HEADLINE NEWS THE RISING NEPAL (DAILY)

Don’t publish materials abetting terrorists, Gupta requests media

Kathmandu, Nov. 28 (RSS): Minister for Information and Communications Jayaprakash Prasad Gupta has requested not to publish/disseminate news, articles, interviews, audio-visual or reading materials abetting terrorist activities.

Minister Gupta made the request while briefing proprietors and editors of private sector newspapers and F.M. Stations at the Ministry of Information and Communications today.

He said- "in the context of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (control and punishment) Ordinance, 2058 remaining in force, the Ministry earnestly requests the journalists and media people not to publish or disseminate interviews, articles, news or reading materials or audio-visual or commentaries encouraging the path taken by the Maoist terrorists or promoting or intended to supporting related activities like physical assault, loots, abduction, arson, murder and violent, disruptive and terrorist activities.

Minister Gupta stressed that in the context of the state of emergency in effect in the country, the media should be restrained, responsible and self-controlled in the dissemination of news and views.

He assured all that the declaration of the state of emergency in the country would not have any negative impact on the achievements of the popular movement of 1990.

It is necessary that all mediapersons become alert and conscious so that people involved in terrorist activities will not take advantage of the communication media and that their news will not be prioritized, the Information and Communications Minister said, making it clear that His Majesty’s Government had no any intention of blocking the information flow.

Referring to the right to freedom attained after the restoration of democracy being enjoyed by all, Minister Gupta, who is also spokesman of His Majesty’s Government, said that the government do not intend to disturb public life or restrict the fundamental right to information in the excuse of state of emergency.

He disclosed that it is not the government’s view that the state media be the sole source of information and lauded some private media for publishing or disseminating news in a restrained manner.

The Information and Communications Minister also remarked that the government had no plans of blocking collection of news, its dissemination and programme production, calling for the abiding of the directives issued by the government in letter and spirit.

He said henceforth he himself would be giving the information about the policy decisions of the government at political level, adding that a mechanism has also been put in place for the regular flow of information about the activities of the Royal Nepal Army, Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force.

His Majesty’s Government is thinking of disseminating information at the regional level also from the concerned region itself, the Minister said, adding arrangements would also be made for collection of news at the local level.

The directive distributed on the occasion has prohibited the publication and dissemination of any news item which may spread hatred and insult towards or incite contempt or ill intention or demean the stature of His Majesty or the Royal Family, news which may undermine the sovereignty and integrity of the Kingdom of Nepal, that may disturb law and order of the Kingdom of Nepal, jeopardize the harmonious relations subsisting among the peoples of various castes, tribes or communities or spread communal hatred, undermine the morality, social stature and decent public behaviour and news that is against the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal; news items that might hurt the fundamental norms and values of multiparty democracy, news that might jeopardize national dignity, cause social disintegration, spread fear and terror or any news that might spread mal-intention towards and discourage the Royal Nepalese Army, Nepal Police and civil servants hurting the glory of these institutions, or news that might support or abet maoist terrorists and groups; or any other reading materials published with the idea ofunseating the elected government through the use of violence, materials that might create fear and terror among the public and materials that might give the wrong interpretation of, spread contempt towards, or insult or demean any community, language, religion and culture.

Similarly, the directive has encouraged the use of news highlighting the criminal activities of the Maoist terrorists, but at the same time cautioned that the news should not boost the morale of the terrorists.

The directive also states that news received through His Majesty’s Government and the government media concerning the acts of bravery and the achievements of the Royal Nepal Army, Nepal Police and civil servants, however, can be published or disseminated ditto.

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