(FNJ/IFEX) – On 17 September 2006, journalists, a group of Dalits (untouchables), and human rights activists from an organization that advocates for the rights of Dalits were all attacked by a mob. The victims had gone to a Saileshwori temple in Doti, a western region of Nepal, to investigate the alleged mistreatment of Dalit women […]
(FNJ/IFEX) – On 17 September 2006, journalists, a group of Dalits (untouchables), and human rights activists from an organization that advocates for the rights of Dalits were all attacked by a mob.
The victims had gone to a Saileshwori temple in Doti, a western region of Nepal, to investigate the alleged mistreatment of Dalit women by the temple priest on 26 August, during Teej, a Hindu women’s festival. On 17 September the team reached the temple and admitted the local Dalit women so that they could perform their rites of worship.
According to a press release issued by the FNJ-Doti Chapter, a mob of people, encouraged by the temple priest and officials of the Saileshwori Development Committee, then attacked the visiting group of Dalits, journalists, and rights activists. The mob seized the cameras of, and issued death threats to, local journalists Ganesh Joshi, Dil Bahadur Singh, Min Bahadur Bam, Shankar Thapa, Tekendra Deuba, Siddha Raj Upadhyaya and Rana Bahadur Bohara. The journalists have gone into hiding for fear of their lives.
The FNJ strongly condemns the incident and urges the government to take action against such groups that seek to disrupt social harmony, and to guarantee the security of the threatened journalists.