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VOL. 28, NO. 16, Dec 26, 2008 (Poush 11 2065 B.S.)
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ATTACK ON MEDIA
Daring Action
The pro-Maoist workers conduct a daring action by vandalizing the office and assaulting journos and staffs of Himal Media
By A CORRESPONDENT
Since the last few months, the pro-Maoist workers have been staging relentless attacks against the Himal Media Private Limited – a renowned publication house that publishes Himal Khabarpatrika fortnightly magazine, Himal South Asian monthly and Nepali Times weekly.
On December 21, a few dozen workers affiliated with Maoists descended on the Himal Media premises in Hattiban, Lalitpur and resorted to mindless vandalism.
They injured 12 persons including editor of Nepali Times, Kunda Dixit.
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| A reporter of Himal Media attacked by Maoist: Media under threat |
Twelve persons including editor of Nepali Times Dixit, and chief executive officer Ashutosh Tiwari were injured in the attack.
"This is not a labour issue, this is a press freedom issue," Dixit told reporters. "They attacked because no action was taken against those perpetrators we had named earlier," he said referring to earlier attacks against the publication.
The pro-Maoist workers have claimed that the magazine carried anti-Maoist pieces. Earlier, too, the pro-Maoist workers have been accused of threatening CEO Tiwari, and disrupting the distribution of magazine.
Planned Attack
According to reports, on Sunday noon (Dec 21), around 50 cadres affiliated to Hotel and Restaurant Workers Union, one of the labour union wings of the ruling CPN (Maoist), stormed the newsroom and printing press of the Himal Media Pvt Ltd at Hattiban, Lalitpur.
Accusing the media house of writing against Maoist-affiliated labour union, the assailants beat up and injured CEO of Himal Media Ashutosh Tiwari, finance officer Bindira Shakya and journalist Dambar Krishna Shrestha. Altogether 12 staff and journalists were injured including Kunda Dixit, editor of Nepali Times, one of the publications of the Himal Media.
The assailants also smashed window panes in the Himal Media newsroom and vandalized its meeting room.
"This is a coordinated and deliberate attack on the press," Dixit later told reporters.
He said chief of Maoist-affiliated Nepal Hotel Employees´ Union Ramesh Babu Panta and another Maoist cadre Ramesh KC were among the assailants.
In its latest issue, Himal Khabarpatrika had published a cover story about the growing militancy and intimidation chiefly by Maoist-affiliated labour unions.
The CPN (Maoist) is now heading a coalition government after the country was declared a federal democratic republic early this year.
This is the latest in a series of attack on Himal media. On October 25, this year, two men on a motorbike had hurled rocks at a car carrying Himal Media's CEO, Ashutosh Tiwari.
Barely three weeks later (on Nov 15, 2008), a group of around 10 masked men entered the distribution office of Himal Media at Maitighar, Kathmandu and burned around 1,300 copies of Himal Khabarpatrika which were being readied for distribution.
According to Himal Media, the assailants arrived on five motorbikes at around 9.45 pm, hooked off the landline and looted three mobile sets.
The attackers, some dressed in combat fatigues, took out bundles of the magazine, doused them with kerosene and set them on fire, according to the company.
Meanwhile, political leaders, civil society organizations and human rights bodies have all condemned the attack against Himal media and likened it with attack on press freedom.
