Attack on journos

Instigated by Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s warning against independent writers, journalists and other professionals in his speech on Saturday, UCPN (Maoist) cadres [break] physically assaulted journalists in the capital on Sunday. They mercilessly beat up Associated News Agency photographer Prabin Maharjan, who required 13 stitches on his head. Maharjan was hit with sticks and iron rod at Maitighar while taking pictures of the Singh Durbar picketing organized by the Maoists. Similarly, Rabindra Shrestha, a reporter for Avenues Television, was also attacked. Many reporters were harassed, bullied and prevented from carrying out their work.



Shruti Niroula, a reporter for Sagarmatha Television, was reportedly bullied by Maoist cadres for over an hour. And these are not isolated incidents, for over the years journalists have been senselessly targeted and attacked by the Maoists, allegedly for reporting unfavorable to their party. Journalists were also killed during the war years. Incidents such as the murder of Birendra Sah are testimony to Maoist animosity towards the media fraternity. Assaults of this sort on journalists carrying out their duty are an attack on press freedom and deserve condemnation.



Unfortunately, the Maoist leadership fails to weigh what impact their incitement through public utterances has on their own cadres. While addressing the party mass meeting at Tundikhel Saturday, Dahal accused journalists, writers, intellectuals, the business community and middle class Kathmanduites of humiliating the rural folks who have come to the Valley to participate in Maoist agitations. He also said that people are keeping a record in their minds on who wrote what and who said what, and that he would settle scores with them in future.



Dahal also described those who joined the peace assembly led by the business community and others Friday as state-sponsored vigilantes. Such a negative mindset against the media poses a danger not only to freedom of speech but also to the very spirit of democratic norms and values. The Maoist leadership must clarify their commitment to press freedom at once and direct their cadres to ensure that no harm is done to mediapersons.



To that end they must punish the cadres responsible for the attacks on Sunday. Professional groups have also sought an apology from Dahal himself over his Saturday utterances and for the attacks on journos. Those attacks on Sunday also bring to the fore the issue of the safety and security of mediapersons in the country, given the hostile environment in which they have to out their functions.



Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal assured the National Forum of Photo Journalists on Monday that the state would guarantee their safety and ensure that the guilty are brought to book. The government now has to put its commitment into practice. And the opposition Maoist party, for its part, must forthwith stop the mental and physical harassment they mete out to journalists.

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