Freedom Forum has been seriously concerned over a recent decision of the government effort to withdraw the murder case of the UCPN-Maoist's lawmaker, Bal Krishna Dhungel.

Yet again, the government led by Maoist Vice-Chairman Dr Baburam Bhattarai appointed Surya Man Dong, one of the accomplices in the murder of Arjun Lama of Kavre district as a minister of state for energy.

Both of these decisions of the Maoist-led government have created a furor and grave concern in the sector of human rights. These ill-efforts of the UCPN-Maoist have debunked the real behavior of the Maoist which is almost against human rights and democratic norms and values. The government has mocked the rule of law thereby promoting impunity in the country.

Maoist lawmaker Dhungel, hailing from Okhaldhunga district, had shot to death Ujjan Kumar Shrestha of his district on June 24, 1998. Following the incident, he joined the Maoist revolution to fend off the punishment.

However, the courts from district level to the Supreme Court; he has been convicted of the crime. The Supreme Court had already decided to imprison Dhungel throughout life with the confiscation of properties for his direct involvement in the killing of Shrestha.

Similarly, another lawmaker of the same party hailing from Kavre district, Dong was involved in the murder of Lama on April 29, 2005.

These incidents have come in a series of Maoist's failures to be true to their repeated commitments on human rights in spite of embarking on mainstream politics and signing numerous peace agreements.

It is not the first time the Maoist did so, the erstwhile government led by Jhalanath Khanal (CPN-UML leader) had also appointed a Maoist leader Agni Prasad Sapkota as the Minister for Information and Communication who also was involved in the murder of Shrestha in Kavre district.

To sheer mockery of rule of law, human rights and justice, a meeting of the Council of Ministers even dared to make a decision to request the President to award general amnesty to the culprit Dhungel in spite of sending him behind the bar.

With the International Day of Impunity being observed across the globe, Nepal is undergoing such situation.

It vividly depicts how the rule of law, democracy, human rights and justice are suppressed and violated in Nepal by the political parties thereby promoting impunity. Freedom Forum strongly urges the government to withdraw its request to the President to condone Dhungel and sack state minister Dong and send them behind bars.

 

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Taranath Dahal

Chairman

Freedom Forum

 

 

Freedom Forum has been concerned over the Prime Minister's address in the Legislature-Parliament on September 16, 2011.

While addressing the parliament, Prime Minister Dr Babu Ram Bhattarai said, 'Anyone setting up new media house now onwards needs to create a bond (financial guarantee) like other industries'. It indicates that the government was planning to treat media as other industries which is objectionable.

"The media, which is the voice of the voiceless, need to be free from the government control in a democratic system. In the name of making media secured, setting up bond is against the constitution. It indicates the government's possibility to curtail the free flow of information though the Prime Minister said the government was committed to press freedom." said Taranath Dahal, Chairman of Freedom Forum.

Similarly, managing insurance to the journalists by the government which Prime Minister mentioned in the address is another tactic to bring the media under State's control. In any democratic system, the media is not controlled by the State.

Freedom Forum therefore reiterates that media, which is the indispensable part of the democracy, serves the people best when it is free, and out of clutch of State.

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Narayan Ghimire
Media Officer

 

Freedom Forum has been seriously concerned over an incident of press freedom violation occurred in capital city, Kathmandu, on September 4, 2011.

A group of unidentified persons came on five motorcycles entered the office of the Naya Patrika national daily at Kamalpokhari, searched editor and started vandalizing randomly.

Deputy General Manager of the national daily, Bharat Pokharel told Media Monitoring Desk of the Freedom Forum that nine unknown persons barged into the office at 10:30 am, snapped the telephone wire, smashed computer and broke down editor's desk, other furniture and window pane over a crime-related news the paper published the same day. The paper had published the news - 'Three held with sword' on its third page.

A group of youths led by Vice-president and Secretary of Nepal Students' Union of Kathmandu-based Pashupati Campus Chabahil - Rajan Shrestha and Raj Kumar Sigdel - was allegedly involved in vandalizing office in the name of refuting news.

"Whether the vandalism was carried by any organization of political party or by any gang of goons, it is against press freedom and freedom of expression. It has not only challenged the security of media and journalists, but also suppressed people's right to information", said Freedom Forum Chairman Taranath Dahal, adding, if it was the case of twisting news content the innocent side could take legal recourse rather than rowdy way for justice.

He further demanded the state authority to fairly investigate into the incident and bring the guilty to book so as to check impunity.

Moreover, the incident shows the media in the country is not spared even in the Capital city where people expect better rule of law, and order. Similarly, it has created terror among the journalists that they are bound to work in an insecure atmosphere thereby practicing self-censorship. The recurring incidents of press freedom violation have badly afflicted the journalists. As a result, the empowerment of the media and media person is lagging behind.

Freedom Forum again urges the government to create safe and secure environment for the media persons to carry out their works so as to protect people's right to information. The Forum also urges journalists to flow accurate, balanced and credible news to maintain its watchdog role so that its content does not create controversy.

