Message by FNJ President Dharmendra Jha on the occasion of of World Press Freedom Day 2010

Today is May 3rd World Press Freedom Day. The day is being celebrated globally by organizing various programs. I would like to express my greetings and congratulations to all my colleagues on this occasion, who have been performing their professional duties despite various difficulties, challenges and obstruction. I would also like to express my heartfelt condolences to the journalists and media persons who lost  their lives fighting for press freedom and freedom of expression. I would also like to remember and salute those of my colleagues who rendered their full support and commitment to the campaign of press freedom and freedom of expression.

The role played by Nepali Press and media for the establishment of Federal Democratic Republic is known to all. Nepali Press and Media which played a crucial and decisive role for the establishment of Federal Democratic Republic expected the profession to be more secured, independent and more professional. Nepali press and media believed that press freedom and  freedom of expression would be ascertained in the changed context. But unfortunately, this has not been done. The state, instead of punishing the guilty, protected the voilaters of press freedom and promoted impunity. In other words, the role of state has not been satisfactory.

We feel that the state of press freedom is deteriorating day by day. Nepali Press is facing attacks from every corner. On one hand, the life of journalist who performs his professional duty of disseminating news is always at stake, and on the other hand journalists are attacked and some have even lost their lives due to the news that was published or not published. The cases of lootings of equipments of the journalists, vandalism of vehicles belonging to journalists and media houses, intentional attack on media institutions have not decreased. As a result Nepali press and media is forced to live under self censorship. Nepali Press and media have not been able to feel the professional and physical security.

We believe that civil rights cannot be guaranteed without total press freedom and freedom of expression. Civil rights can be best practiced only when the press that is a watchdog of the decentralization of power and balance of the state organs is made more responsible and is given more rights. In this context, I wish that a conducive environment will be created where by Nepali Press and media will be able to play its role of watch dog more effectively by making healthy criticism. I also wish that press freedom is not gagged and freedom of expression i guaranteed as mentioned in Article iX of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I expect that government to uphold this year's global slogan "Freedom of Information: Right to Know".

The country today is on a serious juncture due to ineffective roles played by the political parties and also because of the fact that there is less possibility of the new constitution being promulgated on time. We would like to recall that political forces who were considered as a medium of change were mandated to work in consensus and collaboration.

The main agenda of the political parties today should have been drafting the new constitution on time, taking the peace process to a logical concluion and in the process institutionalizing the achievements of historic people's movement. The recent political scenarios have deeply hampered the process mentioned above. Federation of Nepali Journalists urges all political parties to rise above partisan interest and resolve all outstanding contentious problems through the means of dialogue, consensus, and collaboration.

I wish that the The World Press Freedom Day encourages Nepali Journalists to work with more discipline and I urge the Nepali press and media fraternity to continue performing their professional duties without fear from any quarter. I would also like to express my committment that FNJ will be there with you to face all kinds of challenges that may come up in course of discharging our duties.

World Press Freedom Day

May 3rd is celebrated as World Press Freedom Day globally. The day is celebrated by remembering the past year and also by making plans for the coming year. This year World Press Freedom Day is being celebrated globally with a slogan "Freedom of Information: Right to Know." Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) is also celebrating World Press Freedom Day by organizing various programs on May 3, 2010.

In course of celebrating the World Press Freedom Day, there has been a change in the earlier announced program of FNJ due to indefinite general strike called by the Unified CPN Maoist party. As per the new program schedule, FNJ will hold a rally from the Constituent Assembly building in New Baneshwor at 7 AM in the morning. Similarly, FNJ will organize a foundation laying program of the memorial pillar that will be constructed in rememberence of the journalists that have lost their lives, in the premises of Media Village.

FNJ urges all district and associates, media institutions, journalists, civil society, human right activists, legal practitioners and general public to actively participate in the morning rally as well as the foundation laying ceremony.

Collaboration of FNJ and Shephard College

Federation of Nepali Journalists, (FNJ) in collaboratin with Sephard College, has initiated a scholarship program for journalists studying mass communication and journalism in Sephard College, Kathmandu. FNJ has tied up with Sephard College, that has been conducting classes on mass communication and journalism with an aim to upgrade the capacity and standard of Nepali Journalism. According to the contract signed between FNJ and Sephard College, three students each will receive scholarship upto 50% from Sephard College, in masters level and bachelors level respectively  upon recommendation from FNJ. According to the contract, priority will be given to women, journalists from indigenous community, dalit and journalist from Madheshi community.

Federation of Nepali Journalists

Media Village,Tilganga, Kathmandu

26 April 2010

FNJ celebrates World Press Freedom Day 2010

Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) celebrated World Press Freedom Day 2010 today organizing various programs. FNJ took out a rally in the morning which was participated by more than 500 journalists and members of the civil society including lawyers, human right activists, professionals and students. The rally that started from the Constituent Assembly building went through Baneshowor, Gaushala, Tilganga, and then converged into a mass meeting in the premises of Media Village. The journalists and other participants of the rally wore a white T shirt showing the slogan of World Press Freedom Day which read as "Freedom of Information: Right to Know"

The foundation laying stone program for the memorial pillar to be constructed in rememberance of the journalists that have lost their lives was organized in the premises of the Media Village. President of FNJ Dharmendra Jha, Former Presidents of FNJ Harihar Birahi, Hom Nath Dahal, Suresh Acharya and Bishnu Nisthuri, President of Press Council Nepal Narayan Prasad Sharma jointly laid the foundation stone for the memorial pillar in the premises of FNJ. FNJ had been demanding for the construction of the pillar since long as it would be a good recognition of the sacrifice made by the journalists. ( a scanned design of the memorial pillar is uploaded in the website)

Following the foundation laying program in the premises of FNJ, an interaction program was also organized in the media village, which was participated by senior journalists, lawmakers, human rights activists and media persons. The topic of discussion was constitution making process and press freedom. Healthy discussions, were held during the interaction program and all the speakers stressed on consensus and collaboration among the political parties for the timely drafting of the new constitution. Speakers also stressed on the fact that civil rights of a citizen cannot be guaranteed unless there is total press freedom. General Secretary of FNJ coordinated the interaction program while FNJ Vice President Govinda Acharya welcomed the guests. A message by IFJ President Jim Boumdela was also read out during the program. Like wise, three journalists were awarded with Press Freedom Fighter Award for this year.  This year's Press Freedom Fighter Award was given to senior journalist late Bharat Bhurtel postmousthly. Other two receipants of the award were Former FNJ President Suresh Achaya and Former FNJ Vice President Kaushal Chemjong. Likewise, Similarly, Banke district chapter was given a special award this year for being an excellent district chapter of FNJ. Banke District President Jhalak Gaire received the award.