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This troublesome statistic, coupled with the reigning environment of political harassment, makes Nepal a very challenging place for journalists and raises calls for more proactive government and social action to protect free speech.
Unfortunately, the Nepalese government is ignoring such numbers. It wants to launch a program that, if implemented, would put journalists in greater danger and pollute their work environment.
As reported by nepalnews.com, the government wants to use journalists as informants. They will be paid by the government to share information on their news sources, and possibly to keep an eye on the activities of the opposition.
The Federation of Nepali Journalists has condemned the plan and has asked the government to cancel it. The International Federation of Journalists has also voiced its opposition, saying, "Plans to use journalists as law enforcement informers jeopardizes the independence and safety of media personnel."
There is no word yet from the Nepalese government as to whether or not it will cancel this plan, however. In light of widespread criticism and opposition, it is safe to assume that officially the government will announce that it is shelving the plan for now. But if we look at the history of government-media collusion in Nepal, the plan will be put into action through backdoor channels.
In 2006, the Commission for the Investigation of the Abuse of Authority launched an investigation into the alleged distribution of state funds to certain journalists. This was under the royal regime. According to Kantipur Daily, some well-known journalists in the country – including Hari Sharan Lamichhane, Rishi Dhamala and Babita Basnet – were paid considerable sums to further the interests of the royal regime. Altogether 99 journalists were paid.
The CIAA investigation brought into the light the names of journalists who were paid, but the commission failed to do anything further. The disgraced journalists are still working in the field.
There is no shortage of journalists in Nepal who are willing to collude with the government for money, and the present government knows that very well. So it is interesting to see that it came out in public to announce the plan to hire journalists as informants.
The public announcement raises serious questions about how the government views journalists. It is pretty clear that for this government, reporters and media personnel are mere pawns ready to be used in the game of politics in return for petty gains.
The government has no regard for the institution of journalism or the people’s right to fair and accurate information. When it harps about protecting journalists and a free press and fostering the people’s right to information, the Nepali government has all the credibility of a vegetarian tiger.
Then there is the question of whether Nepal's journalists brought this upon themselves. The 99 who shamed Nepalese journalism aside, there are many in this field who view their work as a sacred task. These journalists are willing to take risks to investigate stories and uphold their vow to be fair and balanced.
Unfortunately, these hardworking scribes are overshadowed by the rotten few. The rotten ones have created a bad image for journalists. Hence the government's audacity in declaring it wants to use them as informers is no surprise.
Rishi Dhamala, who sold his conscience to the royal regime for 20,000 rupees (US$266), accompanied Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and the official Nepalese delegation to the U.N. General Assembly in New York last month. He is now on the prime minister’s list of near and dear ones.
It is true that Nepal is a dangerous place for journalists – the hardworking, honest ones who are not for sale. For journalists like Rishi Dhamala, life is a party at taxpayers’ expense.
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(Bhumika Ghimire is a freelance reporter. Her articles have been published at OhMyNews, NepalNews, Toward Freedom, Telegraph Nepal, Himal South Asian and ACM Ubiquity. She is also a regular contributor to News Front Weekly, in Kathmandu, and Nepal Abroad, in Washington D.C. She can be reached at bhumika_g@yahoo.com. ©Copyright Bhumika Ghimire.)
