(CEHURDES/IFEX) – Communist Party of Nepal (CPN-Maoists) rebels have recently imposed a reporting ban on five village development committees in Rukum district, western Nepal. CPN-Maoist District Secretary Bishal told “The Kathmandu Post” on 4 November 2004 that the ban would be lifted after “some time”. The paper further reported that CPN-Maoists had put into effect […]
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – Communist Party of Nepal (CPN-Maoists) rebels have recently imposed a reporting ban on five village development committees in Rukum district, western Nepal. CPN-Maoist District Secretary Bishal told “The Kathmandu Post” on 4 November 2004 that the ban would be lifted after “some time”. The paper further reported that CPN-Maoists had put into effect provisions that would make it mandatory for journalists reporting in the district to obtain permission from their “people’s government”. The banned areas include Chunbang, Mahat, Ranmaikot, Pwang and Purtimkanda.
In a separate incident, a group of 12 persons, including Som Bahadur Gurung and Dhana Bahadur Thapa, vandalised the offices of the weekly “Rastiya Samata” on 3 November, after a failed attempt to abduct Indra Bahadur Thapa Magar, husband of the paper’s owner, Radha Budhathoki. Magar had been staying at the weekly’s office.
“The Himalayan Times” reported that Magar owns a factory that produces covers for radios in Jorbara, Malaysia. Both Gurung and Thapa were working illegally in Magar’s factory in Malaysia and had been punished by a Malaysian court for another offence. The two men had just recently returned to Kathmandu.
CEHURDES condemns the CPN-Maoists’ reporting ban and the vandalism of “Rastiya Samata”‘s offices. CEHURDES further urges CPN-Maoist leaders to respect press freedom and freedom of expression, including the free flow of information.
