(CEHURDES/IFEX) – Communist Party of Nepal (CPN-Maoist) rebels have reportedly expelled journalist Chitra Bahadur Singh “Gaunley” from their village in Kalikot district. On 13 October 2003, the daily “Kantipur” reported that Singh fled the district with his wife Jamuna and four-month-old baby. A resident of Odanku-5, Dillikot, Singh has been working as a district correspondent […]
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – Communist Party of Nepal (CPN-Maoist) rebels have reportedly expelled journalist Chitra Bahadur Singh “Gaunley” from their village in Kalikot district. On 13 October 2003, the daily “Kantipur” reported that Singh fled the district with his wife Jamuna and four-month-old baby. A resident of Odanku-5, Dillikot, Singh has been working as a district correspondent for the daily “Rajdhani”. He apparently reached Dailekh district on foot.
In a separate incident, CPN-Maoist rebels threatened journalist Dinesh Chandra Thapalia, in Dhading district. In a 12 October letter, the rebels asked the journalist for a significant sum of money, threatening to abduct him if he was unable to pay.
CEHURDES expressed shock over the CPN-Maoists’ treatment of the two journalists. The organisation urged the rebel leaders to instruct their cadres to stop the mistreatment of journalists and free expression activists and called on them to respect citizens’ fundamental human rights.
