Kathmandu. National Forum for Newar Journalist has demanded that the government should declare journalist Suresh Rajak, who was killed in a royalist protest, as a martyrs and provide proper compensation to the victim’s family.
NFNJ held a sit-in at Mahadev Parvati Dabali in Basantapur on Sunday to protest the attack on the media house and the killing of the journalist.
Various speakers at the sit-in criticized the home administration for not taking responsibility for the death of the journalist in the chaotic and violent activities in Tinkune in the name of the alleged royalist movement and the attack on the media house.
They also demanded that a high-level commission to be formed for a proper investigation into the incident. On the occasion, Nripendra Lal Shrestha, the central president of NFNJ, condemned the chaotic activities during the protest and expressed deep sorrow over the attack and killing of the media house and the journalist.
Demanding that journalist Rajak be declared as a martyrs for being killed while collecting news, Chairman Shrestha warned that he would launch a phased protest until his demand is met.
Sameer Balami, General Secretary of the Federation of Nepal Indigenous Journalists (FONIJ), stated that the target of any movement is the indigenous people, and demanded that the government should declare those who died in the protest on Chaitra 15 as martyrs and provide appropriate compensation to the families, and being sensitive to them. He also urged the Ministry of Home Affairs to be accountable for the killing of journalists.
During the protest, Chairman of Media Alliance Bhaskar Raj Rajkarnikar expressed grief over the killing of journalist Suresh Rajak and demanded that the government should form an impartial investigation commission to bring out the truth in this matter. Chairman Rajkarnikar also said that if the government does not declare journalist Suresh Rajak as a martyrs within three days, he will strongly protest against the government.
Madhesi Journalists’ Association President Mohan Singh accused the government of being a mute spectator in the Tinkune incident on Friday and demanded the formation of a judicial investigation committee to bring out the truth.
On behalf of the family of the deceased journalist, Rajendra Rajak said that the government was trying to distort the facts of the Tinkune incident by depriving it of its minimum responsibility and demanded appropriate compensation for the victim’s family.
On the occasion, Senior Vice President of NFNJ Sunil Maharjan, adding that the fact that media houses and journalists are targets of autocratic regimes is not new, demanded the formation of a strong commission to bring out the incident as many questions remain unanswered. He also said that the home administration has not reached out to the families of Sabin Maharjan and journalist Rajak, who were killed in the protest, to show sympathy for the victim’s family and show commitment to provide compensation.
On the occasion, Sri Krishna Maharjan, founding president of NFNJ, and K.K. Manandhar, general secretary, expressed their views, stating that the chaotic incidents in Tinkune were planned and focusing on the failure of the home administration.
