For immediate release:

 

AMARC condemns the attack on Community Radio Mukti in Nepal

 

March 23, 2009, Kathmandu. Amidst growing level of attacks against free
media and freedom of expression in Nepal and just within days of attack on
community radio Mahakali, yet another community radio station, Radio Mukti,
run by a women's group and located in the central region town of Butwal has
been vandalised by a group of students from the Butwal Multiple Campus on
the night of Saturday, March 21, 2009. 

 

According to Ms. Kabita Sharma, Station Manager of Radio Mukti, "the
students attacked the radio station approximately around 11 pm over a news
broadcast on postponement of counting of votes of Free Student Union
election in the campus. Windowpanes were smashed and a vehicle was damaged
by the assailants. No one was present at the station at the time of attack" 

 

"I received several threatening phone calls on Friday, March 20th from Bimal
Giri, identifying himself as deputy president of All Nepal National
Independent Student Union (ANISU-Revolutionary), the student wing of the
United Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist). I urged him to stop threatening me
and my colleagues over the phone and invited him to the station for a
discussion. I informed him of my willingness to have an on the air debate,
if he wanted one, but he declined. He spoke very rudely and threatened me of
rape and death," said Sharma. The same day, a top level Maoist leader Bam
Dev Chhetri had condemned Radio Mukti and several other media outlets in a
public rally in the same district. He had accused radio Mukti and the others
of working against the ANISU-R and the Maoist party.

 

"Despite the continuing threats and an atmosphere of fear, the station has
not stopped broadcasting; it will continue to serve the community," said
Sharma speaking over the phone from her station. 

 

Raghu Mainali of AMARC Asia Pacific has condemned the attack on Radio Mukti.
"It is highly unacceptable that a community radio station is attacked and
the staff threatened. This demonstrates further that the level of tolerance
of the Maoists - the leading party of the ruling coalition, towards freedom
of expression is non-existent. All individuals and institutions supporting
human rights and communication rights must come together in condemning this
attack," he has said. 

 

In his message, President of AMARC Asia Pacific, Ashish Sen has expressed
shock and deep concern over the incident. "The international community and
supporters of freedom of expression are highly concerned by the attacks on
the free media in Nepal. The attack on Community Radio Mukti must be
condemned in the strongest way possible. I call upon the free society of the
world to extend their support to radio Mukti and all community radios of
Nepal as well as the free media of that country at this perilous hour of
crisis and concern."

 

About Community Radio Mukti

Radio Mukti started test broadcasting from October 3, 2008 and its regular
transmission began from December 24, 2008. The station is managed by an NGO
run by women that aims to achieve equality for women through media currently
broadcasts 18 hours a day. For further information, Kabita Sharma, Station
Manager can be contacted at [log in to unmask] 

 

Released by AMARC Asia Pacific Regional office,
<mailto:[log in to unmask]> [log in to unmask]  

 

 

____________________________________________________ 

AMARC is an international non-governmental organization serving the
community radio movement in over 110 countries, and advocating for the right
to communicate at the international, national, local and neighbourhood
levels. AMARC has an International Secretariat in Montreal. It has regional
sections in Africa, Latin America and Asia Pacific and offices in
Johannesburg, Buenos Aires and Kathmandu.

 

For more information, please visit www.amarc.org 

 

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