(FNJ/IFEX) – Cadres of the Madhesi Janatantrik Forum (MJF) attacked five journalists on 4 February 2007, at 10:00 a.m (local time) in the Tanki Sinwary area of Biratnagar, an eastern town in Nepal. Journalists Shambhu Bhandari of Nepal One television station; Bijaya Pathak, publisher and editor of “Birat Darpan” and central committee member of FNJ-Biratnagar […]
(FNJ/IFEX) – Cadres of the Madhesi Janatantrik Forum (MJF) attacked five journalists on 4 February 2007, at 10:00 a.m (local time) in the Tanki Sinwary area of Biratnagar, an eastern town in Nepal.
Journalists Shambhu Bhandari of Nepal One television station; Bijaya Pathak, publisher and editor of “Birat Darpan” and central committee member of FNJ-Biratnagar chapter; Bikram Luitel of Nepal Samacharpatra/Nepal FM radio station and executive member of FNJ; Mohan Manandhar of Nepal Television; and Binod Bhandari of “Kantipur” daily newspaper were assaulted when they arrived in Tanki Sinwary to cover a peace rally. Before the rally could commence, MJF cadres surrounded them and beat them brutally with sticks.
During the attack, two journalists – Shambhu Bhandari and Bijaya Pathak – sustained serious injuries.
FNJ condemns the attack, which took place after the MJF expressed its commitment to press freedom to FNJ President Bishnu Nisthuri, who is on a mission in eastern Nepal. Nisthuri spoke by telephone with MJF President Upendra Yadhav on the morning of 4 February, asking him to take responsibility for the incident, requesting that the Forum ask for forgiveness, and asking that Yadhav make public the Forum’s standpoint on the independent press and the attacks targeting journalists in Terai region.
FNJ also urges all the revolutionary parties in Terai region to make public their standpoint on press freedom, to halt attacks against the press and to take action against those who are involved in such attacks. If these actions are not taken, FNJ will be compelled to urge journalists not to collect news on the struggle in Terai region, declaring safety “its primary concern”. FNJ urges the government to take greater pains to ensure journalists’ safety.
In response to this attack, the FNJ organized a sit-in protest at Mandala in Kathmandu to demand a stop to attacks against the press, and to demand guarantees for complete press freedom.
During the protest program, FNJ secretary General Mahendra Bista expressed serious concern over the attacks on journalists in Terai region. He said that the revolutionary parties should take responsibility for the attacks and immediately stop any further attacks on journalists. He also announced that 16 media persons and five media houses have been attacked, 16 have been threatened and harassed, 15 have been displaced from their workplaces, 34 newspapers have interrupted their publication and 12 vehicles belonging to media institutions have been vandalized.
FNJ past presidents, media persons, civil society representatives and human rights activists participated in the hour-long program. The Nepalgunj, Butwal, Pokhara, Chitwan, Jhapa and Itahari chapters of the FNJ also held protest programs separately.