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c u l t u r e c u l t u r e

“When I recruited reporters,

I focused only on women.”

“Of course, managing

a daily in a country like
She had studied journalism in Russia Afghanistan, where seeking the opportunity to attack the
and working for the state news agency.
media. We have taken care of these
Being very enthusiastic, she was anything can happen at security issues, and we care, but we
writing articles, filing stories even any time, is still are reporters and have to reflect the
at midnight sometimes, so, I thought
reality of our people, which is our main
that I should follow the same path. I very difficult.” goal now. Our media in Afghanistan
worked for some agencies, and then
have made many sacrifices in the last
the South Asia Foundation. Then
15 years, some reporters have been
killed on the battlefield filing stories.
suddenly this position came up, and I We are not afraid of that. We are working to achieve our goals
applied and got it.
and to satisfy our people to get fresh news.
We have a unique feature with our newspaper. All the
Interview with reporters are female. So in a country like Afghanistan, which Q: Are you facing the same difficulties as newspapers in
is really a difficult country for women to work, my newspaper
Hamidullah Arefi is an exception where all the reporters are female. Only the Today there are social media, and these have affected mostly
Europe?
editorial and administrative boards are men.
the print media. Nobody is exempt from this trend. Some
Editor-in-Chief, The Kabul Times, Afghanistan Q: How is this received in a country like Afghanistan? people who are not interested in reading the paper go directly
When I recruited reporters, I focused only on women. They
to the social media. We have the same problem, but we have
have had such a difficult time, and have faced so much
taken some new approaches. We have our online edition so
discrimination during the Taliban period, that I felt that you can go to our online version www.thekabultimes.gov.
they also needed experience. Women are still facing social af and you can download the whole newspaper and read it
He is a brilliant young man with elegant manners who speaks with us, either in English or in the local languages that we just challenges, but I have just been focused on giving them a whenever you have time. So we are taking care of the new
eloquent English. He is the editor in chief of the only English- translate. chance. We have female reporters going on so many trips, even generation as well, but we keep the print version. The full
language newspaper in a country that has been one of the We have one reporter in Brussels. She is reporting on EU and outside Afghanistan, and gaining experience as international internet version is free of charge.
world’s most troubled since the 1980s, Afghanistan. NATO issues. We do publish the newspaper from Saturday to journalists.
Mr. Hamidullah Arefi has the difficult job of reporting from Wednesday. Thursday and Friday we are off. Inside Afghanistan, the places which are critical for co- Q: How do you manage to get money?
the country, and despite threats and difficulties, he and his vering the news, I prefer to go myself, or to send another We generate revenue through subscriptions and
dedicated team keep on going. We had a chance to meet Q: How many people are working with you? male member of the staff, but everything else is covered by advertising. We have people who have subscriptions inside
him in Turkmenistan recently where he had come to cover Altogether we are 30 regular staff. They are the official the women. Afghanistan, and some in neighbouring countries such as
a conference devoted to a subject of utmost importance to employees working for The Kabul Times. We also have some Dubai, India and Pakistan. So, we receive money for that, but
his country, energy. Now let us give the floor to this dynamic working under contract who do translations and distribution. Q: What has been the reaction among the other media? the online edition is free of charge.
young man… Adding those, we are close to 80 people. Some said that I discriminated against the men, but they
were mainly joking. As a general rule, people are happy to Q: So, now people in Geneva can read your newspaper
Q: You are the editor in chief of the only English- Q: Is it not very difficult to manage such a big staff? see female reporters. Even the photographers are female in online.
language newspaper in Afghanistan. Could you tell us about Actually, it has been at different phases. I’m the chief editor, our daily. Sure. No matter where people are based, they can read it as
it? and I have my sub-managers there, so they are ta-king care of long as they have access to the internet.
I joined The Kabul Times in 2014. It is the oldest newspaper that, and then they report to me. Of course, managing a daily Q: Have you ever regretted your choice? Our colleague had to shorten his stay at the conference
and was started under the rule of King Zahir Shah, 55 in a country like Afghanistan, where anything can happen No, never! because of the terrible terrorist attack that took place on
years ago. It is the first and only English newspaper. Our at any time, is still very difficult. We are really happy that we May 31st. We wish him and his colleague lots of courage
subscribers are the diplomatic missions in Afghanistan as have managed to survive all these last years. Q: You said earlier that anything can happen at any time in and luck in all their endeavours so that we and all the
well as the members of the Afghan elite who like to read their Afghanistan. How do you face that? others can continue to get fresh news from Afghanistan. •
news in English. We blend the latest social and economic Q; How did you embrace this career path -- and an even You are right. Actually we publish news on the political side
developments into the updates. We are in close collaboration more difficult one at an English-language newspaper? of the government. So, of course, there are some elements
with all state ministers, and they have press offices. They liaise I was much inspired because, I watched my mother working. to beware of, such as the Taliban and ISIS. These are really

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