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Despite worsening health, Dahal vows to continue with fast unto death

On the twelfth day of his fast-unto-death, Birendra Dahal has vowed to continue his strike despite rapidly worsening health.

"Doctors have said that my pulse is weakening. My vision has also started getting blurred," Dahal told Nepalnews on Thursday morning.

Dahal - manager of Radio HBC FM which has been off the air for the past two weeks under pressure from employees - has been sitting in the premises of Nepal Press Council since last 12 days demanding written commitment from all the political parties represented at the parliament towards 'full press freedom.'

"My strike has nothing to do with HBC radio. I am bound by my conviction. I only want to alert all where our country is heading to," Dahal said, adding that he feared that elements trying to create a monolithic society were on the march. "And the history of the world shows that press is always the first victim in such period."

Dahal said that though political leaders and MPs have been visiting him, he is yet to get written commitment from them. "Even the prime minister reportedly said he would visit me. But what I would like better is the commitment from him and others," he added.

Dahal said that the government has not sent any doctor to inquire about his health yet.

Meanwhile, Nepal Press Council chairman Rajendra Dahal met with Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala on Thursday morning to brief him about Birendra Dahal's situation. "We talked about the hunger strike launched by Birendra Dahal," Rajendra Dahal told Nepalnews.

The PM is learnt to have urged the press council to take initiatives to end the strike. nepalnews.com sd Aug 23 07