About IFEX:

News by region:

IFEX Campaigns and Advocacy:

IFEX Email Products:

Further Assistance:

Alert

Another media entrepreneur shot dead in Janakpur

(FNJ/IFEX) - The Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) is shocked at the brutal killing of Arun Singhaniya, publisher of "Janakpur Today" and chairman of the Today Group, by unidentified people on 1 March 2010 at around 6:00 p.m. in Shiva Chowk Janakpur, in Dhanusha District. The media entrepreneur was shot at point blank range by a person who was sitting at the back of a motorcycle and died on the spot.

A 2 March meeting of the FNJ's Central Committee, showing great concern and interest over the murder, condemned the government for failing to provide security for journalists, media houses, media entrepreneurs and the general public. The government's failure to arrest those involved in the killing of media entrepreneur Singhaniya in broad daylight shows that the government mechanism to provide law and order is very weak and incompetent.

Singhaniya's murder one month after another media entrepreneur Jamim Shah was killed in Kathmandu in February also raises questions about the security and safety of common people. The FNJ urges the government to initiate a proper probe into the incident and bring the culprits to book. The organisation's central committee has also decided to field a mission to Janakpur, comprising of FNJ President Dharmendra Jha and central committee member Sambhu Jha, to obtain further information.

Furthermore, at 3:00 p.m. on 2 March, the FNJ central committee decided to hand over a memorandum to the Ministry of Home Affairs in order to draw the attention of the government to the deteriorating security situation in the country. FNJ plans to hold a protest rally throughout Nepal on 3 March, and will also hold meetings with business entrepreneurs, civil society and the Professionals Alliance for Peace and Democracy (PAPAD) on 4 March.

FNJ expresses heartfelt condolences on the demise of media entrepreneur Singhaniya.