The eastern media monitoring
team was led by Gopal Budhathoki, Vice Chairman of Federation
of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) and included Devendra Gautam,
Kishor Shrestha, Gokul Baskota and Arjun Bhattarai.
The team studied and monitored the media
situation of eight districts in eastern Nepal comprising Panchthar,
Ilam, Jhapa, Sunsari, Dhankuta, Morang and Saptari. While
at Panchthar and Ilam, the group held extensive discussions
with journalists from Taplejung district and learnt about
their problems.
The mission also succeeded in making possible
the release of some journalists who were under political detention
after February 1 royal takeover including Lava Dev Dhungana,
president of FNJ Panchthar branch and local representative
of Rajdhani National Daily.
Similarly, two editors (Manohar Pokharel
and Arjun Prashad Shah) of different local weekly newspapers
from Saptari were released because of the pressure of the
visiting group. The team also succeeded to get released a
journalist Gopal Baraili in Dhankuta.
As per the mission, the team also collected
information related to the problems faced by the journalists,
and media owners in the districts after the February 1.
To identify the state's policy, system, and
the growing general tendency of the bureaucracy towards the
media, the group held comprehensive discussions as well as
interactions with political parties, human rights activists,
civil society and media workers.
Some of the district administrators publicly
committed to reform their conduct and promised not to repeat
the wrongs done to the journalists recently.
Local journalists complained that the monitoring
team reached there very late and demanded regular monitoring.
After February 1, instead of abiding by the
national policy of the government, the local journalists are
compelled to follow the local administrators' dictate.
District wise Situation
Panchthar
- In Panchthar district, three weeklies Panchthar Times,
Ravi Saptahik and Bartaman Samaya are to be published
on Sunday, Tuesday and Saturday respectively. But, after
February 1, the local administrators closed down those
newspapers till the visit of the fact-finding team.
- The monitoring team organised an interaction program
at the Chamber of Commerce. In the programme, the Chief
District Officer (CDO) Janardan Adhikari, requested all
the local journalists to publish their newspapers. Adhikari
also gave assurance of not to repeat negative actions.
- The team found that the president of Panchthar district
branch of the FNJ, Lava Dev Dhungana, was arrested by
the local administration on political charge. He was kept
under detention for 10 days and house arrest for 50 days.
Under the pressure of the monitoring team, the security
departments called a meeting and released him on April
21. The team also handed-over a sum of 10 thousand rupees
to him on behalf of the FNJ.
- The team found that the journalists from Kathmandu had
visited the district only for two weeks after the announcement
of state of emergency.
- Indian newspapers are still banned in the district.
- Cable lines had been blocked for a long time.
- Lal Bahadur Sambhahamphe, a reporter of Dharan, was
arrested by the Panchthar administration while returning
home and was released after two days.
- Deependra Gautam, a reporter of Gorkhapatraa state-run
daily-- has been sacked after February 1.
- In Panchthar, a censor board has been formed comprising
of Assistant CDO, Basudev Dahal; research officer, Kuldev
Thapa; and a police officer. The CDO had called on all
the journalists to his office and instructed them not
to publish any newspaper till an order comes from the
centre.
- A delegation of local journalists went to the CDO and
informed about their plan to restart their newspapers.
But, the CDO denied the permission.
- There are five printing press companies and two of them
print newspapers. The administration has instructed them
not to print any newspaper.
- People in Panchthar are longing for factual information.
Now, they are dependent on BBC Nepali service.
- 56 representatives from administration, political parties,
media and civil society participated in the interaction.
Ilam
- On April 22, the monitoring team called the local administrative
officers for an interaction programme organised by district
development committee. But they did not participate.
- All four weekly newspapers in Ilam were asked to stop
publication after February 1. After few days, two weeklies
Pavan Bhumi and Aankha are being published on the condition
not to publish anything regarding the royal takeover.
- In Ilam, all the newspapers were asked to close down.
- Ilam has only one printing press, which is instructed
not to print any newspaper by DSP Kedar Rijal who went
to the press to stop printing.
- In Ilam, the reporters working with the FM stations,
including Saptakoshi, Koshi, Kanchanjhanga and Communication
Corner lost their jobs. Similar is the situation with
the editors and reporters of Sutradhar weekly.
- Those newspapers, which are still being published, do
not get official information.
- The team found that the CDO Prem Prasad Sapkota did
not respond to the journalists who tried to submit a memorandum
on behalf of the FNJ.
- The representatives of civil society said that due to
the one-sided government information the criticism of
political parties has been restricted.
- School administration and parents are confused due to
the lack of reliable information.
- After the royal proclamation, the CDO called the journalists,
but they did not meet him.
Jhapa
- Jhapa administration had tried to arrest journalist
Krishna Humagain, but he saved himself and left for India.
- After February 1, the newspaper Mukti Aawaj has been
closed.
- More than a dozen reporters working with Kanchanjanga
FM of Jhapa are jobless.
- Deepin Rai, the executive editor of Mukti Aawaj, was
detained for six days in army barrack of Charali and was
tortured.
- Deepak Adhikari, editor of Naulo Aawaj, faced the same.
- In Ilam also, newspapers are closed just on the instruction.
- The monitoring team found that Army Colonel, Suresh
Karki, has often harassed the local journalists.
- The CDO office of Jhapa permitted those reporters only
who got an identity card issued by the office. Those who
did not have the card issued by his CDO office faced trouble.
- The local reporter of Space Time, Gopal Gadtaula's
home was raided twice.
- The cable distributors of BBC and CNN were also threatened.
- Deploying security personnel, the administration also
tried to interrupt the convention of FNJ Jhapa branch.
