Editors’ Alliance condemns attacks on press freedom
A group of editors of Nepal’s national newspapers, magazines and television have set up an alliance to fight what they called a “concerted and deliberate” spate of attacks on press freedom.
Ten members of the Editors’ Alliance said on Wednesday they have come together because they saw a sinister pattern of intimidation and threats against journalists by Maoist-affiliated organisations.
“We didn’t have such a serious attack on press freedom even during the direct censorship of media after the king’s coup in February 2005,” the Alliance said in a statement.
The Alliance is made up of editors of The Kathmandu Post (Prateek Pradhan), Nepal Samacharpatra, (Pushkar Lal Shrestha), Kantipur (Narayan Wagle), Image Channel (Vijay Panday), The Himalayan Times (Ram Pradhan), Sudheer Sharma (Nepal), Shree Acharya (Annapurna Post), Yubaraj Ghimire (Samaya), Shiva Gaunle (Himal Khabarpatrika) and Kunda Dixit (Nepali Times).
The publication of The Himalayan Times and Annapurna Post have since 11 August been obstructed by a Maoist-affiliated labour union. Members have even entered the news room to physically threaten journalists.
Production at Nepal Samacharpatra, Kantipur, Kathmandu Post, HBC FM, Drishti Weekly have also been disturbed in recent weeks.
“We ask that the Maoist leadership, including Information Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara, honour its stated commitment to protect press
freedom and not to incite attacks on the media,” the Editors’ Alliance stated.
The Alliance also drew the attention of UNMIN and the international community to these assaults and threats on the media and the impact this
will have on the peace process and its potential to disrupt the environment for free and fair elections. nepalnews.com Aug 15 07
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