US embassy cable - 02ABUJA3309

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 003309 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
FOR STATE AF/PD, AF/W, PA 
LAGOS FOR PAS, POL/ECON 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, SOCI, AF 
SUBJECT:  AFGHANISTAN RECONSTRUCTION AND THE NIGERIAN 
PRESS 
 
 
Reftel:  STATE 251043 
 
 
1.  Summary.  Interest in Afghanistan and USG actions 
in rebuilding the country is low among Nigeria's 
southern journalists.  There is more interest in the 
print media in Nigeria's mostly Muslim north, which 
occasionally publishes Afghan-related material, mostly 
in the context of stories on Iraq, which remains the 
lead international story.  Radio newscasts of 
continuing developments in Afghanistan are more 
frequent, and have a much wider audience in Nigeria 
than television or print journalism.  Common 
misperceptions regarding Afghanistan center on Afghan 
President Karzai as a U.S. puppet leader with no 
popular support, as well as accusations of massive 
Afghan casualties suffered during the removal of the 
Taliban government.  Public affairs strategies to 
improve Nigerian understanding of Afghanistan should 
focus less on the USG and more on 
commentaries/statements by UN officials, key Muslim 
figures in Afghanistan, and regional leaders from 
Islamic countries who support Karzai and continued USG 
actions in Afghanistan.  End Summary. 
 
 
Afghanistan Not a Media Priority in Nigeria 
------------------------------------------- 
 
 
2.  Afghanistan is no longer a story that generates 
much media attention in southern Nigeria, where 
average Nigerians are far more focused on the upcoming 
national elections, the continuing debate over the 
riots surrounding the Miss World contest, and pressing 
domestic economic and political issues.  In Nigeria's 
mostly Muslim north, news regarding Afghanistan is 
more common, although it largely consists of straight 
news stories and statements by USG officials carried 
on VOA and BBC.  Northern print journalists often 
include references to Afghanistan within the context 
of articles on Iraq, which remains the lead 
international news story in the north and the south. 
Public opinion among Muslims regarding the U.S. role 
in Afghanistan tends to be negative and simplistic, 
with the U.S. regarded as having imposed its will on 
the country as part of its global war against 
terrorism and Islam.  Afghan leader Hamid Karzai is 
generally viewed as a puppet leader installed by U.S. 
military force, and someone who lacks popular support 
among the Afghan people.  Coverage on Afghanistan also 
centers on the U.S. military role rather than on 
reconstruction efforts.  Stories in the print media 
continue to assert that Afghanistan suffered large 
numbers of civilian casualties during the U.S. 
military campaign against the Taliban.  A December 9 
story in the northern-based independent newspaper, 
"Daily Trust," said that "the war, just like the 
(terrorist) attack on the U.S., left thousands of so- 
called terrorists and civilians dead, killed by "un- 
smart" bombs in these days of "smart bombs." 
 
 
3.  A USG public affairs strategy for Nigeria should 
focus less on USG officials speaking on Afghanistan 
and more on statements from UN officials, Afghans, and 
Muslim leaders from the Middle East and South Asia. 
While the U.S. is playing a positive role, focusing on 
USG leadership in the reconstruction effort will 
unfortunately reinforce negative perceptions of 
unwanted USG domination of the Afghan people.  The USG 
should emphasize the strong UN role in Afghanistan as 
well as Afghan ownership of the Bonn process and 
reconstruction strategy.  The USG role should be 
viewed as supportive of the international community's 
strategy for Afghanistan.  That said, we should 
continue to make certain that the Nigerian public is 
aware of international humanitarian contributions to 
Afghanistan and America's leading role in prodding the 
international community to do more.  We also need to 
continue pressing the theme of how bad life was for 
average Afghans under the Taliban and how hope for an 
improved future exists today due to the Taliban's 
ouster. 
 
 
4.  Public affairs strategies that would enhance the 
Nigerian Muslim public's knowledge of the USG 
commitment to Afghanistan could include Hausa language 
radio interviews with Afghan religious leaders who 
support Karzai and the USG, as well as interviews with 
Kofi Annan and the UN Secretary General's Special 
Representative Lakhdar Brahimi on the Bonn process, UN 
activities in Afghanistan, and the continuing need for 
USG support for Afghanistan.  Messages regarding 
Iranian government support and that by other Islamic 
leaders for Karzai would also be useful in countering 
Karzai's image as a President whose appeal does not 
extend beyond the United States.  The U.S. mission to 
Nigeria publishes a Hausa-language magazine ("Magama") 
that targets Hausa-speaking elites; excerpts or 
digests of radio programming could be included in 
upcoming issues.  Finally, we would suggest a press 
tour in Afghanistan for a small group of African 
journalists (preferably Muslims or those from Sub- 
Saharan countries with large Muslim populations), 
which would provide a first-hand opportunity to speak 
with Afghans and international community officials on 
how far Afghanistan has progressed in the post-Taliban 
period. 
 
 
JETER