Nepal: Press Under attack

Telegraph Nepal

May 21 2012: Nepal’s highly partisan media categorically became the prime target of demonstrators during the ‘Bundh’ called by various indigenous communities May 20, 2012.

Must have recalled King Gyanendra's days and compared.

The Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) issuing a statement has deplored the incident.

The FNJ President Shiva Koirala ‘Gaule’ was of the view that the attack on media was well coordinated and a deliberate one.

But who collaborated?

Dinesh Gautam of Citizens FM was hit by an Iron Rod by the demonstrators in Bouddha area and his motorbike was vandalized. Journalist Rajan Parajuli’s motorbike was set on fire.  Similarly, Journalists Radhe Shyam Dahal of Sagarmatha Channel, Shakti Karki of Roadmap Weekly, Prakash Kattel and Biku Tamang- Sports’ journalists, were badly treated by the demonstrators, claims the FNJ.

Very sad. We sympathise.

The demonstrators set ablaze two motorbikes that belonged to Kattel and Tamang.

Further, demonstrators vandalized motorbikes owned by Upendra Sharma of Muktipatra Weekly, Rajesh Chamling of Gorkhapatra and Sambhu Prasai of Rajdhani Daily. Chamling was assaulted by demonstrators in Chabahil area of Kathmandu.

Another motorbike owned by YP Ghimire of Himalayan Television was set ablaze by demonstrators in Gwarkho of Lalitpur.

In Kupandol of Lalitpur, a motorbike was set on fire by activists owned by Dipendra Karki of Karobar Daily. Karki was thrashed by the demonstrators.

Early hours on Sunday, a distribution vehicle of Kantipur Publication was vandalized by demonstrators in Jorpati area of Kathmandu. Another vehicle owned by Kantipur was vandalized in Buddhanagar of Kathmandu.

Similarly, two vehicles of ABC television became the target of activists in Chabahil and Gwarkho. A vehicle of Avenues Television was vandalized by protestors in Bouddha, Kathmandu.

Throughout the day, media men and their vehicles became the prime target of the demonstrators. In all, some 25 media personnel were heavily thrashed and their vehicles vandalized by the demonstrators.

In the meantime, Chairperson Raj Kumar Lekhi ‘Tharu’ of NEFIN (Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities) has instead claimed that the coordinated attack on independent press was a conspiracy of the government.

Shifting the blame!

He said government vigilante were behind the coordinated attack on media.

Climax of hatred against Nepali press.

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