Update: The CPN-UML boycotted a scheduled meeting of the political coordination committee, which was supposed to be attended by Prime Minister Puspa Kamal Dahal, as a mark of protest against the Maoist attack on Himalmedia Pvt Ltd on Sunday. The UML also issued a statement condemning the Maoists for “brutal attack” on Himalmedia. Former CPN-UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal visited the Himalmedia office and expressed solidarity with the media. “This is condemnable attack and is aimed at intimidating the free press,” Nepal said after the visit. (source)
Himal Magazine journalist Damabar Krishna Shrestha, who was injured, talks about the attack.
Activists of the ruling party CPN-Maoist today attacked one dozen employees, including scribes, of the Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, the publisher of Nepali Times, Himal Magazine, Wave Magazine. The Maoist cadres vandalised the Himalmedia office at Hattiban in Lalitpur and attacked the staffers including Publisher and Nepali Times editor Kunda Dixit, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ashutosh Tiwari, Executive Editor Kiran Nepal and senior correspondent Dambar Krishna Shrestha among others.
According to the Himalmedia, a group of about 50 persons led by the Maoist affiliated All Nepal Hotel and Restaurant Workers’ Union (ANHRWU) Chairman, Ramesh Babu Pant, barged into the meeting hall and attacked the mediapersons at around 12 pm today. The group entered the meeting hall and started vandalising the office frantically, Publisher Dixit confirmed. The Himal Media said among them 25 had entered the office saying that they were supposed to participate in the meeting. Other activists stayed outside the office.
Injured scribe Shrestha informed that the attackers warned that anything could happen within 24 hours as the Himalmedia published news against them. “We said we wanted to talk, but they started beating us,” he added. The Himalmedia has claimed that more than 12 staffers have been injured.
This is the latest in a series of attack against the Himalmedia. The company’s CEO Tiwari, and his driver were targeted on Oct. 25 when two men on a motorcycle hurled rocks at their vehicle. And less than a month after that, an unknown gang of eight barged into the distributor’s office of the Himal Khabarpatrika at Maitighar and captured 5000 copies of the magazine stored at the customer’s solution for distribution and set them on fire using kerosene on November 17.
NHRC, OHCHR, RJAN, political leaders condemn media attack
Leaders of the CPN-UML and the Nepali Congress and officials of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) visited the Himalmedia office today and condemned the attack on press. They said the attack is a direct interference against the press freedom. The NHRC has urged the government to maintain necessary arrangement to safeguard media institutions including Himal Media, press freedom and the journalists. Mentioning the incidents of killings, violence, attacks, threats, seizures, arson, etc. have been increasing targeting media institutions and media professionals, the NHRC stressed that proper security to them has not been provided.
NC leader Nabindra Raj Joshi and UML leader KP Oli were also present during the visit.
Meanwhile, Revolutionary Journalists’ Association Nepal (RJAN), a group of pro-Maoist journalists, regretted the attack on Himalmedia office. Issuing a press statement today, RJAN Chairman Mahesh Dahal demanded that the government to probe into the incident and bring the culprit to book. “We urge all sides to respect the press freedom,” the statement added.
Similarly, United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)-Nepal condemned the attack against staffers at the Himalmedia publishing house in Kathmandu and dubbed it as an attack against freedom of expression. In a statement issued today, the OHCHR-Nepal said that its officers followed up the incident in support of investigators from the NHRC. “In Janakpur on 20 October, several persons reportedly raided the office of the local Terai Times newspaper, assaulted staff, and damaged and stole equipment. The incident followed publication of a news article suggesting that the Maoist youth front Young Communist League (YCL) was providing protection for prostitution,” the OHCHR said in a statement. OHCHR-Nepal urged the state authorities to take all steps necessary to ensure that the media has a secure environment in which to do its work.
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34 responses to “Maoist, the Party of Prime Minister, Attacks Himalmedia, the Newspaper House”
woken up yet?
or do you all need more evidence and samples that these thugs are up to no good.
their double play of good cop bad cop makes me even sicker – it’s a pathetic facade which people have begun to see through.
where is Dixit’s civil society now? why don’t they barge into Maoist office and protest? what did they think they’ll get by rooting for this gang-rule called Maoists? ??????? ???? ????? ??????? ????????? ??? ?????? ??? ?? ?? ? ???? ?????????????? ?? ?????? ???? ????????? ???????????? ????? ????????? ??????? ????? ????? ???????? ???????? ?????? ????? ??????? ???? ?????? ????? ????? ?? ??????? ??????? ??????? ???? ???? ???? ???????? ???? ??????? ??? people’s republic ???????? ???? ?????? ????? ??????? ??????????? ??????? ????? ??? ???? ???? ????? ????
