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Pushpa Adhikari in Kathmandu
The Government of Nepal has slapped censorship on private media organisations and warned against publishing or broadcasting news on the army's operations against Maoist guerrillas in the country's western districts.
The information and communication ministry told all journalists and media organisations not to publish interviews, news, audio-visual clippings and opinions that are likely to instigate violence and encourage the terrorists.
The ministry warned that those who publish "inflammatory material" would be liable for punishment if they did not get prior approval from the authorities concerned.
Nepal imposed a state of emergency on Tuesday and launched an army offensive in several districts after attacks by Maoist guerrillas claimed nearly 300 lives last weekend. It also arrested nine journalists allegedly working for three pro-Maoist newspapers.
A statement from the ministry, issued late on Wednesday, has asked all journalists to support the government's efforts to curb Maoist attacks, killing, looting, abduction, arson and terrorist activities.
It has also issued directives about what can be published. The order warns against publishing material that "aims to create hatred and disrespect against His Majesty the King and the Royal Family; anything that is likely to harm the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Nepal and disturbs security, peace and order."
The order bans "anything that is likely to create misunderstanding and communal hatred among the people of different castes, communities, religions, classes and regions and news that hurt the fundamental values of multi-party democracy; anything that is likely to harm national dignity, create social disintegration and instigate terror; likewise, anything that is likely to create hatred against Royal Nepali Army, police and civil servants and lower their morale and dignity.
"Any matter that aim at overthrowing the elected government and support Maoist terrorists and their groups and any matter that create unnecessary fear and terror among people."
The ministry has instructed the media to expose the criminal activities of the Maoists, but warned against raising the morale of the terrorists.
"News that comes from the government and official media and news regarding the bravery and achievements of army, police and civil servants are to be broadcast," the directive said.
Reports reaching Kathmandu, meanwhile, said the army had intensified its attacks on areas regarded as terrorist strongholds.
Nepal declared the Maoists terrorists on Tuesday after they withdrew from peace negotiations to end the six-year-old insurgency that has claimed nearly 2,400 lives and launched intensive attacks since last Friday.
A journalist from Dang district, some 500km west of Kathmandu, quoted people who had fled their homes in Rolpa, one of the districts where the army is conducting its operations, as saying that at least 300 people had died in Rolpa, Rukum and Salyan districts. He quoted them as saying "the army is shooting at anybody in sight from helicopters".
The state-run media has said there is minor resistance from the rebel side in many districts. "The rebel side has suffered huge losses, but there is no damage on the army side," Radio Nepal said.
Political analysts in Kathmandu say that once the army operation is over and the forces return to their barracks, the political scenario in the country will change and the government will face a different, tougher challenge -- economic development of Nepal's far-flung areas.
Indo-Asian News Service
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