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हिमाल मिडिया आक्रमणको अर्को पाटो

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Other Side Story of Himal Media Attacks
Save Nepal Media Campaign Says-
Be Aware of These Two "Media Captains": Reality About Himalmedia

Kathmandu, December 25, 2008- Those staffers, recruited on 5000-7000 salary per month five years ago are still drawing the same scale. Repeated pleas of workers to hike salary and facility fell on the Dixit brothers' deaf ears. In this way, fours years went down the drain.

Himalmedia, established in 1998, has five founders – Ambika Shrestha chairperson and Kanak Mani Dixit, Kunda Dixit, Rajiv Raj Bhandari and Sajib Raj Bhandari directors.

The three publications of Himalmedia – Himal Khabarpatrika, Nepali Times and Wave — are being published under the involvement and direction of Kunda Dixit and Kanak Mani Dixit, who are brothers by blood relation and journalists by profession. While Kanak is the publisher and editor of Himal Khabarpatrika, Kunda is the publisher and editor of Nepali Times and Wave.

Himal Khabarpatrika covers politics, economic sector and other areas, Nepali Times is targeted diplomatic crop and Wave covers youth and entertainment. Besides serving public, all the three publications are being published to aid their own other businesses and are making good profits alone from advertisement with Rs 50 million standing profit every year. However, the expense is only around Rs 30 million. High prices of the three newspapers have also been significantly contributing to the company.

Listed as "Number 1″ three years ago, Himal Khabarpatrika is ranked at Number 2 on circulation basis and Number 3 on news content's basis. But the Dixit brothers, on the pretext of incurring losses, have been collecting grants from several donor organizations. On various occasions and pretexts, they have also been collecting around Rs 10 million from the government. Similarly, threatening businessmen of publishing negative news, some Rs 50 million have been amassed. On the other hand, some businessmen provide advertisement on the condition of not publishing their news.

The Dixit brothers are active being wolf in sheep's clothing, but the other partners stay mum.

The list of their malpractice continues. They also gain various benefits from I/NGOs on the banner of Himalmedia. The Dixit brothers, who also claim themselves the leaders of civil society, have sowed a seed of dispute between Dr. Devendra Raj Pandey and Krishna Pahadi. It is due to their ill act, Pandey has to cut off relation with Pahadi.

Himal South Asia has also become a breeding ground for them to launch sordid acts of gaining advantage illegally.
Media reports claim that Kunda is a gay and he had several times intercourse with Bijaya Kumar Pandey, a so-called TV presenter and henchmen of Sujata Koirala.

Himalmedia at present:
Ever since the inception of the company, employees have been working permanently at Himalmedia. However, suddenly Dixit brothers introduced new system and made staffers work on contract. This gave them a ground to treat workers as servants and lead a life of landlords. On numerous occasions, they sacked workers and hired new ones. Without serving their interest, no worker could be their employee. Evident is the case of editors. No editor was employed for more than a year. However, Rajendra Dahal's case was exceptional. This is because Dahal was their family brother-in-law, so he was able to work for more than a year. Time-bound salary and facility were a far cry for workers. Those staffers, recruited on 5000-7000 salary per month five years ago are still drawing the same scale. Repeated pleas of workers to hike salary and facility fell on the Dixit brothers' deaf ears. In this way, fours years went down the drain.

Irked workers, hoping for bright fate, established a non-political union for their welfare. However, the Dixit brothers shattered their dreams when they refused to meet them recently after the union was established. The workers got a shot in the arms after Ashutosh Tiwari, who was later nominated as the Chief Executive Officer, pledged to fulfill their genuine demands. He assured to act on the commitment with in a month.

However, even though a year passed, the demands were gathering dust. Worst, the Dixit brothers did not even hand over the permanent letters to working journalists and other staffs. This proves that the Dixit brothers always cultivate false promises.