ITs a true face of maoist..they came from jungle and they behave like jungali…i knew they will never ever be able to adopt civilized society, they will have no respect of anyone and anything ..they came to power by force, and they think they can run nation with force.
i think the way they handling situation ..its creating a havoc,something need to be done,with all this attacks and mentality country is heading towards worst, next zimabawe, inflation is so high, crime rate has sky rocketted , lawless state, de-moralized security body.
gangs n thugs running country under political banners.. UML,UF,TD..what ever..madheshi have there own demands…every day bandha….corruption
very depressing situtation
It is strange, where is the so called ‘civil society: of Nepal now?????
So called media are biased and will be biased.
Now why it was attacked?
Nepalese news is not independent, there is a civil war that we like to denominate peace process.
In reality the hindus that went to Delhi or Dubai and rest of the world are not only sore loosers.
Victory comes and goes as Mao says.
Mao is dead and so is free press.
solution?
maybe do what they like say it is all dandy and water runs freely in all dalit homes hunza.
maybe alcaida trains maoists now too what is next
This is a brazen attempt by Maoists to suppress media.
Prachanda and the maoist command are directly responsible for this.
I have been yelling for long time that “you reap what you sow”
These so called nagarik samajka Haguwa was supporting terrorist maoist and now we all have to suffer the consequence. Now they themselves are getting slap in the face, I hope they wake up and start the campaign to kick out maoist to jungle again and for final showdown to settle this mess once and for all. This is only solution and it will come to this situation sooner than later.
does prachanda have guts to punish his own dogs….
…………………………………………………………. i used to think he is brave, he has control over his party, dogs…………..
……………………………………. but he turned out to be a chicken who can not even pick a hair of his outof control dogs…………….. he has to take permission of his party even to pee…………………………………….. he should not just leave govt. …………. he should run away from politics.
They have simple answer to ALL MISDIDS by them.
They blatantly deny their involvement.
BIG SHAME
No matter what they are saying they have not changed their behaviors. Even though, now they being the main political party in Nepal, they have not been a responsible party.
and yes all of their main leaders trying to defend the attacks by saying that “may be the paper had misprinted something wrong“.
This is what of the the maoist minister Hisila Yami said on, Monday, who came heavily against media for “launching offensive drive to debilitate the Maoist-led government”.
and
accused the media of trying to weaken govt.
we are also hearing that they are now threatening kantipur publications as well.
hell knows what they are upto now…
Dixit can go and ask help from Civil Society, is he not one of the leaders ? Isn’t it ironic, civial society in an uncivil country. The guy was having high voices for heavy handedness of the Army now its his turn to realize what it means to live in a country without security. Welcome Mr. Dixit to know how it feels to be a common man in Nepal once again.
Everyone in nepal is looking after themselves and not in the sake of the country, so if they all are in trouble good for them, The fcat it they only care about thenselves not the country. The king was not the only one like this everyone else there is. Mr. Koirala, Mr. Dahal. Mr. BR Bhattarai, Mr. YCL all look out for themselves. If they get hurt too bad, but wait there is more to come more civial unrest and more fights and wars. Nepal is heading towards a calamity. It maynot be nepal in a few years.
Media had been heedlessly romanticized on “maoist movement” despite the trauma and pain the maoist insurgency has caused in Nepal with more than 13,000 dead, land seized and continuing violence and dissaperance. And now saldy media has to chew its own bullets and cry foul when one media house is vandalized. Our own PM Prachanda relishes on those old ways and days. He still is a staunch believer that “power comes from the barrel of the gun”. I agree with mahila sahu “what you reap what you sow” or “play with fire you’ll burn with finger. Nepalese media and Nagarik Samaj has given themselves A+ on trailing maoist to peace talk, peace walk …..blah and blah. I just hope it wont be a classic Clinton-Lalu case where Lalu Prasad Yadav went to learn english with Clinton and Clinton came out speaking hindi with no sight of Lalu learning english.
it was necessary to shake hand with the terrorist because ganandra was too powerful than those terrorist and ………………….. republicans had to use the bullets and expendable terrorist to bring republic. …………………….. if gynandra had chance he would have eradicate terrorist and would had become untouchable…………………….. would have ruled for decades ……………………………… which would have been a disastor for prosperity, humanright….. right of nepalese to live with dignity………………………………………….
