Himalmedia attacked again, dozen injured

Himalmedia attacked again, dozen injured
Nepalnews, 21-Dec-08

Twelve staff of Himalmedia, including Nepali Times editor and publisher Kunda Dixit and CEO Ashutosh Tiwari, were injured in an attack by pro-Maoist workers at the organisation’s office in Hatiban, Lalitpur, at noon on Sunday.

About 50 attackers barged into the office of Himalmedia, publisher of widely-read Himal Khabarpatrika fortnightly magazine, Nepali Times weekly, Wave monthly and Himal Southasian - and resorted to vandalism and beating. They also threatened other editorial and administrative staff, saying they had written anti-Maoist stories.

Though most were wearing mask to conceal their identity, some of the attackers were identified as pro-Maoist workers of the organisation and were led by Ramesh Babu Panta and Ramesh KC.

Panta is central member of Maoist-aligned All Nepal Trade Union Federation and central chairperson of Hotel and Restaurant Workers Union while K.C is with the Media and Press Union, Lalitpur unit.

The latest issue of Himal Khabarpatrika and Nepali Times have investigative stories about, as what Himalmedia claims, “extremist behaviour” of Maoists who are threatening businesses and the media.

A cover-story titled “Hooliganism of Maoist trade union” published in Himal Khabarpatrika and a front-page report – abridged version of the same Himal story - published in the Nepali Times criticizse the anarchic act of Maoist–affiliated labor unions which has forced factories to close down, harmed workers and “threatens to unravel the party’s own plan to boost investment and create jobs”. It further adds that though the unrest is made to look like a labour issue, it is in fact “a guise to extort money, get jobs for cadres and relatives and a strategy to control the business sector”.

In another piece, Himalmedia also criticized the Maoists of disrupting the publication and distribution of its magazines and newspapers with the use of hooligans and their cadres.

The exclusive report also attempts to lay bare by citing various past incidents of politics played by Maoist affiliated trade unions in the name of working for the rights of the workers.

The report is especially critical of Salikram Jamarkattel, Maoist lawmaker and head of the Maoist trade union, who the report claims of heading this campaign of intimidation. According to it, Jamarkattel was involved in “extorting money from businesses, bombing and kidnapping owners who refused”.

Accusing Maoists of giving rise to militant labour, the reports also says that the Maoist trade union headed by Jamarkattel has been targeting multinational companies, forcing many to close shop while PM Dahal appears to be either unable or unwilling to control it.

Sunday's attack is the latest in a series in the past month during which the Maoists vandalised an office vehicle, set fire to copies of Himalkhabarpatrika and threatened to kill staffers.

Other injured staffers include finance manager Bindira Shakya, Himal Khabarpatrika editor Kiran Nepal, special correspondent Damber K Shrestha and administrative manager Surendra Sharma.

"This is not a labour issue, this is a press freedom issue," said Nepali Times editor Kunda Dixit, "The Maoists want to control the media."

Attack condemned

Various media rights groups, human rights organisations, political parties and lawmakers have denounced the attack on Himalmedia.

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in a release described the attack as an act of direct interference in the freedom of the press and asked the government to guarantee security to media houses and journalists.

“NHRC urges the Nepal government to make necessary arrangement to safeguard media institutions including Himalmedia and provide security to journalists,” NHRC said.

Similarly, the Office of the High Commission for Human Rights in Nepal (OHCHR-Nepal) dubbed the attack as an attack against freedom of expression.

OHCHR-Nepal further asked the Nepal Police to complete its investigation into the incident as swiftly as possible so charges could be laid, urging state authorities to take all steps necessary to ensure that the media has a secure environment in which to do its work.

Likewise, CPN (UML) also condemned the attack and asked the government to initiate action against the culprits.

Other organisations condemning the attack on Himalmedia included Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ), Broadcasting Association of Nepal (BAN), Informal Sector Service Centre and Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Studies (CEHURDES). The pro-Maoist Revolutionary Journalists Association also condemned the attack and called for legal action against those involved in it.

Meanwhile speaking in the parliament today, lawmakers from various parties deplored the attack, describing it as an attempt to muzzle the independent media.

Lawmakers condemning the attack and seeking government’s attention towards such incidents included UML’s Pradeep Gyawali, Lalman Lal Karna of Nepal Sadbhawana Party and Hridayesh Tripathi of Terai Madhesh Loktantrik Party.