Nepal News
Monday, October 15, 2007
Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula has said that Maoists were involved in abduction and subsequent disappearance of Bara-based journalist Birendra Shah.
Informing parliamentarians about the missing journalist at the special session of the House on Sunday, Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula said that police have intensified search operations to find Shah.
“We have valid information that Maoist activists were involved in the abduction of Shah,” Sitaula said, adding, “both armed and regular police forces have started massive search operation in villages of Bara and adjoining districts. They are also coordinating with Indian authorities to track down Shah’s abductors.”
Two Maoist cadres had reportedly abducted Shah on October 5.
Meanwhile, Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) on Sunday asked the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and Speaker of the interim parliament to instruct the government for the release of journalist Shah and take appropriate action against his abductors after arresting them.
The umbrella organizations of professional journalists in Nepal made this demand during separate meetings with NHRC commissioners and Speaker Subas Nemwang and has come at a time when there in increasing national and international concern over the fate of missing journalist Birendra Shah.
In the meantime, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a New York-based media rights group, has also expressed concern over the fate of Shah. CPJ, in a statement, quoting regional police chief Kiran Gautam, further said Shah was still alive.
Meanwhile, Freedom Forum Nepal, a media monitoring organisation, has condemned the acts of the Maoists and urged it to publicise the whereabouts of Shah immediately.
“We also demand clarification from the Maoist leadership for failing to comply with their commitments not to attack media and media persons. This has posed serious threat to the freedom of the press,” said the FFN in a statement issued on Monday.
It also expressed concern over the growing attacks on media and journalists in recent days.