[Marxism] Nepal's muzzled media turns to rats, clean socks

[davidquarter@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

On 6 Feb 2005 at 12:01, Geese 4 Peace wrote:


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20050206/india_nm/india_190478


India Top Stories - Reuters
Sun, Feb 6, 2005

Nepal's muzzled media turns to rats, clean socks

KATHMANDU (Reuters) - With Nepalis living under a state of emergency,
civil rights suspended and dissent against the king banned after he
seized power, they are reading some bizarre things in their newspapers.


Nepali journalists, especially those who have been through similar
crackdowns before, are finding imaginative if sometimes head-scratching
ways of commenting about the crisis gripping the impoverished Himalayan
kingdom.

Editorials and commentaries deal with the behaviour of rats, the
importance of trees, the need to appreciate the weather and the role of
socks in society.

To many readers, they are coded comments on the political situation.
For others, the overly mundane subjects emphasise what newspapers
cannot publish.

"Till last week, Nepal's press was really one of the free-est in the
world," said Kunda Dixit, analyst and editor of The Nepali Times
weekly. "What a difference a week makes."

Soldiers have been stationed in newsrooms and in some cases are vetting
every word before it goes out, say other reporters.

"They are making us change words -- they are telling us to change the
word from Maoist to terrorist," said one reporter from a Nepali
language daily, referring to reports about Maoist guerrillas fighting
to topple the monarchy.

MEDIA ARRESTED

Troops and armoured cars are outside some media offices.

The president and general-secretary of the Federation of Nepalese
Journalists have been arrested, members say.

On Saturday, a planned meeting of senior editors, federation members
and other journalists to discuss the situation was abandoned at the
last minute when a blue police van parked outside the offices. Some
journalists are on the run.

Information Minister Tanka Dhaka was quoted by a local newspaper as
saying the government would not impose censorship on the press.

"The press can't grow by publishing negative news only. The media
should fulfil its responsibility by publishing news only."

Some companies have placed advertisements in newspapers praising King
Gyanendra for sacking the government last Tuesday, arresting political
leaders, declaring a state of emergency and cutting all phone links.

He explained he took the move because the coalition government had been
unable to make progress in ending the nine-year Maoist rebellion that
has killed more than 11,000 people.

"We offer our loyal gratitude to His Majesty the King for his step --
to protect the national sovereignty and maintain peace in our country,"
ran one phrase in two separate ads.

On Saturday, a day when the road map of Gyanendra and his 10-man
loyalist cabinet was announced in the media, The Kathmandu Post's
editorial was entitled "Socks in Society".

After running through the value of branded socks, good socks, thin
socks, thick socks and changing socks regularly, the editorial ends,
obscurely:

"Branded or unbranded, dear readers let us all make a resolution to
wear clean socks this summer."

The editorial on rats said the Latin name for the rodents was "Rats
RUs", with the second R reversed, much like the U.S. toy company.

In his weekly column, Dixit said: "I am swept by a heady feeling of
nostalgia and deja vu. The good days are back again. Let's rock."

He then helped his readers unable to keep up with the international
news -- cable television was also cut -- with a tongue-in-cheek rundown
of the main world events including the Pope's health, Michael Jackson's
trial and the delay, again, of a South Asian regional summit.

"We'll have more international news in just a moment, he ends, "Don't
go away."
_____________________
http://news.yahoo.com

==========================================
Chickenhawks: An Anti-war Video
Take a look at this short video about the chickenhawks now
in power who previously dodged direct military service or
action but now crow for continuous war.
Then forward hither & yon.
http://www.symbolman.com/chickenhawks.html
==========================================
WAR IS A RACKET
by Major General Smedley D. Butler, USMC
http://lmno4p.org/war/


                


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