-Sharada Rijal
Media Workers' Alliance
Baneshwor, Kathmandu, Nepal
mediaworkeralliance@gmail.com

The news on Himalmedia published on various newspapers:
"We will close the company if we were to add facility to workers and made their status permanent."
 Saghu weekly, Shrawan 20, 2065
Resignation of 16 journalists and employees sought on the ground of Rs 10 million losses. Threatened to publish names with photos if failed to put in papers.
 Saghu weekly, Bhadra 2, 2065
35 employees ousted ahead of Dashain.
 Saghu weekly Bhadra 9, 2065
Trade unions flay Himalmedia's unilateral act to sack employees flouting the Working Journalists' Act
 Janaastha weekly, Bhadra 18, 2065
Maoist union declares to interfere in Himalmedia against the management's act of ousting workers violating the Working Journalists' Act and Labour Act.
 Saghu weekly, Aswoj 13, 2065
Himal Khabarpatrika Editor is going to be sacked after Kanak Mani Dixit's seat in the Constituent Assembly from the CPN-UML was not guaranteed
 Saghu weekly, Aswoj 6, 2065
Sacking workers by Himalmedia ahead of Dashain agitates trade unions, demand immediate reinstatement
 Gorkhapara daily, Aswoj 18, 2065
Federation of Nepali Journalists flays the Himalmedia management's act of torturing journalists and employees. FJN General Secretary Poshan KC demanded the government punish the management if failed to act as per the Working Journalists' Act
 Janadisha daily, Aswoj 15, 2065
Trade unions, civil society, rights activists urge Himalmedia not to sack 16 workers, working at its customers section
 Naya Bimarsha weekly, Kartik 8, 2065
Himalmedia announces vacancy immediately after sacking three dozen employees on loss ground.
 Saghu weekly, Kartik 11, 2065
The Information Department directs Himalmedia to reinstate the sacked employees and issues a show case notice for announcing fresh recruitments
 Saghu weekly, Kartik 25, 2065
Government summons Himalmedia to prove whether the company is at loss
 Budhabar weekly, Kartik 27, 2065
Government directs Himalmedia management to present before the Information Department along with its audit report
 Roadmap weekly, Kartik 28, 2065
Himalmedia is trying to present fake audit report after the government summoned its management
 Sambodhan / Naya Bimarsha weekly, Kartik 29, 2065
The Labour and Information departments put stamp on decision of civil society leaders Kanak Mani Dixit and Kunda Dixit to sack employees flouting the Working Journalists' Act and Labour Act
 Dishanirdesh weekly, Mangsir 1, 2065′
Trade union flays act of torching Himal Khabarpatrika copies, slams management's act of accusing the union workers of their involvement in the incident, urges media not to publish such fake news
 Kantipur daily, Mangsir 4, 2065
The so-called Himalmedia's claim that its copies were torched by masked men is doubtful. The management claimed that 5,000 copies were burnt down, however only 1,000 copies were found torched.
• Budhabar weekly, Mangsir 11, 2065
Our concern has been drawn towards the Himalmedia's claim that the sacked employees had torched its copies. The rigidness of Kanak Mani Dixit and Kunda Dixit over the formation of union in the company has also raised our concern. All can exercise the constitutional-guaranteed right to open and run trade union. So they are merely trying to violate press freedom by themselves.
• Janadharana weekly, Mangsir 12, 2065
Employees at Himalmedia are trying to open a union. However, the management is learnt to have trying its every bit to crush their attempt.
• The Himalayan Times daily, November 28, 2008
The Media Marketing Association has flayed the Himalmedia's act of sacking its two staffers without any reason.
• Kantipur daily, Mangsir 15, 2065
The Information has directed the Himalmedia management to reinstate the sacked 16 employees in its sales department.
• The notice sent by the Information Department to Himalmedia management on Mangsir 16, 2065
According to a reliable source, the following organizations were found assisting Himalmedia directly or indirectly in various ways.
They are follows:
