Crackdown on press freedom could put 1,000 journalists out of work

[struggle4progress]

RSF/IFEX) - The Nepalese army is continuing to prevent privately-owned newspapers from publishing while around 1,000 journalists, particularly those working for the dozens of FM radio stations, could lose their jobs as a result of the crackdown on the news media imposed by the king on 1 February 2005, RSF warns.


The organisation said it was horrified by the impact of the six-month ban on all independent news and information. "The abusive use of the press law is a clear violation of the international undertakings given by Nepal, which has ratified the UN's International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights," RSF said.

The daily "Kathmandu Post" reported that about 1,000 journalists have had to stop work and could lose their jobs. Nepal has a total of 41 FM stations employing hundreds of journalists and technicians. Stations such as Hits FM and FM Adhyatma Jyoti each have more than 10 reporters. The largest stations, such as Kantipur FM, have at least 90 correspondents throughout the country.

Some stations such as Kantipur FM and Annapurna FM, which is based in the central town of Pokhara, have already been forced to lay off journalists, while the audio news agency Communication Corner, which distributed programmes to some 14 radio stations, has had to close. <snip>

http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/64419/

[Wind Dancer]

1. More info from Democracy Now!

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/02/10/1545238


Nepal: The Completion of a Coup?


As international attention continues to remain firmly focused on Iraq, the Middle East and the Tsunami, there is another volatile situation that is reaching a boiling point in Nepal. Nine days ago the country's king seized full control of the country and sacked the interim government.

Nine days ago, the country's king appeared on Nepal's state-run TV network, announcing a state of emergency. The King sacked the interim government and ordered a shutdown of the country's telephone and internet communications. Newspapers and radio stations were shutdown and a ban was imposed on all news reporting. Pro-democracy groups say that the move handed total control of the country to the Royal Nepalese Army under the direction of the King.

Since 1996, Nepal has faced an armed insurgency by Maoist rebels operating largely in the countryside and large pro-democracy protests in the capital Katmandu. After declaring the state of emergency on February 1st, the King's forces, which include the Nepalese Army, began rounding up activists, arresting scores of people and distributing watch lists of political activists to arrest if they attempt to leave the country. The monarchy and its forces receive significant military backing from the United States, the UK and India. Pro-democracy activists are now increasing their calls for a ban on military sales to Nepal.

-more-

[bloom]

2. Why did I just assume that was in the US?

:freak:

[paineinthearse]

3. Same thought here

Maybe that would motivate them to seek the truth.

[LifeDuringWartime]

4. not the only one!

:tinfoilhat:?

[movonne]

5. I thought the same thing...

[Tux]

6. Give it 2 years.

[fasttense]

7. I was hoping this was the U.S.

Then maybe some of these lap dogs for the right wing would end up on the street like all those intelligence agents.