Funferal

Troubling attacks on community radio

Two disturbing attacks on Community Radio activists today – both from areas that have been much in the news recently.
In Oaxaca two community radio journalists were beaten and one arrested last Wednesday night, while in Nepal there have been attacks on community radio stations (and journalists) for the past week or so:

On 28 January, protesters in Birgunj city targeted media houses and reporters. According to the “Kantipur” daily newspaper, the protesters even went around the city looking for particular journalists belonging to Kantipur publications, the biggest media house in the country.
On the same day, a section of protesters vandalized the offices of Radio Birgunj. Targeting the FM station, they set fire to a generator as well as to four motorcycles belonging to station staff. According to Dipendra Chauhan, a news coordinator with the station, the protesters continued to rampage through the station for 15 minutes, obstructing its ability to broadcast.
It was only after police arrived that the protesters fled. They also unsuccessfully tried to attack the offices of the radio station Narayani FM, and the Parsa chapter of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ).
The mob not only tried to attack media houses but also physically beat some reporters. A photojournalist by the name of Ram Sharraf had to be rushed to hospital after he was badly beaten by the mob. Other beaten journalists who were identified were Dhruba Shah and Bhuwan Jha.