah Raden Winoto, Community organiser
80. Mariam Tokhi, General Practitioner
81. Priya Kunjan, Community Media Worker
82. Elmira, Veterinary nurse
83. Dipa Rao, Writer
84. Ms. Saffaa, Artist
85. Lineo Maliti, Account Executive
86. Amrita Dasvarma, Advocate
87. Nicholas Failla
88. Elias Karimi, Engineer
89. Priyanka Bromhead, Educator and Writer
90. Aparna Ananthuni, Author and performing artist
91. Nur Shkembi, Art Historian
92. Ayesha Maharaj, Public Health Tutor
93. Sanah Banihali, Lawyer
94. Ripley Kavara, Artist
95. Rhys Preston, Teacher
96. Justine Lloyd, Lecturer
97. Navanita Bhattacharya, Academic
98. Loren Days, Lawyer
99. Fatima Yazbek, Human Rights Advocate
100. Neel Banerjee, Theatre Practitioner & Artrivist
101. Brami Jegan, Human Rights and Refugee Advocate
102. Nic Holas, Campaigner
103. Naima Ibrahim, Writer
104. Budi Sudarto, Inclusion & Intersectionality Consultant
105. Zuleyka Zevallos, Applied sociologist
106. Hadi Zaher
107. Nida Sahra, Senior Product Manager
108. Michael Mohammed Ahmad, Writer
109. Gayatri Nair, Lawyer and writer
110. Neilab Osman, Teacher's Aide and Student
111. Aïsha Trambas, Arts Worker
112. Sowah Sayed, Student
113. Sohrab, Architect
114. Caroline Lambert, Advocate
115. Zohal Azra
116. Nisha Thapliyal, Academic
117. Lee Rhiannon, Community organiser
118. Scheherazade Bloul, Journalist, academic
119. Brahmmi Kumarasamy, Arts and Disability Project Manager & Cultural Worker
120. Ayan Shirwa
121. Rathai Manivannan, Screen Post Production Worker
122. Sameena Ali, Secondary school teacher
123. Aakash Prasad, Lawyer
124. Charby Maroun, Filmmaker
125. Jessica Stott, Community Services Manager
126. Emily Ulman, Music Programming
127. Neha Madhok, Social and Community Services
128. Elly Kohistani, Media Advisor
129. Priya Chacko, Academic
130. Omar Razi, Talent Acquisition
131. Khadija Gbla, Human rights activist
132. Vikrant Kishore, Filmmaker/Academic
133. Sonia Sofat, Human rights and anti racism educator
134. Jack Mitchell, Artist
135. Amina Saikal, Project Coordinator
136. Elsa Tuet-Rosenberg, Anti-racism educator
137. Mudit Vyas, Academic
138. Dilpreet, Journalist
139. Jasmeet Kaur Sahi, Arts worker
140. Sadaf, Media writer, women’s lifestyle.
141. Greta Carroll, Farmer
142. Emma Macey-Storch, Filmmaker
143. Anisha Senaratne, Campaigner and organiser
144. Ruwanie Ekanayake, Writer, communications
145. Brenda Gaddi, Advocate
146. Rachel Ciesla, Curator
147. Hannah Wickramasuriya, Provisional Psychologist
148. Najeeba Wazefadost, Director of Asia Pacific Network of Refugees
149. Ruchira Talukdar, Writer and Environmental Justice Activist
150. Steph Cousins, Non-Profit CEO
151. David Shoebridge, Greens Member of Parliament
152. Lylah DSouza, Artist
153. Deepak Joshi, Activist & Co-founder, The Humanism Project
154. Marcus Thaine
155. Hoda Afshar, Artist & educator
156. Jeanine AK, Digital content producer
157. David Mejia-Canales, Lawyer
158. Nilmini Fernando, Academic
159. Mohamed Duar, Human Rights Defender
160. Massih Hoseini, Research Associate
161. Magda Szubanski, Writer, actor, producer