(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 6 March 2004, Communist Party of Nepal (CPN-Maoist) rebels prevented journalists from visiting villages that are under rebel control in Rukum district, western Nepal. Journalists Hari Bishnu Oli, of Kantipur Publications, Shakti Kumar Pun, of the daily “Rajdhani”, and Dil Bahadur Shahi, of the state-owned Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS) news agency, were […]
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 6 March 2004, Communist Party of Nepal (CPN-Maoist) rebels prevented journalists from visiting villages that are under rebel control in Rukum district, western Nepal. Journalists Hari Bishnu Oli, of Kantipur Publications, Shakti Kumar Pun, of the daily “Rajdhani”, and Dil Bahadur Shahi, of the state-owned Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS) news agency, were stopped from entering the Jipu Pipalbot area. The area is about a four-hour walk from the town of Musikot, Rukum’s district headquarters.
According to “The Kathmandu Post” daily, CPN-Maoist rebels had asked journalists to wait another three days before visiting the restricted areas. According to the daily, there is no official CPN-Maoist party policy restricting the movement of journalists in their stronghold areas. However, permission is required before entering any Maoist-controlled zones.
CEHURDES condemns the rebels’ actions and the restrictions they imposed on journalists’ movements. The organisation urges CPN-Maoist Chairman Prachanda to ensure the free movement of journalists in the rebels’ stronghold areas.
