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Kathmandu Saturday June 09, 2001 Jestha 27, 2058.
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Freedom
from fear
This must be democracy’s greatest time of
crisis ever, where the nation’s leading newspaper comes under impending doom
following the ruthless arrest of one of the most outstanding, soft touch journalists, Yuba
Raj Ghimire.
We as journalists, the building bloc of
democracy feel extremely disappointed to report critically about the government and its
policies. We believe that the fundamental principles on which the press was instituted in
a democracy was to allow greater access to information to the public and help the
government make suitable policy. If this particular principle on which the press works
comes under attack from the government, there is no need of the press and so also
democracy. The government has overlooked this fact.
Freedom of information and freedom of expression
ought to be the unquestionable rights of any media whose purpose is to allow an outlet for
the people’s grievances and anger as a precautionary measures for an ailing
government. Larger access to the media in a democracy in general and in a situation like
this in particular is a must in the general interest of the masses.
Democracy cannot survive without its fourth
wing, the press, should its freedom be curtailed. The government has done more harm than
good by arresting one of the top journalists in Nepal which raises serious questions about
the just emerging democracy in Nepal.
The action of the government is both outrageous
and shortsighted. No government can curtail the free flow of information unless it aims at
re-imposing dictatorial governance through the demise of democracy won through much
suffering.
We as journalists feel extremely saddened and
disappointed at this most infamous act of the government in arresting officials of the
country’s premier publishers, Kantipur.
May the almighty restore sense in the
government.
Roshan Cherian
Indian Express |
