Nepali Times

Casting shadows

Violence can't deter the pen

Headline
Headline | From Issue #492 (March 5-11, 2010)

KIRAN PANDAY
As participants launched Tourism Year 2011 at Tundikhel last Friday, shadows of another kind were threatening to engulf Nepal's media fraternity. Cue Psalm 23:4 from the Bible: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.

We editors express deep anguish and strongly condemn the killing of Arun Kumar Singhaniya, the chairman of Janakpur Today. The killing, on the one hand, shows the fearsome form of cowardice and criminality, and on the other, the total absence of government.

This incident occurred less than a month after the killing of the Managing Director of the SpaceTime Network, Jamim Shah. Immediately after the killing of Singhaniya, criminals threatened the editor of Janakpur Today, Brij Kumar Yadav, as well as journalist with the Naya Patrika daily Manoj Ghartimagar, for publishing an interview of the only police officer arrested in the Jamim Shah incident. Before this, similar threats were issued against Kantipur Publications and The Himalayan Times. The government's insensitive passivity and total lack of accountability has helped boost the criminals intention to force the media to deviate from its duty amidst increasing insecurity. Criminal activities in the guise of politics have targeted the free press, civilian security and other fundamental norms and values of democracy.

We demand that the government immediately make efforts to arrest the criminals involved and bring them to justice. At this moment, we pledge that we will never surrender press freedom, which has been established as the legacy and symbol of people's rights, whatever the circumstances.

Ajaya Bhadra Khanal, The Himalayan Times

Akhilesh Upadhyay, The Kathmandu Post

Ameet Dhakal, Republica

Jiwendra Simkhada, Annapurna Post

Kiran Nepal, Himal Khabarpatrika

Krishnajwala Devkota, Naya Patrika

Narayan Wagle, Nagarik

Prashant Aryal, Nepal

Prateek Pradhan, Karobar

Puskarlal Shrestha, Nepal Samacharpatra

Rabi Thapa, Nepali Times

Sudheer Sharma, Kantipur

Yubaraj Ghimire, Rajdhani

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Comments (Archive)

  • jange

    Too little, too late. If only you were saying the same when the Maoists were doing the killing. But then that was revolutionary, justified, inevitable etc. etc. Can't have it both ways.

  • Chhetri

    Couldn't help noticing: Of the 13 editors here, 10 are Bahuns, 2 Newars, and 1 Chhetri. Even that Chhetri (Rabi Thapa) hardly counts because it is well-known that NT is run by the Dixits (also Bahuns). Thapa is just a recent addition, probably like the apprentice-assistant. So effectively, of the 13 most influential journalists in the country, 11 are Bahun (85%) and 0 Chhetri. But when time comes to blame, always Bahun-Chhetri are blamed together as the "oppressor-class"! Call this fair?

  • ma pani chettri

    @ 2. Chhetri Well, you have to be educated to a good level to get the editor's job mate. They didn't get this job because they licked some political ass. They got this because they are capable and qualified. They are all Bahuns you noticed? Good for you. This means Bahuns studied their ass off while us Chhetris revved up in our pulsars up the highway and got busy getting laid with some paid-up b*tch in some nagarkot guesthouse. Rabi Thapa writes likes it is something in his blood and beats. Kunda Dixit to my knowledge waited almost a decade to find one person who cold hold the NT mantle to the standard that he raised. And you wonder why just one Chhetri is on the list? It is probably because of the attitude like yours.

  • Chhetri

    ma pani chhetri jyu: Instead of losing your head, check out the ratios in other sectors too - bureaucracy, judiciary, political parties, civil society organizations, NGO/INGOs. You will find the ratios are comparable. Bahun domination in those sectors too. And yet this is not my main problem (you didn't get it!) My complaint is that while Bahuns hold the max plum positions everywhere, when time comes to place blame, Bahun-Chhetri are bundled up together as the "oppressor class", which is UNFAIR. That's my point! Get it? The only organization where there may be chhetri domination is the Army. And see how much hue and cry is raised about "inclusiveness" in that institution. Well, what about "inclusion" in the bureaucracy, political parties, judiciary etc.? No need for inclusion there? No need for "democratization" there? Why do the media, parties and civil society not raise hue and cry about lack of inclusion and democratization out there? Simple. Bahuns themselves dominate the media, parties and civil society. They are the main beneficiaries in those sectors and therefore they keep quiet about them!

  • Chhetri

    Third point. Bahuns are most educated because for generations and generations they have monopolized education. They reserved priestly and scholarly activities for themselves and made others go do the dirty and dangerous work (dalits to make shoes, clean the toilets, chhetris to go fight etc etc). They're not at the top because they are inherently more intelligent or hardworking, like you're implying. They're up top because for ages and ages they've had more advantage than others due to a caste system they set up to their advantage! Lastly, the kind of degenerate behavior you talk about (pulsars and b*tches) is limited to the few rich spoilt chhetri kids of Kathmandu (of which maybe you are one!) But most chhetris don't engage in that lifestyle. Don't generalize what you and your circle of freinds do to all Chhetris. It's untrue and unfair to make all Chhetris seem degenerate, lazy bums! And even Bahuns, Newars, Gurungs, Janajatis etc engage in such behavior if/when they can!

  • Luba Svrcina

    Ma Chhetri hoina, ma bidesho ho, but you said it very well. All progress, wisdom, insight and vision depends on education and NOT on a person's last name. Cheers to you !

  • Sooz

    yup yup who.ray the open behaviour..... naturally serious... shake.ink in circumstances... people... inside.out in kop.... fata.ss.... people ....off.red.... under arrow dynamic flag.... dhara...pani..... FREE ..buddhi...JAM on buy..ball when first name is got in the news.... all got human as last name......

  • Nirmal

    chhetri already answered for himself. Good Job Chhetri keep it up. I dont think these above mentioned people are khaanti bahuns. And I don-t think that between a crowd of people they apparent to be so. I like how you question and answer yourself. you and your classification of races......

  • ConFace

    whatever the case.... Nepali Times should be thanked for giving us the room for confession.... Cell-Fish people n' Gill-Tea talks.... hope we can tune it all... song of wind... with musical air.. thus, we breath in peace... got parallel in off.red line.... one day we shall all shine...

  • Bahun

    As a Bahun, I agree! Bahuns are bad. ... and here I was thinking, I got my scholarship because I had worked hard. I am disappointment in me... you Bahun!