(CEHURDES/IFEX) – CEHURDES, a Kathmandu-based freedom of expression monitoring group, condemns the targeted attack by Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM) cadres against a vehicle belonging to a media house. According to a report by the daily “Kantipur”, the vehicle carrying newspapers for distribution was first pelted with stones and subsequently attacked with gunfire by people […]
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – CEHURDES, a Kathmandu-based freedom of expression monitoring group, condemns the targeted attack by Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM) cadres against a vehicle belonging to a media house.
According to a report by the daily “Kantipur”, the vehicle carrying newspapers for distribution was first pelted with stones and subsequently attacked with gunfire by people claiming to be cadres of JTMM (Jwala Singh faction) – a splinter group of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoists) that has launched violent activities in the eastern plains of Nepal.
The newspaper’s report said that at 5:00 a.m. (local time) on 31 December 2006, their vehicle (with the registration number Ba 3 Cha 6910) was attacked by the JTMM cadres between Pharset and Bavangamakati in Saptari district, south-eastern Nepal. The report quoted its driver, Hom Bahadur Moktan, as saying that at first the JTMM cadres pelted his vehicle with stones and, when he tried to speed away, two rounds of bullets were fired at the car. The vehicle ferries newspapers to nearby areas from the eastern town of Biratnagar every morning.
Later on, Bibas Bidrohi, the Saptari district coordinator of JTMM, announced that the vehicle belonging to “Kantipur” was targeted because the newspaper “did not give priority to their news.”
CEHURDES condemns the blatant attack on the media outlet’s vehicle. It is quite clear that the attack was aimed at repressing press freedom and freedom of expression. CEHURDES also expresses concern about the targeting of media by JTMM, which has intensified its organised violence in eastern Terai region of the country. CEHURDES wants to draw the attention of all concerned towards the ardent need to protect and promote press freedom.
