PHA-Exchange> Blockades and blackouts

[mathura shrestha]

February 12, 2005
Blackouts and blockades
People in Nepal are doubly pressed at present in addition to ever
surmounting problems of poverty and lack of political, economic,
social and cultural freedoms. King Gyanendra's draconian military rule
has imposed a near total blackout of news in print as well as
electronic media, and restricted movements of people severely.
Self-respect of the people of Nepal though nakedly challenged is still
intact as they fought and struggled hard for it. Naturally, thus, they
refuse to read or listen to censured and cooked up news. These days a
very few people care to listen to Nepal's TV, radio and FM programs or
read national newspapers. Workers and professionals in these
industries are both morally pressed and threatened of their
livelihood. Advertising and consumer industries are experiencing ever
mounting losses. Sale in news papers are down by 75%. Most newspapers
have cut their size by 25 to 33%. More and more people tune BBC radio
programs, especially Nepali ones. Thanks to the managers for
increasing 15 minutes of broadcasting time of Nepali programs and for
the broader, factual coverage on the impacts of the military
dictatorship. 'Nepal one' and all other Indian news channels – Star
News, Ajtak, NDTV News, G news – are all blocked. Military personnel
are guarding all cable networks and TV, radio and FM stations, not to
protect these but to interfere with the program operations and ensure
selective transmission violating the national and international laws.
What a civilized community can expect out of the barbarian and his
soldiers who totally and illegally cut off all lines of communication
for 6 days. Mobile phones are still totally closed, again against the
laws of the nation and the world of which the state has become party
to. International communities are also more or less silent and not
able to prevent the gross violations of human rights in Nepal. The
despotic dictatorship in Nepal continues to get military aids. Global
power bosses are preoccupied with their games to impose their version
of life in Iraq, Iran and North Korea.
The Maoists too are showing their strength to add to the plights of
the people. They have imposed indefinite blockade around Kathmandu
valley and other cities. Those who are rich have already stocked their
homes for one or even two months. What about the vast majority of wage
earners? They feed themselves and their family members including the
children and the aged with the wage they earn the same or previous
day. What about the sick persons referred to or consulting health
services in cities? I hope that the Maoists who claim to be fighting
for the poor must come to senses and withdraw the blockades. Blockades
do not limit the capacity of the state's security forces. They however
severely affect the people's life and livelihood, especially of the
poor, children, women, socio-economically displaced, and handicaps.
To speak about the gun-culture, I often say that a gun turns its
holder a headless monster. The Nepal's monarchy, with its dirtiest
history of deceptions, conspiracies and murders, has always been the
biggest of the big ones. So the question of today is, 'What we the
people should do to the monarchy that consistently refuse to remain
within the constitutional boundaries and norms'.
With regards
Mathura P. Shrestha