FONIJ issued a 13-point ‘Saptari Manifesto’, protesting against the government’s move
Saptari. The Federation of Indigenous Nationalities Journalists (FONIJ) has objected to the arrests and arrests of media houses and journalists by the state.
The fifth plenary meeting of the FONIJ held at Fatehpur of Saptakoshi Municipality-1 of Saptari district on October 28, 2008 issued a 13-point ‘Saptari Declaration’ strongly condemning the government’s move. Likewise, the government has also objected to the government’s decision to curtail the government grant for publishing public welfare advertisements to newspapers and other media and demanded that the grant be provided to the media in a pre-paid manner. According to FONIJ Treasurer Arjun Bahadur Tamang, the meeting decided to provide necessary support to the family of veteran journalist Tek Raj Thami at the initiative of FONIJ Federal Committee and to commemorate and honour his contribution to the indigenous nationalities community and the country through journalism. Issuing a 13-
point declaration, the meeting also demanded the government for capacity enhancement of media and financial concessions for the economic promotion of the media as the condition of the media published and broadcast in the mother tongue is pathetic.
According to Treasurer Tamang, the meeting has demanded all three tiers of government to implement the minimum wage fixed for working journalists in media houses and to help in the protection, promotion and development of self-employment-oriented media run by working journalists.
Manifesto
The fifth plenary meeting of FONIJ was held at Saptakoshi Municipality Ward No. 1, Fatehpur of Saptari. The meeting issued the following declaration.
1. Our serious attention has been drawn to the arrest and release of journalists Bishwamani Subedi (Nepal Press), Sobhraj Baral (Motive News), Dhiraj Basnet (DNA Khabar) on October 2
6, 2008 and the government led by Balendra Shah for searching for journalists like Nawaraj Mainali (Naya Patrika), Sudip Bishwakarma (Thepost), Rita Budhathoki and others for writing news and terrorizing the press world. Condemning the incident, the meeting urged the government to stop curtailing the constitutionally guaranteed right to full press freedom and create an environment conducive for journalists to write news freely.
2. On the proposal of the Province 1 government, the Province Assembly passed the bill on October 9, 2083 to use Maithili, Limbu, Tharu, Tamang, Magar, Bantawa, Urdu, Rajbanshi, Rai, Newar, Chamling, Sherpa and Santhali languages as official languages.
3. Objecting to the reduction in the government grant for publishing public welfare advertisements to newspapers and other media with the formation of the government led by Balendra Shah, they demand that the grant be provided to the media as beforehand.
4. Journalist Tek Raj Thami, who is still missing due to the floods in Bhotekoshi of Rasuwa on August 24, 2008, expresses heartfelt tribute to the missing journalists and the citizens who lost their lives, including the body of Kush (who was cremated after 24 days by his family). The meeting urges the government to distribute necessary relief to the families of the flood victims as well as to arrange for permanent settlement of the displaced people.
5. The meeting decides to provide necessary support to the family of late Tek Raj Thami and to establish the Late Tek Raj Thami National Memorial Journalism Award Axis Fund to commemorate and honor his contribution to the indigenous nationalities community and the country through journalism and to award one outstanding journalist every year.
6. The meeting urges the provincial government, assembly and political parties to pay timely attention to the ongoing identity movement in Province No. 1 and other parts of the country to scrap the Koshi name and rename it on the basis of identity.
7. Stating that the condition of media published and broadcast in mother tongue is pathetic, the meeting demands a meeting with the government for capacity enhancement of media and mother tongue journalists working in them and for financial concession for the economic promotion of media houses.
8. It is clear that Satya Narayan Bahadur Shrestha is the founding president of the Federation of Nepali Journalists. Although the 27th general convention of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) is said to form a task force and study it and reach a conclusion, the meeting again urges the FNJ to be serious about resolving the problem as no progress has been made so far. Also, the FONIJ decides to continue the movement again by preparing a work schedule regarding the issue of the founding president of the FNJ.
9. The meeting urges all three tiers of government to enforce the minimum wages fixed for working journalists in media houses and to support the protection, promotion and development of self-employment generating media run by working journalists.
10. Province No. 1 urges the government and the concerned parties to resolve the problem of no cable car in Mukumlung through dialogue and dialogue.
11. The meeting urges the government to formulate laws for the implementation of federalism, full inclusion, full proportional system, secularism, autonomy, special areas and protected areas guaranteed by the Constitution of Nepal 2072 for the rights and interests of indigenous peoples.
12. FONIJ Federal Committee Vice President Arjun Jamneli Rai has been elected as the co-chair of the central committee of Kirat Rai Yayokha in the 12th national convention of Kirat Rai Yayokha, Tamu (Gurung) Chitra Soalti Gurung has been elected as the president of the sixth national convention of the Journalists Association in Pokhara, and Avatar Rai has been re-elected as the president of Kirat Rai Journalists’ Association in Bhojpur.
13. The fifth central plenary meeting of FONIJ was held at Fattepur, Saptakoshi Municipality-1 of Madhes Province. Honorable Raj Kumar Lekhi, Member of the Saptakoshi Municipality, Madhes Provincial Assembly, Ward No. 5 for their support in making the meeting successful. The meeting thanks the office of Ward No. 5 and Chairman Gosai Chaudhary.
प्रतिक्रिया दिनुहोस्
