JANUARY 24, 2013 Freedom Forum has been concerned over government's apathy to the genuine demands raised by the film producers and cine artists.
For weeks, the film producers and cine artists have been staging peaceful protest on the premises of the state-run Film Development Board with various demands as autonomy of the Board, appointment of film experts in the Board, cancellation of censor on film or setting a code for this, formulation of the working cine artists' act, establishment of box office framework and classification of the film halls.
Film like media is a vibrant medium of the freedom of expression, and the struggle launched by the artists for the autonomy of the Board is very pressing issues the government needs to address. Therefore, Freedom Forum expresses its solidarity to the struggle.
As long as the Board is controlled, it obviously hampers on enabling the environment for the freedom of expression. The autonomy of the Board and the establishment box office and classification of film and film halls are essential not only for transparency but also for the free and fair production and evaluation of the film and respect to the rights of the cine artists.
Meanwhile, General Secretary of Nepal Film Producers' Association, Suresh Darpan Pokhrel, who is the joint coordinator of the ongoing struggle, said, "Police took under control the artists and film producers while they were staging relay hunger strike on 22 January 2013."
Freedom Forum condemns the police intervention on the peaceful protest and strongly urges the government to heed the demands of cine artists and respect freedom of expression, an essential tool to democratic culture.
For more information,
Freedom Forum
monitoring@freedomforum.org.np
01-4102030/ 4102022