Kathmandu, October 5:

Indigenous leaders and journalists today emphasised the need of press freedom to make the voice of deprived nationalities heard.

President of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists Bishnu Nisthuri said the FNJ had received support from indigenous journalists in its bid to restore press freedom. “I am confident of constant support of indigenous journalists to achieve our common goal of press freedom,” he said addressing a function oraganised here by the Association of Nepalese Indigenous/Nationalities Journalists (ANIJ) Dolakha district committee to felicitate various indigenous personalities.

Finance Secretary of Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) Pasang Sherpa said the federation, as an umbrella organisation of all indigenous nationalities, had decided to join the fight for inclusive democracy in the country. Sherpa said the NEFIN would always support indigenous journalists in their fight for press freedom.

He rebutted accusations that such ethnic movements as theirs’ were promoting communalism. He said the people of indigenous nationalities were only fighting for their rights and not to disturb the harmony of the society.

Treasurer of ANIJ Central Committee Mohan Singh Lama said, as the rights of indigenous people were directly connected to the freedom of press, his organisation would fully support the movement to restore press freedom. On the same occasion, FNJ president Nisthuri facilitated various indigenous personalities, including Shambhu Rai, Kumar Yatru, Navaraj Lama, Garja Singh Gurung, Tamka Bahadur Ghising, Mangal Lama Sainla, Aang Fenjo Sherpa, Dandup Lama, Karma Lama and Singha Bahadur Tamang, for their contribution to the society.