Fortnightly paper stops, appeals for support

Kathmandu, September 10: The Bhutan Jagaran (BJ), widely circulated Nepali fortnightly newspaper in camps, published by the Nepali Sahitya Parishad Bhutan (NSPB) discontinued its hard prints from August due to the lack of potential funding."We tried all means and measures not to stop the publication for several months but finally we are doing this", said Khem Kafle, the editor of the paper.
According to Kafle, several organizations including the aid agencies working in the camps, exiled organizations and well-wishers have been reached for the support. But, none of them listened to the appeal to make the BJ printed.Bhola Sapkota, who is an active member of the NSPB, said that when people were disorganized in the initial stage of camp set-up, the BJ played a crucial role to disseminate news on Bhutan, the Bhutanese citizens and related issues.
"Now we are losing the regular newspaper that has touched many readers in camps", Sapkota expressed.The NSPB, issuing a circular yesterday, has appealed its well-wishers and aid agencies to help continue the paper
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SAMSN strategy meeting concludes

Source: Bhutan News Service
Kathmandu, September 06: Member of the South Asian Media Solidarity Network (SAMSN), the forum of South Asian media organisations affiliated to International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) concluded their regional strategy meeting Saturday in Kathmandu.

The three-day meeting ended up with adopting a charter and action plan to improve the situation of press freedom in the region alongside ensuring democratic media environment. The media rights activists also expressed commitments to strengthen the trade unions of the journalists across South Asia.

I. P. Adhikari, president of the Association of Press Freedom Activists (APFA) Bhutan represented Bhutan in the regional meeting that takes place every two years.

Adhikari alerted the regional forum of the anti-media legal instruments in Bhutan and call for action from IFJ and its affiliates to improve the media situation where government intervention has not ended in media houses.

The meeting expressed concern over the circulation Bhutan InfoCom and Media Authority made to radio stations in Thimphu last month, increasing number of attacks on journalists in Jammu & Kashmir state of India, increasing number of violence against media in Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

An exclusive statement was adopted against attacks on journalists in Kashmir calling on the actors to protect the rights of the journalists.