1. Action Aid Nepal
2. Action Contre laFaim (Campaign Against Hungers)
3. ADRA/Nepal
4. APEIRON
5. Association of Volunteers Without Frontiers/AVSF
6. BNMT
7. CARE Nepal
8. CECI
9. CEDPA
10. Centro Cooperation Sviluppo/CCS
11. Child Protection Centers and Services/CPCS
12. Child Welfare Scheme
13. Child Fund Japan
14. CONCERN WORLDWIDE
15. Danish Forestry Extension C/o Nepal Agro forestry Foundation
16. Eco Himal
17. Educate The Children
18. Family Health International (FHI)
19. Fida International
20. German Nepalese Help Association
21. Group for Trans cultural/GRT
22. Habitat for Humanity International
23. HANDICAP International
24. Heifer Project International
25. Helen Keller International
26. Helvetas Nepal
27. International Alert
28. International Development Enterprise/ Nepal
29. International Nepal Fellowship
30. International Rescue Committee Nepal
31. Interplast Germany
32. Kinderhaus Kathamndu /KIKA
33. Leprosy Mission Nepal
34. LWF Nepal
35. Mercy Corps
36. Micronutrient Initiative, C/o - Canadian Cooperation Office
37. MS. Nepal
38. National Democratic Institute/NDI
39. Nepal Leprosy Trust
40. Netherlands Leprosy
41. OXFAM GB
42. SDC
43. Panos South Asia
44. Plan Nepal
45. Planete Enfants Nepal
46. Population Services International
47. PRACTICAL ACTION Nepal
48. Room to Read
49. Rural Education And Development (READ)
50. Save the Children Japan
51. Save the Children Norway
52. Save the Children US
53. Shapla Neer
54. SNV Nepal
55. South Asia Partnership International
56. SPW Nepal
57. Terre des Hommes
58. The Asia Foundation
59. The Daywalka Foundation
60. The Mountain Institute
61. United Mission to Nepal
62. USC – Nepal
63. VSO Nepal
64. WaterAid
65. World Education
66. World Neighbors
67. World Vision International
68. World Wildlife Fund
69. Win rock International
70. OTI-Nepal
71. Antenna Foundation-Nepal (Madhu Acharya is dalal between donors and HM)
72. IUCN
73. ODC
74. DFID
75. WTLCP
76. BSP
77. ESAP
78. NSET
79. Blue Diamond Society
80. LFP
81. IID
82. ESAP
83. BSP Nepal
84. RRN
85. Samjhauta Nepal
86. SDC
87. Plan Nepal
88. EU
89. Kathmandu Valley Water Management Support Project
90. Umbrella Project Support Unit
91. Pratical Action
92. Care Nepal
93. United Mission to Nepal
94. United Nation Children's fund
95. Fitness Center
96. Self awakening Center
97. Himalayan Light Foundation
98. LFP
99. F-Skill
100. NRN Division Non Resident Nepali Association
101. Samjhauta Nepal
102. Swati
103. UNDP
104. ARD Inc.
105. Tfe Project
106. Neve
107. NSET
108. J&T
109. RAP
110. ABC Nepal
111. Action Aid Nepal
112. AMDA Nepal
113. AusAID
114. Blue Diamond Society
115. BP Memorial Health Foundation
116. Britain Nepal Medical Trust(BNMT), Biratnagar
117. CAC Nepal
118. Care Nepal
119. CEDPA Nepal
120. CRDS Nepal
121. DFID
122. Family Health International-Nepal
123. Family Planning Association of Nepal
124. FLWD
125. General Welfare Pratisthan (GWP)
126. Health Sector Support Program (HSSP)
127. Himalayan Social Welfare Organization
128. Hope Foundation Nepal
129. ICA Nepal
130. International Labour Organization (ILO)
131. JICA
132. Maintaining Resource Management Group(MRMG)
133. Maiti Nepal
134. National Center for Aids & STD Control
135. Nava kiran Plus
136. Nepal CRS Company
137. Nepal Family Health Program
138. Nepal Fertility care Center (NFCC)
139. Nepal Harm Reduction Council
140. Nepal Red Cross Society- AIDS Prev. Program
141. Pact Nepal
142. Population Services International- Nepal
143. RECPHEC
144. RHI-Umbrella Project
145. Richmond Fellowship
146. SACTS
147. SAD Nepal, Jhapa
148. Sagarmatha Health Foundation
149. Save the Children, Norway/UK
150. Save the Children, US
151. SDC
152. SOLID Nepal
153. UNAIDS
154. UNDP
155. UNFPA
156. UNICEF
157. USAID, USAID/OTI, Chemonics
158. Valley Research Group
159. VSO
160. WATCH
161. WHO
162. WOREC
163. World Vision International Nepal
164. PANOS SOUTH ASIA
165. Marie Stopes
166. Policy Group, Bhojraj, Kupondole
167. IPPF
168. Vikon
169. KS
170. Lily
171. Moods Condom
172. Plan International Nepal
173. GTZ (Health)
174. Lutheran World Federation
175. FEDO

