Dedicated to Daniel Pearl

The Maoists used its trade union at Kantipur Publications to close down the publications. The Maoists’ Young Communist League has looted and burnt the copies of the Kantipur daily and its sister publication The Kathmandu Post. The Maoists attacked the printing press of the Kantipur Publications and disrupted the regular publication of the newspapers. The Maoist lawmaker Salikram Jamkattel has threatened to close down the Kantipur television also in four days. He also threatened to abduct journalists of Kantipur Publications. He said his cadres will beseize the Kantipur Publications and will close down the media house permanently. The Maoists today also surrounded the Kantipur Publications and stopped the entrance of journalists into the publications.

Today the Federation of Nepalese Journalists took out a rally against the Maoists’ attack on Kantipur Publications. Read the reactions from various persons present on the occasion.

“    Yesterday, the king misused army and police to suppress press freedom and now monarchy is counting its last days; now the Maoists are following Gyanendrapath and will meet the same fate - Bishnu Nishthuri, FNJ president

“    I have not given the right to anyone to prevent me from reading Kantipur…Don’t the Maoists know that a party has to digest its criticism in a democracy? - Raghuji Pant, CPN-UML leader

“Do we have democratic political parties in the country? If so, where are they? - Shambhu Thapa, ex-NBA president

“We’ve been fighting to end autocracy for the last 30 years. It seems the fight is not over yet - Dr Kedar Narshingh KC, president of Nepal Medical Association

“    This is not just right of Kantipur or journalists; now the readers and viewers and listeners must come out to protect their right to information - Taranath Dahal, ex-FNJ president

“    What the Maoists have done is not only condemnable, but punishable as well - Shyam Shrestha, civil society stalwart

POST REPORT
KATHMANDU, OCT 2
Journalists and civil society leaders on Tuesday strongly charged that the Maoists’ attack on Kantipur Publications is tantamount to an attack on loktantra.

Addressing a mass meeting, following a rally, organized by Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) here, its President Bishnu Nisthuri said, “Maoists are forcefully trying to cease press freedom.”

He said the Maoists are copying the formula of the king, who, he said, used more than 90,000 armies and police to finish off the freedom of the press. “Maoists’ activities are no any different from the kings who eventually saw his own collapse,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, UML Central leader Raghuji Panta said, “Maoists’ activities have clearly shown that they are against press freedom.”

He strongly charged that the Maoists are maintaining double standards and are flouting the democratic norms and values. “They (Maoists) are in the parliament and the government, there are legal ways and forums to raise the issues.”

He said the loktantra can’t exist without free press. “We (parties) fought for a complete loktantra where free press exists perennially,” he said.

While stating that the press has its right to criticize the wrongdoings of any political parties and any leaders, he said any political party which can’t tolerate criticism can’t claim to be a political party.

Former President of the Nepal Bar Association (NBA) Shambhu Thapa said those who try to finish off press will get destroyed ultimately. “Attack on Kantipur is an attack on the free press of the world,” he said, adding, “All should strongly fight against such autocracy.”

He urged the alliance of professionals to immediately resort to protests to protect freedom of the press.

Civil society leader Shyam Shrestha said, “Attack on Kantipur is not only condemnable but it is also punishable.”

He urged the Maoist leadership to immediately stop the anti-press activity and take action against those involved in the disruption of Kantipur publications.

While strongly condemning the Maoists’ act of seizing and burning the copies of Kantipur and the Kathmandu Post, he said, “The act of looting the newspapers doesn’t stop the voice. It is the most condemnable act.”

Tara Nath Dahal, former president of the FNJ appealed to all readers of newspapers to resort to protests against the Maoists. “The Maoists have seized the readers’ right to read newspapers and they all have to resort to protests to protect their right,” he said.

Bal Krishna Chapagai, president of Press Chautari, said, “The attack on Kantipur publications is an attack on all other media.”

He said other media including FMs may come under Maoist attacks after the Kantipur if it is not immediately checked. “Maoists are attacking media in various pretexts and we must condemn them,” he said.

Prateek Pradhan, editor of the Post said the Maoists are scared of the voice of loktantra. He also claimed that the journalists at Kantipur Publications will continue fighting for their professional rights. “Maoists may bomb the publications, they may destroy the press but the voice for loktantra will never cease,” he said.

Gopal Thapalia, president of the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA), Dr Kedar Narshingh KC, general secretary of the Doctors’ Association, Samir Jung Shaha, president of Press Union, Babita Basnet of Sancharika Samuha, Sunil Pokharel, an artist, Kiran Manandhar and president of Lalitkala Loktantrik Abhiyan condemned the Maoists’ attack on Kantipur Publications.

BOX
Intervention of 7-party sought
Journalists on Tuesday demanded that the seven political parties immediately hold a meeting to address the attack on free press.

Speaking at a gathering of journos and civil society leaders today, former President of NBA Shambhu Thapa said, “Seven political parties should immediately hold a meeting and address the issue of attack on media.”

He charged that the political parties haven’t taken the issue seriously. “My question is to Girija Prasad Koirala, my question is to Prachanda and other political parties. If you call a meeting for your political interests, why you can’t sit to address the issue of attack on press,” he said, adding, “If they fail to immediately settle the problem, we will be compelled to say that there are not loktantrik parties, there is no loktantrik government.”

Similarly, President of FNJ Bishnu Nisthuri said, “We regret that the political parties haven’t yet addressed the issue of attack on press. Words only don’t work. They need to take action.”

Speaking on the occasion, UML Central leader Raghuji Panta said he would take initiative to raise the issue of attack on free press at the upcoming meeting of seven political parties.