Talks held between the agitating Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) and the government concluded on Thursday with the government’s commitment to address the journalists’ demands. The journalists have demanded to take action against those involved in attacking the media including the Himalmedia Pvt Ltd in the past 15 days and guarantee of environment for press freedom.
FNJ talks team member Govinda Acharya informed that the talks teams of both sides have agreed to carry out homework and meet again after three days.
FNJ team of President Dharmendra Jha, Vice Chairman Acharya, General Secretray Poshan KC, Treasurer Ramesh Bista and member Ujir Magar while the government talks team led by Minister for Information and Communications Krishna Bahadur Mahara participated in the dialogue held at the Ministry of Information and Communications in Singhadurbar.
The journalists took to the streets after the Maoist affiliated workers vandalized Himalmedia and attacked its journalists last Sunday. The very next day, UML activists had torched Ankush daily which is published from Birgunj. Only yesterday, Maoist-aligned revolutionary students beat up a journalist of Avenues Television.
Meanwhile, an alliance launched by four major media bodies of the country has set four conditions for talks with the government.
They have demanded that the environment of threats against media houses be removed, the two Maoist affiliated union leaders, Ramesh Babu Panta and Ramesh KC, who led the recent attack on Himalmedia be arrested and criminal cases filed against them, a public apology from the government over the recent attacks on media and a trustworthy commitment from the government to protect press freedom from further threats, intimidation and violence.