Nepali press freedom under attack

Nepali press freedom under attack
Jan. 13, 2010: Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) cadres attacked on vehicle
belonging to Nagarik Daily in Bara District, Tamagadi Jungle area which is
located in the southern part of Nepal on January 7.
"The attacker stopped vehicle in accuse of defying banda called by Maoist
and vandalized it" Rajan Samari, a driver of the vehicle said.
According to him the attackers accelerated the attack after knowing that the
vehicle was carrying Nagarik Daily. I stopped the vehicle after stone was
hurled on wind screen.
I told them that the vehicle belongs to press but they didn't stop attack
even after knowing the fact rather they wanted to make more loss.
Unified CPN (Maoist) cadres had called a bandh in Bara, Parsa and Rautahat
districts in protest of killing their three cadres on Monday. They promised
free movement of Ambulance, vehicles of diplomatic mission and press in the
banda.
Further, a group of unruly locals beat up Prem BC, a journalist with the
local Panchakoshi Community FM, on Tuesday night. They assaulted BC with
staffs and other sharp objects while he was having lunch at a hotel. BC
sustained serious injuries on his head, face and back. Dr Sojan Sapkota of
District Hospital Dailekh said his condition was critical. Four persons have
been held in suspicion of their involvement in the crime.
In yet another incident, journalist Bibek Bhattrai was thrashed by a local
Bikas Limbu in Morang, Pathari, lies in the eastern part of the country on
January 6 Tuesday.
Following a news published by journalist Bhattrai, Limbu severally thrashed
him in a public place.
Freedom Forum denounces all the above mentioned incidents. The Forum tags
all these incidents as an attack against people's right to free expression
and press freedom. The Forum asks the government to bring the perpetrators
into book as soon as possible. (Krishna Sapkota, Freedom Forum)