…………………………………………………. today byproduct is still left …….. and we need to neutralize it, if nepales join hands, it wont be hard.
I don’t have sympathy over crook journalists, who instead of being professional only after dollars and Indian rupees earnings…
They’ve been in government for more than hundred days..they’ve vandalized media houses…. they’ve…… they’ve…. WELL THEY’VE DONE NOTHING ELSE!!! Mr Prachanda is a cry baby, who finds himself very emotional when 1) His party is believed to be weak in polls analysis 2) He’s about to loose …And when a media house is hit, when journalist get thrashed by his “brave cadres” , thats either unfortunate… or just an exaggeration….. maybe the journalist just fell… maybe there was an earthquake ….. MAYBE ITS TIME WE SHOW THESE BRATS, THEIR REAL PLACE….
Violence is the old strategy!
Again the society cries foul over an obvious crime. But is it true, that such behaviour is a domain of the Maoists? No, the whole society of Nepal is used to violence.
Unless a deeper discussion is started nothing will ever change. A problem can never be solved from the surface, you must get to the roots to understand and effect change.
Here as a quote an old post i wrote here on UWB (May 2006) on that sad subject:
HIMSA – AHIMSA
Not the Maoists should be subject in the public discussion, the common habitual use of violence must be carefully analysed before framing a new constitution.
Nepal is infected with violence from top to bottom. From state terror to domestic violence, all forms of cruel and injust behaviour are common in Nepal. This can only be changed through open discussion and public confession of perpetrated crimes by those concerned.
In families and schools, in shops, companies and ministeries, in the military, among the rebels, parties (and in the palace), all are committing similar domestic cruelties day by day.
I suggest to completely demilitarize Nepal through drafting a new, truely democratic constitution. The still urgently needed revolution is not only political, but mainly economic, social and educational.
To fastly regain the valuable former global reputation as a zone of peace and religion, only a complete demilitarization can create the needed international respect and support as well as lasting trust between the different sides of the conflict.
By collectively giving up violence and living in mutual respect and peaceful coexistance of different opinions and lifestyles, Nepal can develop a prosperous and beneficial society, based on the guiding principles of preserving, protecting and nurturing natural, cultural and religious diversity in a free, democratic, federal state.
The process of demilitarization and the creation of a decentralized effective, modern policeforce could be supervised by the UN. If successful, this will set an important global example.
Ahimsa knows: Violence is the old strategy!
some people say “they do not believe in ballet, they believe in bullet”………………………………….. ………………..
i think that is not completely true……………………………….
…………………………….. i think they do not believe or have no bs, weather it is ballet or bullet or brain……………..
looks like they have very slim chance in ballet, ,,,,,,,,,,, they have no chance against bullet (they can not even stand against bullet,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and we all know they never had any brain………………………………………….. their tactice, they believe in terror not bullet…………………..
………………………………terror is the name, terrorism is the game………………………………. so dont be confused.
my advice……………………..easy to respond to terrorist…..
……………………………….all the business, industries, commerce join hands…………… open some non profit org. somewhere in europe……………………….. collect datas of labours, employees belonging to the terrorist, and their family member and put it in the internet so that all the employer have access and……………………….. donot give those elements jobs……………………………
trust me ……….. it will work.
there are recording of speeches of prachanda giving to his dogs where he talks about terror tactices, legitimizing voilence, attacking others, killing, kidnapping,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, motivating their dogs to do so,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, i think this evidence would be enough to bring him infront of international court. ………………………
…………………………………….
(i saw that video in pro-terrorist and pro-mandale channel i.e. ABC news.)
Who let the dogs out? whoof whoof…
Maoists are shooting themselves in their own foot by their heavy handiness–afai bokshi, afai jhankri attitude. Their strategy to capture the state machinary by force may work, but, they will eventually have to face the ballot box. Maoists got the people’s mandate for a change, but, they seem to have lost their revolutionary fervor for change & progress. Instead, the Maoists are bogged down in empty rhetoric & the bourgeios lifestyle. Nepali people will not forget the Maoists atrocities & the double standards.
