Year that media suffered most

KATHMANDU: Security of mediapersons in the country remained a big question in 2011, according to a report.
Though the Kathmandu-based media look objective and bold enough to express opinions, the situation outside the Valley was quite different, said the report published by South Asia Media Commission today.
The commission had studied country-wise situation of journalists and press freedom in the South Asian region.
“Journalists working in Tarai are subjected to frequent threats, violence and assaults,” said the report, slamming political leadership for their failure to provide security to mediapersons.
The report said the Maoists, armed groups, local goons, smugglers, influential people and high-level security officers had earned an unannounced licence to intimidate media in 2011.
It went on to add that cases of impunity were rife stemming from failure to investigate into abuses committed by both the government and insurgents during the decade-long Maoist conflict.
In Committee to Protect Journalists -2011 Impunity Index, Nepal stands 7th in the rank among the countries where mediapersons’ murderers were enjoying impunity.
According to the report, the two historic judgments on murder cases of journalists Uma Singh and Birendra Sah were encouraging.
The 2011 witnessed a sharp rise in threats and attacks on journalists.
Coming heavily down on a minister who had promised to ‘break fingers’ of journalists, the report said the expression exhibits extreme intolerance towards freedom of expression.
“Exposing corruption, irregularities, illegal activities and raising finger at the political system put journalists’ lives at stake,” read the report.
Terming the incidents of threats to senior journalists and vandalism on media houses the ‘ploy to shut the mouth’ of free media, the report said such incidents show a growing insecurity in society.
Concluding that 2011 was not a fruitful year for the media, the report reiterated that the judiciary’s judgement on the murder cases of two journalists was the only ray of hope.
“In such situations, the government should ease the difficult political environment to ensure that it does not impinge adversely on free and fair journalism and right report events without fear,” the commission’s report concluded.
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