PM Dahal objects to attempts linking Maoists in journalist murder; cancels visit to Scandinavian countries
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Thursday vowed to bring those involved in the murder of Janakpur-based journalist Uma Singh to book, but said attempts to show Maoist involvement in the incident are inspired by “wrong intentions”.
In a meeting with a team of Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) that had reached his official residence in Balwuatar to submit a memorandum asking the government to ensure security to the journalists and guarantee that such incidents do not repeat, PM Dahal said the Maoist party of which he is a chairman can’t be blamed for the murder of journalist Singh just on the basis that her (Uma Singh’s) father and brother were abducted and disappeared by Maoist cadres in the past.
He said he was “shocked and speechless” after hearing the news about the gruesome murder of the 26-year-old journalist who reported on women’s issues. He also assured that strict action will be taken against anyone involved in the murder, that he will spare no one, not even his own cadres if they were found involved in it.
PM Dahal also informed the visiting journalists that he has cancelled his scheduled visit to Scandinavian countries Finland and Norway for the time being.
“I didn’t feel it is the time to go on a long foreign trip at a time when the country is facing so many problems,” PM was quoted as telling the journalists.
He said he has already notified about cancellation of the trip to Foreign Minister Upendra Yadav and directed him to only fix the next date after consultation with the envoys of the two countries to Nepal.
In its preliminary report Wednesday, FNJ said the murder of Uma Singh may have been “politically motivated”, and demanded that the abduction and enforced disappearance of her father and brother by Maoist cadres must be made the basis of the investigation of this incident.
“We are not yet in a position to tell who were involved in the murder,” reports quoted FNJ President Dharmendra Jha as saying while making public the preliminary report. “The investigation of this case must start immediately and her background must be made the basis of the investigation.”
The FNJ team led by Jha visited Janakpur on Monday to probe Singh’s murder.
FNJ submitted a memorandum to President Dr Ram Baran Yadav on Thursday demanding investigation into the murder of journalist Uma Singh.
The FNJ district branches across the nation are also scheduled to submit memos to Chief District Officer in their respective districts today.
The FNJ has also announced five-day protest demanding action against those involved in the murder of journalist Singh.
In Dhanusha, journalists continued their sit-in programme in front of the District Administration Office, demanding probe into the murder case.
The United States’ Embassy and the European Union (EU) on Wednesday called on the government to probe the killing of journalist Singh and prosecute the guilty.
On Tuesday, Jha told Press Trust of India (PTI) Tuesday that he suspected Maoist hand in the gruesome murder of the Janakpur-based journalist Sunday night.
Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF), a Paris-based international media watchdog, also said in a statement issued Monday that it was "shocked and horrified" by the brutal murder of the 26-year-old woman journalist and also alleged that some of the attackers could be linked to the ruling Maoist party. nepalnews.com ag Jan 15 09
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