Maoist atrocities

Executive Director of BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital Dr Bhakta Man Shrestha, who has been missing since May 18, has allegedly been abducted by the Maoists due to differences with Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa. However, the Maoists have so far denied the reports. Dr Shrestha was appointed by the Maoist party to the present post and has been associated with the party since their insurgency days. Confirmed reports say that Dr Shrestha had been having differences with Thapa over hospital matters besides Thapa’s associate who works in the same hospital.



If the allegations are true (Republica has confirmed this from multiple sources), then this is a blatant example that if things don’t go their way, the Maoists do not refrain from taking coercive action against anyone. But this is not what a political party should be doing. Such a step is nothing but a blatant violation of the rule of law. It only goes on to show that the Maoists are yet to learn quite a few things about how to conduct themselves by coming out of their war mentality. Abducting someone is not how you resolve differences. Imagine what must be going through the minds of Dr Shrestha’s family members!



There are also allegations that the abduction was carried out over differences on financial matters. If that is true, then Nepalis deserve to know the details. The probe being carried out must lay bare all the details before the public as soon as it is possible. Meanwhile, we hope nothing untoward has happened to the doctor and pray for his safety.



Because Republica and Nagarik came up with investigative reports suggesting that the missing doctor had been abducted by the Maoist party, Maoist cadres have gone on a rampage against the publishing house. On Saturday, some of their goons torched the publication’s pick-up van that was carrying Republica and Nagarik. The van was torched while the driver and a child were inside it. A day before, they had burnt copies of the papers all around the country. This is atrocious. If the party had reservations against what the papers had written, they could have voiced their protests in many different civilized ways. For example, they could have filed a case against the paper and/or complained to Press Council Nepal. They could have written letters to the editor, which we would have published without hesitation.



The Maoists should remember that we will not be bogged down or get intimidated by what they have done to us. In fact, it would be naive on their part to assume that our commitment to journalism of courage would weaken following the recent violent incidents. On the contrary, it has emboldened and strengthened us further providing us energy and courage to keep on working tirelessly for the sake of our readers and journalism as a whole.

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