A through look at today’s newspaper made me think: are media opening up a bit to defy the censorship? The obvious answer is: yes. Look at Rajdhani, Nepal Samarcharpatra and The Kathmandu Post.
The news I am talking about relates to Girija Prasad Koirala, leader of Nepali Congress. He is under house arrest and somehow released an appeal to all Nepalis for the ‘peaceful and violence less protest’. While most of the media chose not to give any space to the appeal, Rajdhani came up with a big two-column front page news along with Koirala’s photos while NSP (Here) and TKP (Read Here) at least put the it on the front page briefs.
Along with them, Rajdhani also put a strong headline for England’s call back of her ambassador (‘A Step Backward for Democracy:England’).
The unofficial translation of a leading part of the Rajdhani’s news:
House-arrest Koirala’s Appeal for Protest
Girija Prasad Koirala, who is under house arrest since the Royal takeover two weeks ago, has appealed for the ‘peaceful and non-violent people’s movement’ in protest of the Royal Proclamation from February 18, the Democracy Day.
Former prime minister 82-year-old Koirala has requested all to support him for the final movement and said, “I reiterate my promise not to agree with any body on the question of Nepal’s people sovereign rights, full freedom and democracy until the last breath of my life.”
He also claimed the Royal Proclamation put the nation in the serious crisis and that all the results of the 1990 People’s Movement have been diminished.
“The country has already entered the era of militarilization and authoritarian,” he said. “The country has asked for the final movement for the democracy that can not be hijacked my anybody and situation has asked me to take the responsibility to led the movement.”
