Kathmandu, February 2, 2006

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), a global organisation representing over 500,000 journalists in over 110 countries, and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) today condemned the “targeting, arrest and abuse of journalists” in yesterday’s protest against the restriction on media freedom in the country. “Journalists in Nepal have every reason to protest the king’s continued campaign of intimidation against the independent press,” said CPJ executive director Ann Cooper. “Instead of using force to prevent these demonstrations, King Gyanendra should rescind repressive media regulations introduced in the past year, and allow the press to fulfil its obligations to provide news and information to the people,” Cooper said in a statement issued today. At least 33 journalists were arrested during the protest, which was part of the FNJ’s programme to commemorate the anniversary of the February 1, 2005 royal move. “The events of the last 24 hours are appalling and intolerable. The violent intervention of police and the targeting of journalists during peaceful protests is totally unacceptable,” said IFJ president Christopher Warren in a statement. “In the lead up to the municipal elections on February 8, the government has proven its assurances of a return to democratic rule are only empty promises,” Warren said. “These brutal and oppressive actions by the government must not continue, and journalist smust be allowed to continue their work independently, without fear, intimidation or abuse,” Warren said.

Economy may collapse anytime: IfDS

Kathmandu, February 2, 2006

Senior economists and experts talking about the existing economic scenario have expressed serious concerns over the possibility of the economy collapsing within three months, if the ‘current’ scenario continues unaltered. Dr Raghav Dhoj Pant, executive director of the Institute for Development Studies (IfDS), while talking at a press meet, has warned the current government and political parties of ‘stagflation’ which is already bleeding the economy, due primarily to unresolved political problems and lack of initiatives by the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), ministry of finance (MoF) and National Planning Commission (NPC). While talking to journalists, Dr Pant blamed political parties for turning their heads from the flagging economic outlook. Pant, who is the chief of IfDS, mentioned that per capita income is stagnant, prices are rising and the balance of payment problem with major trading partners is deteriorating. He warned that the economy ‘might collapse abruptly’. In recent times, the major source of revenue to the national coffer, according to Dr Pant, has been ‘remittance’.