हिमाल घटनाको बास्तबिकता
1)हिमाल मिडियामा कार्यरत कर्मचारी/मजदुरहरूले गत भदौ १७ गते अखिल नेपाल छापाखाना तथा प्रकाशन मजदुर सङ्घको इकाई गठन गरेपछि विवाद सुरु भएको थियो ।

2)मजदुरहरूले अधिकारका लागि सङ्गठित हुनेबित्तिकै हिमाल मिडियाले कम्पनी घाटामा गएको भन्दै कर्मचारी कटौतीको निर्णय गरी सङ्गठनमा आबद्ध १६ जना मजदुरलाई निष्काशन गरेको थियो ।

3)सङ्गठनमा आबद्ध भएकै कारण इकाईका अध्यक्ष दीपक सङ्ग्रौला र अर्का कर्मचारी आशिष खड्कालाई हिमाल मिडियाले कात्तिक २७ गते एक सूचनाका भरमा निष्काशन गर्ने प्रयास गरेको थियो ।

4)दुवैजनालाई सरुवा गर्न नपाइने व्योहोराको पत्र श्रम कार्यालयले कात्तिक २४ गते हिमाल मिडियामा पठाएको ३ दिन नबित्दै मजदुरहरूलाई निष्काशनको प्रयास गरिएको थियो । टे्रड युनियन गठन गरेपछि कम्पनी घाटामा गएको बहाना बनाउँदै कम्पनीका कर्मचारी कटौतीको लागि अनुमति माग्दै प्रेस रजिष्ट्रारकहाँ निवेदन दिएको जनाइए पनि निवेदनविपरीत बजार शाखामा नयाँ कर्मचारी भर्ना गर्न विज्ञापन गरिएको थियो ।

5)उद्योगधन्दा र व्यवसायका रूपमा सञ्चालन गरिएका निजी सञ्चारमाध्यमहरूमा कर्मचारीहरूले कानुनसम्मत न्यूनतम सेवा सुविधा माग गर्नासाथ प्रेस स्वतन्त्रतामाथि नै हस्तक्षेप भएको गलत हौवा पिटेर प्रेसको शक्तिको दुरुपयोग गर्नसमेत मिडिया पछि नपरेको तथ्य कान्तिपुर, आप्का हाउस, समाचारपत्र, इसीआर एफएम, एचबीसी एफएमलगायतका सञ्चारमाध्यममा भएको आन्दोलनले सावित गरिसकेका छन्।

6)मजदुरहरूको सङ्गठित हुने र सामूहिक सौदाबाजी गर्ने श्रम ऐन २०४८ प्रदत्त अधिकार साथै श्रमजीवी पत्रकार ऐन पहिलो संशोधन २०६४ को दफा ३४ क मा उल्लेखित पत्रकार मजदुरहरूको टे्रड युनियन अधिकारलाई नेपालका सञ्चारमाध्यमका व्यवस्थापनले कुण्ठित गर्ने प्रयासलाई संस्थागत गर्न खोज्दा बेलाबेलामा प्रतिष्ठित भनिएका सञ्चारमाध्यमहरू विवाद र बद्नाम हुँदै आएका छन् ।

7) छलफल चलिरहेको बेला व्यवस्थापन पक्षले पहिले नै बोलाएर राखेका युवाहरूले एकजना मजदुर प्रतिनिधिलाई 'जहिले पनि माओवादीकै माग पूरा गर्नुपर्ने, गरिन्न के गर्छौ गर' भन्दै हातपात गरेका थिए । हिमाल खबर पत्रिकाको व्यवस्थापनले वार्ता गर्न बोलाएका आफ्ना मजदुरहरूमाथि उल्टै गुन्डाहरू बोलाएर आक्रमण गरेको दाबी । 'वार्ता गर्न बोलाएर मजदुरहरू त्यहाँ गएका थिए । तर, एक्कासि गुन्डाहरू लगाएर मजदुरहरूमाथि आक्रमण गरियो–'हिमाल मिडियाले वर्षौंदेखि काम गरिरहेका स्थायी कर्मचारीहरू विनाकारण निकाल्दा चुप लाग्ने दलहरूले मजदुरहरूको पक्षमा कुरा उठ्दा माओवादीले आक्रमण गर्यो भनेर आरोप लगाउनु कहाँको जायज कुरा हो??????

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