Maoists say: Shut Down Kantipur. What’s the future of Nepal’s Press Freedom?
The Red Star, a pro-Maoist Web site, says media organization such as Kantipur, a widely popular source of news in Nepal, should be shut down.
Roshan Kissoon, who claims to have taught English to Maoists (see the given Web site), says newspapers which cater to only a specific class of the soceity should not be allowed in business. In the opinion section of The Red Star, Kissoon also writes such news outlets should be thwarted as it does not represent the poor. Kissoon claims to be an international freelance journalist. He is clearly biased towards the red party.
Maoist, popularly elected largest party and a powerful force in the new government, is allowing opinions about suppressing a media organization, that has been a landmark in press freedom since the early 1990’s. When the powerful speak of suppression, we ought to be alert.
It is important to note that newspapers, big or small, have not been threatened openly in the past, regardless of political turmoil and unstable governments.
A reason Maoists were elected by popular vote is partly because of press coverage provided by newspapers like Kantipur, and a platform to voice opinions by Maoist leaders Baburam and Prachanda.
Today they have openly denounced Kantipur, in the name of social equality. Tomorrow, it may be some other news organization with another radical reasoning. News organizations such as Kantipur may not be completely free of biases, but these are institutions that have long given an outlet to express thoughts, have presented different viewpoints, and been an icon of freedom of expression.
Nepal ranks 137th on the press freedom index, according to Reporters Without Borders, an international press freedom advocacy group. During the Maoist revolution, many journalists were killed, mutated and threatened. After the ceasefire, it’s press freedom is recovering. But with the kind of mindset pro-Maoists are floating, it certainly compels a journalist to be weary about press freedom in the red party led regime.
Yerina
i gues yerinar has to learn to attack a person’s argument avoiding personal attacks on person. rather than elaborating an argument, personal attacks exposes the mentality of the person.
therefore, i request you to come forward and refute mr. roshans arguments rather than slinging mud at d person…
the issue of a free press always comes up if there is a leftist government, like in Venuzeula over the TV station. Mr.Kissoon is right to bring up this issue.
media and politics, both are very highly responsible kinetic body of any country. The prosperity, positive development in every aspect of the country men is influenced by the politician and media.Why media house want credit that he made the party popular and they won the contest. Why politician are giving negative statement against the media.It’s all frustration due to poor intelluctual development. We Gorkha’s are one of the laziest and weakest society of the world. Most of the Neaplis are still working as road side labour, guards, utensil cleaner, chaprasis and other petty jobs all over the world. Today, Nepali means chaprasi, guards, petty employer. Why there is threatening between media house and politicin. What kind of responsibility you have towards your own intelluctual development and improvement.I request both politicin and media personal to get up and think thousand time that where are you? Don’t behave like a selfish money maker. don’t behave like a begger. Learn yourself and if you have capability to teach good aspects of life teach all and spread message all over the world. Be gentle to each other and keep heplng attitude towards country. Don’t ruin the country just for your petty benefits.
I wish all the best to both politician and media houses. Always remeber before taking any decison just give a look to a poorest man of the country and S/he may be poor by physical standard, mental capabilities and spiritual immaturities.
Don’t develop country just for yourself but develop for the entire citizen and world people.
I find it entertaining that those criticising Roshan on this site are essentially reiterating the same things that he has said. Roshan has published an article (within media that is aimed at a specific audience) criticising the Nepali press that only targets certain class groups. In response to this, people have criticised Roshan’s article and questioned his right to voice his opinions.
I am not writing to criticise Roshan, nor am I writing in direct support of his comments. I am sure that anyone reading this response is aware of the violent attacks carried out on Himalmedia’s offices and staff and without more detailed knowledge of the events leading to this I can not condone such action. However, having travelled with Roshan in Nepal I know him to be a fair and individually minded person.
There is currently much unjustified criticism towards the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) [CPN(M)] for attempting to control Nepal’s ‘free’ press, primarily due to the aforementioned protest against Himalmedia. However this violent protest was not organised or condoned by the CPN(M) themselves, but merely carried out by a Union branch connected to the party. These unfair critiques are due to the nature of the Nepali press, which in turn is due to the historical political situation through which the media organisations have operated.
Until the Maoist victory in Nepal, any media had to seek Royal permission to print any article or story. In effect this meant that all stories required pre-publication clearance from Royal advisors, by not doing so (and if the story upset Gyanendra or his allies) the media house risked heavy fines, whilst the reporter risked arrest and even disappearance. In effect the Nepali press has never been as free as it is under the Maoist led Coalition Government’s rule.
However, due to this historic dictatorial-like control of the Nepali press, those that held senior levels within the press were staunch Royalists; and it remains these people that control much Nepal’s mainstream media. Therefore whilst there is no (or relatively little) legislated state control over the Nepali media, they are controlled from within by the morals and viewpoints of the old senior staff. This has lead to many unfair stories being published against anyone that stands against the old monarchical system, with no apologies being published for outright lies. In light of this it is very understandable (if unfortunate) that socialist and revolutionary groups are outraged by the Nepali mainstream press.
In my personal opinion, the Nepali media needs and deserves no protection from the state, or the people. It is the press itself that must reform, or revolt. The senior staff with outdated opinions and ethics should be given early retirement to enable a new generation of Journalism for the new Nepal.