KOL. 12 January 2002. FNJ concerned about freedom of press.
KATHMANDU -- The government is increasingly curtailing the freedom of
Nepali press despite the press' showing of unswerving support and
keeping strict adherence to the norms of state of emergency, a press
statement issued here by the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ)
said Thursday.
"We are increasingly aware and concerned about the impending danger on
press freedom," said the release.
"We are much saddened by the behaviours of the security units with
suspicions and mistrust upon the press while we ourselves continue to
pledge all our support to the government in its endeavor to restore
peace and normalcy through the imposition of emergency," it said.
The FNJ thinks it is objectionable that journalists are exposed to
psychological torture and horror while the civil administration was
still in operation. It appeals the authority concerned not to cause
trouble to the journalists on the ground of suspicion.
"The Federation has been increasingly aware of the threatening
profession of journalists and untoward treatments meted out to them just
because they had formerly collected information from the Maoists," the
release said.
The Federation also calls for an early release of all the detained
journalists as well as allow the press to go ahead with the limited
freedom of publicity as provided under the law.
It also warned that it would be forced to take up strong steps if the
government continued its policy of mistrust, suspicions, and arrest of
journalists, limiting the sources of information and curtailing their
right to information.
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Barry Stoller
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ProletarianNews
