Displaced journalists return to Dailekh a week after Maoist threats to their lives

Some 22 Dailekh-based journalists who fled to Surkhet following threats of “physical action” from activists affiliated with ruling UCPN (Maoist) about a week ago, have returned to the district on Tuesday.

The displaced journalists returned to Dailekh with regional Deputy Inspector General of Police Tapendra Dhoj Hamal and regional administrator Sharada Prasad Trital. Also accompanying the reporters were Federation of Nepali Journalist chairman Shiva Gaunle, FNJ central members and representatives of National Human Rights Commission.

The displaced reporters and district correspondents of various local and national media houses had fled to Surkhet after UCPN (Maoist) activists threatened the journalists in the district that they will meet a fate similar to slain journalist Dekendra Thapa if they continue to report against the party and put pressure on the government to take action against the Maoist activists involved in the insurgency era murder case of journalist Thapa.

The journalists are scheduled to hold interaction with security officials, senior government officers and leaders and activists of UCPN (Maoist) as well as opposition parties NC and UML later today to ensure a secure environment where journalists can work without any fear for their lives. The journalists returned to Dailekh after Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai vowed to provide full security to journalists and asked them to return to their work area. Nepalnews.com