Maoists need to wake up & smell the coffee/tea before they lose the support of the people. Patience is running low.
Its not just an attack on ‘press freedom’ but on freedom itself. If a party believes in itself and in its cause, its hard to see why retaliation in terms of violence and death threats are necessary when it is questioned. With power comes responsibility. The appropriate response does not seem to be being all defensive but rather being transparent in their party morals and doings. Beating up journalists and vandalising property hardly seems like a re-assurance of their presence in the government, or of their doings. These are acts of ‘gunda’s’ and ‘hooligan’s’ and of those not confident in their beliefs and have something to hide. O but wait, that is exactly what they are, hooligans and gundas who do have something to hide. I bet they would not last very long without their guns and gunda gardi. We are in a country where mass murderers become Presidents and political leaders, and walk freely on our streets reminding us every single day that they murdered us, our brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, demolished our homes, our hopes, our very souls, and there is nothing we can do about it. We are in a country where speeches of making Nepal a ‘rich’ country and proclamation of Nepal being a rich country in terms of scenic beauty, hydro power, the country of ‘mt. everest’, are made by the so called ‘elected’ leaders while we experience horrendous hours of loadshedding, fuel shortages, bandhs, etc. The war was on for more than 10 years…thousands of Nepali’s have been murdered. Are people just waking up? In the process of fighting for ‘the Nepali people’ the poorest in the least developed places have been the ones that have been most affected. It is sad that only when one is personally affected is there awareness.
We all know the problem. Indimidation, extortion, murder, poverty, detterent quality of life, wow what a way towards new Nepal eh. What is the solution? How long will the violence, murder, indimidation of the everyday Nepali continue?
Press freedom IS FREEDOM
but we should thank them they dug their own graves.
In argentina after teachers and intellectuals said that they were happy for censorship mind you it made this blog, and who wants to be mediocre and lack creativity goes with the oppressor, but the people will always go for freedom….
I wish merry X Mas to all free Nepalese and may the usurpators rot in their own prison of mind.
small mind.
jay nepal
Three generations of unemployed men that is what is really behind so much destruction.
And unwilling to work for a modest nepali salary…
Most normal hard working people especiall in Nepal have no time to destroy other peoples’lives….they contribute.
I admire schools that work in this environment keeping youngsters away from a future of crime.
Violence is an international problem, young men without motivation is not just nepalese story. I just wonder why many women content themselves with modest jobs and their brothers need to vandalize and steal.
This is not just interim governments’doing.
after prachanda’s direction, now ycl have released a threat………………………………… they asy they will start attacking nepalese from next month……………………………
………………….. looks like their final countdown is about to begin from next month………………………………… but we shouldnot take this threat lightly………………………………….
………………… any pro nepalese group preparing to counter this threat…………………………………. its time Youth Force start to coordinate among pro nepalese groups, orgs. all nepalese…………………………… we need form salvation army now……………………………………….. salvation army shold be divided into small groups, different responsibility should be delegated to each member………………………………………………. ……………. there should be well coordinated……………………………………… let the terrorist start, we will gonna finish it………………
………………………………………………………….. once they attack any nepali, we all come to the street with weapons and attack all those terrorist and their hideouts………….
…………………………… just like in terrai ………………………. …….
…………………….. after peace agreement, peace came only for those terrorist………….. before peace agreement they used to terrorise us hiding, running but after peace agreement they attact living among us openly…………………………………………….. we have to rootout terrorist in a couple of week…….. ……. let the struggle begin
so police have found ak47, pestols in kathmandu, those terrorist have been hiding weapons to kill nepalese ………………………… its time nepal army start to work on their intelligence, they shold collect personnel datas of terrorists, their hideouts, their weapons……..
…………. before its too late………………………………………. as soon as their pla comes out army should come out.
Christ may bless this nation with peace and prosperity
yes and may they not have to run from each other all nations ww
Is there a policeman around when this happened? Press freedom may be the solution to democracy.
The whole thing is a self fulfilling prophecy without civil war nobody needs the newspaper, but to pack schoolbooks. Thanks to maoism we eat. But let others have a life and living too.
Journalism is not publicity journalism is a service to the nation. When a teacher gives a school kid a bad mark because the lesson was not learnt in Italy they have to move town.
Politbureau can open office in Kantipur. Jay creeps.
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