NEPALESE MEDIA HARASSED IN TWO
INCIDENTS
4 February 2008
Birgunj , Nepal
Media house attacked
Narayani Today published from Birgunj, Parsa,
located at the central region of Nepal was
attacked by a group of people on 3 February.
According to Shatrughan Nepal
, president of FNJ, Parsa Chapter, a group of people break into the
newspaper office shouting for disseminating news regarding the three
people killed in police action, police had ranked them as members of
Indian criminal gang. The aggressive group also damaged the
infrastructure and burnt down official documents saying "paper showed
the killed people as criminals, which is not correct," informed Nepal. Due to
this reason publication of the newspaper has closed for uncertain time.
Federation
of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) has condemned the attack and asked the
government to punish those involved in the incident, provide
compensation to the media house and provide adequate security for media
house, journalists and employees working there.
Pradeep Kaphle
Nepal
4 February 2008
Nawalparasi, Nepal
Vehicle Vandalized
Motorcycle
belonging to Brij Raj Kusawa, news correspondent of Kalika
FM, was vandalized by a group of assailants on 3 February at around
5 pm at Mahendra highway, Nawalparasi, a western district of Nepal.
According
to Keshav Parajuli, president of Federation of Nepali Journalists
(FNJ), Nawalparasi chapter, a group of assailants vandalized Kusawa's
motorbike because he belonged to Madhesi community. Madhesi armed
groups of Terai are fighting for independence of this region and have
called two-day Terai bandh from 3 February. They assumed that he also
belongs with these groups and targeted him saying, "this is the bandh
caller." His motorbike was vandalized while he was on his way to cover
the bandh program.
Federation
of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) has condemned the incident and urged
government to provide compensation to the victim journalist and to
punish the guilty who were involved in the incident.
Pradeep
Kaphle
Nepal