- In Jhapa, within 15 to 20 minutes of royal takeover
newspaper offices were ordered to close down. Later, they
resumed the work.
- While reporting political parties' demonstration in
Kankadvitta, eight Indian journalists were beaten up on
March 14.
Dhankuta
- The administrators of Dhankuta, also, did not appear
in the interaction with the fact-finding mission.
- Immediately after hearing about the monitoring team's
arrival, journalist Gopal Baraili, who had been arrested
on political charges, was released.
- Seven journalists working with different FM stations
lost their job. And Gorkhapatra, the state-run daily,
sacked Gopal Baraili.
- Immediately after February 1, one issue of all newspapers
in Dhankuta was stopped. After that all (three) newspapers
have been publishing regularly.
- Journalist Mohan Bantava was being pressurised by the
administrator to give up this profession.
- The administration took the key of Durga Offset Press
in the evening on February 1, which was returned after
six days.
- Tara Ram Lamghare of Hank weekly was put under police
custody for two days, but later released.
- The journalists of Dhankuta faced pressure from both
the Maoists and the local administration. Maoists asked
them to "write factual and right news." And,
the local administrator restricted them "not to publish
anything against the royal step."
- More than 30 representatives participated in the interaction.
They suggested journalists to protest and boycott censorship.
- After receiving the memorandum, the CDO said to the
journalists, "It is not only me to instruct you.
Rather, I, also have to follow someone else from upper
position. So publish your newspaper wisely as per the
situation."
Sunsari
- In Sunsari, Blast and Morning Times have been extensively
censored.
- Inspector KP Sharma of Dharan prepared a 21-point code
of conduct for the journalists. He printed 5,000 copies
and circulated them.
- All newspapers remained closed for one week. After that
journalists have been publishing their newspapers without
writing anything against royal move following self-censorship.
- The journalists complained that "the administration
has been applying discriminatory (dual) policy within
and outside Kathmandu.
- Formal censorship was not announced there in Dharan.
However, harassment of media person after publishing news
unsavory to the administration was extreme.
- The administration locked the office of Morning Times
on February 8 for publishing a news story, but opened
it the same evening.
- On the same day, the administration of Eastern Pritana
(a regional army headquarters) arrested journalists Kishore
Karki, Keshav Ghimire, Madhav Raj Giri, Bimal Shakya and
Rajesh Bidrohi and later released them in the evening.
- The CDO Padma Raj Joshi had not talked to the journalists
so far.
- Inspector KP Sharma of Dharan Ilaka Police Station participated
in the interaction of Sunsari. He said, "Forget the
past. Such activities will not be repeated in the future."
Morang
- In Morang, administration people did not participate
in the interaction.
- For 11 days no newspaper was published here.
- Computers of Alkapuri weekly were taken from the office
in Pathari on February 1, which were returned after some
days.
- Biratnagar was less troubled. Journalists said, "It
was because of the presence of army barrack over there."
- One February 4, a delegation of around 85 journalists
met the CDO. He allowed the publication of newspapers,
but instead of giving instruction as per the central policy,
he had issued a separate circular at the local level.
- In Morang, Ganga Sagar Dhakal was appointed as censor
officer. Assistant CDO, Kailash Nath Kharel, was also
in the committee. The demand of the censor officers that
journalists should work within the official hours created
problems.
- The administration restricted news regarding political
parties' activities.
- For publishing a news related to Maoists, Mahendra Bista
was tortured mentally for two days.
- Four reporters of FM stations whose transmissions were
stopped lost their jobs.
- After February 1, local newspapers were deprived of
government advertisements.
- The newspaper hawkers were also in trouble for some
days.
- Army personnel entered into the newsroom of Koshi FM
and threatened not to broadcast any news of Maoists.
Saptari
- On February 1, Shiva Hari Bhattarai, editor of Suchana
Saptahik, was taken in custody by the local administration
for three hours. Later the newspaper was seized and Bhattarai
was released.
- FNJ branch president, Arjun Prashad Shah, was arrested
on February 1 and another journalist Manohar Pokharel
was also arrested after some weeks.
- Though the Saptari administration did not formally order
to close the newspapers, but some newspapers remained
closed for three days.
- On February 1, the CDO asked journalists to publish
news as per the spirit of royal proclamation.
- Media persons were not harassed due to reporting on
politics. But Rajesh Jha, a journalist working with a
government owned newspaper lost his job.
- Regarding a news item, editor of Rajbiraj Today, Byas
Sankhar Upadhaya, was summoned by the administration.
However, he returned after some discussion and clarification.
- The golden jubilee program of FNJ was scheduled to be
organised in the FNCCI hall. But, FNCCI was pressurised
to refuse permission to use its hall.
- The editor of Natkhat Fortnightly was replaced under
the pressure of the administration.
Siraha
- Purva Saptahik out of six weeklies currently being published
in Siraha was closed for one month after February 1.
- Other newspapers were also closed for 2 to 3 weeks.
Though the administration did not say anything directly
to the newspapers, but printing press were instructed
not to print any newspapers.
- After three weeks the CDO summoned all journalists and
instructed them to publish their newspapers abiding by
the government regulations. In the beginning journalists
were told to bring some copies of newspapers to the army
barrack for censorship. However, after one issue army
officer asked them not to come in barracks and instructed
to maintain self-censorship.
- The team found that security personnel threatened journalists
even due to their reporting on an accident of army vehicle.
- Police Inspector of Lahan detained Dineshwor Yadav,
president of FNJ branch, on personnel enmity. He was released
after six hours on written conditions making him inactive
in FNJ.
- The newspapers have been facing circulation crisis because
of lack of factual news causing reduction in readershi
Presenter
Gokul Banskota
on behalf of Eastern Region Monitoring Team
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