18 August, 2019
On 17 August, Amnesty International Nepal organised a residential workshop aiming to bring forth fresh insights, and discuss the significant role of journalists as human rights defenders. The workshop was also aimed to seek more sustained engagement with journalists reporting on human rights, rule of law and social justice in Nepal in order to discuss and identify ways of mutual solidarity and collaboration.
On an opening event marked on 16 August evening, Amnesty Nepal Chair Bikram Dhukuchhu welcomed the participants and wished success of the event. General Secretary of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists Ramesh Bista highlighted the shrinking democratic spaces and the rise in the authoritarian tendency of the government toward the free exercise of the constitutionally guaranteed “full freedom of the press”, which may eventually undermine the protection and promotion of human rights in the country.
Amnesty International South Asia Regional Office (SARO) Director Biraj Patnaik briefly highlighted the situation of journalists in South Asia where they continue to daily face multiple forms of violence including harassment, intimidation, torture, enforced disappearances and killings. Patnaik appreciated the fact that over thirty journalists in Nepal made it a matter of priority to set aside their weekends to discuss and contribute for human rights causes.
The workshop on 17 August began with Omar Waraich, SARO Deputy Regional Director, presenting on the major challenges faced by journalists in the current time of increasing intolerance, hate, populism and the onslaught of technology on private spaces including the use of it by repressive regimes for mass surveillance and curtailment of fundamental freedoms. This was followed by a very enriching session on the protection and security situations of journalists by Binod Dhungel, the Nepal representative of the Reporters Sans Frontieres.
The third session dwelt on the role of journalists as human rights defenders who stand in the front-line bringing in stories of the affected people thereby being the “voice of the voiceless”. The session also highlighted how these brave defenders of human rights suffer harassment, and often times, violation of their rights including death and disappearance, and how Amnesty International has been supporting them including through its current ongoing “BRAVE CAMPAIGN”, annual “Write For Rights” campaign and other solidarity actions.
The fourth session was a very lively panel discussion entitled “Freedom of Expression in Nepal : the Constitutional Legacy and the State’s Behaviour towards Media in Nepal”, facilitated by Rajan Prasad Kuikel, a noted journalist and former chair of Amnesty International Nepal, which included as panelists Kamala Panthi, Vice chair of Sancharika Samuha, Prof. Rama Krishna Regmee, senior Journalist Yubaraj Ghimire (AI’s prisoner of conscience in 2001), and senior journalist and executive director of Freedom Forum Tara Nath Dahal. The discussion touched on several topics including the lacunae in the existing laws as well as the proposed bills pertaining to the freedom of expression. Interesting observations on the ethical lines of reporting and maintaining confidentiality aspects of victims and survivors was also underscored.
Prof. Rama Krishna Regmee’s presentation on the “Journalistic Reporting of Human Rights” was precise and very practical. He presented how a journalist, while maintaining integral professional values, should still think of his/her safety and protection issues and always put the best interests of the victims in the centre never ever commercializing the stories and facts.
In a short and informal yet informative session that followed, young emerging journalists shared their experiences and the opportunities and challenges they see in the field of Nepal’s journalism which is still predominantly a male world. The session concluded with Waraich sharing further insights including the need for senior male journalists to be as informed about women’s human rights issues in order to do away with patriarchal barriers.
The last session by Raju Prasad Chapagai, Amnesty Researcher in SARO, highlighted Amnesty’s major human rights focus in Nepal that included both the civil and political rights, and economic, social and cultural rights issues including those on the root causes of conflict such as marginalisation, exclusion, discrimination, rights relating to housing, food and land, among others.