(Updated, 8:12 NST, 2:27 GMT)
KATHMANDU, Dec 29: Despite an understanding between government and Federation of Nepali Journalist (FNJ) to ensure publication of Kantipur and The Kathmandu Post from Biratnagar from Monday, the eastern editions of the newspapers did not come out.
"There were no eastern editions of the papers even on Monday," Sunil Basistha, circulation chief of Kantipur Publications told myrepublica.com in the capital.
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Bedraj Poudel, journalist at Biratnagar bureau of the publications said over phone that trade union members belonging to CPN (Maoist)-affiliated All Nepal Communication, Printing and Publications Workers´ Union (ANCPPWU) were not willing to resume the printing of papers stalled since Thursday. "We needed a lot of convincing and finally the employees agreed to resume work but said they would do so only from Tuesday," Poudel said.
Myrepublica.com tried to reach Ghanashyam Adhikari, chief of the regional sub-committee of ANCPPWU, Biratnagar, for his comments but his cell phone was switched off.
The union members are employees of the publications and had been on protest since last Monday demanding better pay and work conditions as part of their 12-point demand.
KATHMANDU, Dec 28: Minister for Information and Communications Krishna Bahadur Mahara and a delegation of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) have agreed to ensure publication of Kantipur and The Kathmandu Post from Biratnagar from Monday. According to Gobinda Acharya, FNJ vice-chairman and a member of the delegation, the government and the FNJ agreed to jointly appeal to the agitating workers in Kantipur Publications’ regional office in Biratnagar to let the papers be published and seek solution of the problems through negotiations. “The worker friends have agreed to ensure publication of the papers from tomorrow, responding positively to our call,” said Acharya. FNJ Secretary Ramji Dahal told myrepublica.com that the government has agreed to guarantee press freedom, and ensure safety of journalists and media houses and also to set up a focal point at the Ministry of Information and Communications to monitor press freedom situation. The government has also agreed to take immediate initiatives to get commitment from all the political parties on press freedom.