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Narayan Ghimire
Media Officer
Freedom Forum
September 5, 2011

 

Freedom Forum Welcomes today's landmark decision of the Supreme Court of Nepal in favour of Right to Information Regime. The apex Court's latest decision that the answer sheet of examination should be allowed for students to look at on demand has established the overriding of RTI laws in Nepal. Importantly it has made the classification of information by cabinet with misinterpretation the RTI Act almost irrelevant. 

Bijay Aryal, a Student of Shanker Dev Campus, Ramshpath had demanded with the Tribhuwan University to see through his answer sheet in line with RTI Act 2007. When his demand was turned down, he moved to the national information commission with an appeal for getting information. NIC issued directive to the TU to provide information to Mr. Aryal.  Denying directive of NIC to provide information TU filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court instead. 

 At last, the SC deed what was much expected for effective RTI practice in Nepal. The decision is very crucial to create congenial RTI environment in Nepal. Citizens' Campaign for Right to Information(CCRI) had legally facilitated the case. Advocates Tanka Raj Aryal, Reeshi Ram Ghimire including others form CCRI had pleaded for the case.

Freedom Forum Nepal is deeply concerned over the recent appointment of Maoist leader Agni Sapkota as Minister for Information and Communication in Nepal.

Appointing a person allegedly committed serious human rights violation to the Ministry to protect freedom of expression of people has not only trampled the government's commitment to uphold human rights but also triggered doubts among the international community about Nepal's future move for securing people's fundamental rights, said Freedom Forum Chairperson Taranath Dahal.

Sapkota is named as a suspect in an FIR registered by the police in 2008 regarding the alleged abduction and killing of Arjun Lama in 2005. Picking a person with tainted image as human right perpetrator has made a mockery of democracy and rule of law.

According to s statement issued by the Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights Nepal (OHCHR-N), "The police registered the FIR in response to a March 2008 order of the Supreme Court (SC) requiring it to do so and to carry out a full investigation in accordance with Nepali law."

It is the state's obligation to bring the guilty party to book and to put the culture of impunity to end but when such persons are inducted to power it imparts a message of insecurity and reward to the predators.
Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal appointed Sapkota despite a pending charge of his involvement in the abduction and murder of Lama.

The national and international human rights community had cautioned Prime Minister Khanal and Maoist Chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal against appointing any individual involved in grave human rights violations.

Freedom Forum urges all national and international stakeholders to keep up their vigilance into the freedom of press and of expression regime of Nepal with the induction of the accused to the important Ministry related to information and communication.

KATHMANDU, Nepal, December 24, 2010 – Nepal ranked number 46 in the world in transparency and accountability with its national budget, according to a biennial report released today.  An initiative of the International Budget Partnership, the Open Budget Survey 2010 is the only independent, comparative, regular measure of budget transparency and accountability around the world, produced by independent experts not beholden to national governments. 

Freedom Forum Nepal welcomes the release of Myanmar's pro-democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest on Saturday. The release of long-time freedom fighter who has spent 15 of the past 21 years in detention has been a matter of happiness for all democrats and freedom-loving people.

Suu Kyi is an icon of resistance against the military regime of Junta that has put her in detention for raising voice for democracy and freedom in Burma. Her unflagging courage and unswerving commitment for people's fundamental rights has been a source of inspiration in the South East Asian nations and the entire world as well to engage more efforts for the consolidation of democracy.

It as a 'first step' of Myanmar's authority towards recognizing basic fundamental human rights. However, there are lot of things to be done to ensure democracy and freedom in Burma. Freedom Forum demands the unconditional release of all political prisoners, who have been detained just due to their political belief. "We are confident that the release of Suu Kyi will contribute to efforts for a more inclusive approach to political change and bring more liberal values and freedom in Myanmar's politics."

People of Burma should get chance to determine their destiny through democratic means. Since democracy is a matter of global concern, Freedom Forum expresses its solidarity for all freedom fighters of the Myanmar and calls on the Burmese government to respect unalienable rights of its citizens in line with international standard.

Likewise, the recent election that was accomplished without engaging the political parties is the mockery of democracy. Such unfair and restricted election does not genuinely represent the people and their aspiration. Disallowing international press and election monitors has made it clear that it was not undertaken as a norm of democracy rather to legitimize the autocratic regime of military.

Freedom Forum also urges the Nepal government to articulate support and solidarity to the democratic movement of Burma on behalf of the nation and its people. We wish for the grand success of struggle being waged for the reinstatement of freedom in Burma.
 

Freedom Forum family is delighted to congratulate Chairperson of Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) Dharmendra Jha for being elected an Executive Committee member of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)-a global organization representing 600,000 members in 125 countries.The World Congress of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)-2010 that recently took place in Cadiz of Spain has elected Jha to the post.

We are pleased to publicly announce the result of the essay writing competition held among 136 students of grade 9-12 of five English-medium schools of the capital city on the issue of budget transparency and accountability. In the essay writing competition organized by Freedom Forum on the topics of "Government Budget and My Future" in support of the US-based International Budget Partnership (IBP) on February 7, Bidushi Pokharel of Graded English Medium School (GEMS), Dhapakhel stood first while Prarthana Bhattarai of Budhanilakantha and SIma Chand of DON BOSCO, Kathmandu secured second and third position, respectively.