Chaitra 17, Kathmandu. The Federation of Nepali Journalists has launched a protest against the murder of journalists, attacks, and arson and vandalism at media houses.
While the Federation was planning various programs on the occasion of its 70th founding day on Chaitra 16, the Federation was forced to go on the protest due to the changed situation. An emergency meeting of the Federation of Nepali Journalists Central Committee held on Saturday has decided to organize a protest program in protest against the incidents in the media sector.
The meeting has decided to monitor the damaged media houses, collect details of injured journalists and media materials, call on all media workers to work by wearing black armbands at their workplaces on Sunday, submit a memorandum to the Government of Nepal through the Central Committee, Provincial Committee and branches on Monday, and hold discussions with the concerned organizations on Tuesday.
A committee has been formed under the leadership of Vice President Umid Prasad Bagchand, including secretaries Ramesh Khatiwada, Soni Sharma, Prakash Dhaulakoti and Baikuntha Raj Parajuli to discuss with the media houses associated with the slain journalist Suresh Rajak and his family and prepare a report.
Journalists and media workers working in their workplaces wore black armbands on Sunday to protest the attack on the press, while branches of the Federation expressed their protest against the incident through a condolence meeting. On Saturday, the Federation held a protest meeting at Maitighar. Representatives of various media-related associations, journalists and civil society expressed solidarity with the protest meeting.
On Friday, Avenues photojournalist Suresh Rajak died after being set on fire by a mob supporting the monarchists in the Tinkune area. The mob pelted stones at the Kantipur Television office in Tinkune, vandalized the office of Annapurna Media Daily, and vandalized vehicles of Himalaya Television. Additional programs of the protest will be decided after analyzing the situation, informed General Secretary Ram Prasad Dahal.
