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VOL. 27, NO. 10, November 02, 2007 (Kartik 16 2064 B.S.)
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ATTACK AGAINST MEDIA
Journos In Distress
In blatant attacks against free press, journalists continue to face serious risks as shown by the abduction of Birendra Shah
By A CORRESPONDENT
Nepalese media, which was just recovering from the forced closure of Kantipur Publications by pro-Maoist workers, had to suffer from another distress during Dashain festival.
On October 5, Birendra Shah, a journalist based in Bara district, was abducted – by Maoists as substantiated by various field missions undertaken by rights organizations, Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) and Reporters’ Club.
His whereabouts remain unknown till October 29. Despite calls from domestic and international level, Shah is yet to be found.
Exasperated by repeated attacks against the press people, president of FNJ Bishnu Nisthuri recently said that the federation is drawing up strategies for the security of journalists.
Speaking at a program in Rajbiraj, Nishthuri said, "The press which has been fighting in the forefront for democracy and freedom is itself facing attacks from all sides."
He also said that discussions and interactions were necessary to ensure security to journalists at field level. “The open border with India is encouraging crime. The armed groups operating in parts of the country should also be sensitive to the security and safety of journalists who risk their lives to cover incidents and events," he said.
Reacting to the lack of initiative by the Maoists to help establish the whereabouts of Shah, Nishthuri said the parties had forgotten the role player by the press in the fight against regression.
He also lambasted the claim made by local Maoist unit of Bara that they had no hand in Shah’s abductions. He termed it as worst kind of political dishonesty.
Earlier, a parliamentary committee formed to probe the abduction had concluded that local Maoist leaders were involved in Shah’s abduction. According to MP Kamala Pant, local residents interviewed by the committee members have named four local Maoist leaders, two of them identified as Lal Bahadur Choudhary and Ram Ekbal Sahani, in the abduction episode.
The parliamentary panel headed by Urmila Aryal reached the conclusion after field visit in Bara during which it interacted with local human rights activists, political leaders, journalists and the locals about the circumstances leading to his abduction and the efforts being made for his release. The committee also comprised of two Maoist lawmakers, Tilak Pariyar and Prabhu Shah.
Shah, a central member of Press Chautari Nepal and correspondent of Kathmandu-based Nepal FM, was abducted from Bara on October 5.
Following blistering criticisms, the Maoist spokesperson, on October 28, issued a statement announcing that his party has formed a three member committee headed by Hari Bhakta Kandel and including Prabhu Shah and Shila Yadav as members to find truth regarding Shah’s abduction.
As abductions and attack targeted at free media continue, it was with a pinch of salt that Nepalese media community received the recent report by Reporters Without Borders which showed improvement in media freedom situation in Nepal last year. Since it only took into consideration the events and incidents of past year, its ranking did not match the ground situation in Nepal where following the armed activities in Terai, journalists have been facing increasing assaults.
