Nepal
Unions attack news organizationPosted Oct 20 2007
Kantipur Publications, Nepal's biggest private news organization, is facing violent attacks by unions affiliated to the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist, according to Committee to Protect Journalists.
The action is the latest in a series of moves against major newspapers in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu.
Members of the Maoist-affliated All Nepal Communication, Printing and Publications Workers' Union sabotaged electrical installations at the Kantipur group's printing press on September 30. A Kantipur staff member said the unionists also tried to set fire to one of the group's buildings.
The distribution of organization's two papers, the Nepali-language daily Kantipur and its English-language sister paper The Kathmandu Post, were severely disrupted on Oct. 1 by the sabotage.
On the same day, Shalik Ram Jamkattel, a Maoist member of the interim parliament, threatened to kidnap a Kintipur executive, accusing the group of violating workers' rights.
Reporters Without Borders said Wednesday in a statement that the dispute was obviously not just about wage demands and condemned the intolerance of the Maoist unions.