ANIJ concludes gathering with 13-point demands

THT ONLINE

KATHMANDU: The 2nd national gathering of Association of Nepalese Indigenous Journalists (ANIJ) held in Kathmandu for two days (August 5-6) has endorsed Kathmandu Declaration-2069 on Monday, with 13-point demands.

Kicked off with the slogan “Inclusiveness in media and federalism with ethnic identity for inclusiveness” on Sunday, the 2nd national gathering of ANIJ has strongly condemned the physical attacks and threats against the journalists across the country during the transitional period and raised the following demands:

1. The government should provide due compensation for the injured journalists.

2. It should guarantee press freedom, freedom of expression and inclusiveness in media.

3. Formation of a commission for high level inclusive media policy to ensure the inclusiveness in media

4. Calls for an authorised indigenous media development academy for the promotion of print and electronic media being operated in the mother tongues of the indigenous community

5. Calls for inclusiveness in the state-owned media to build up inclusive newsrooms

6. Distribution of the annual aid on the basis of equality and inclusiveness.

7. Trainings for the journalists from ethnic community, marginalised groups, women, Dalit

8. Calls for indigenous people to invest in the media to disseminate their concerns

9. Inclusive classification of the indigenous community-run newspapers by Press Council

10. Calls for reinstatement of the Constituent Assembly to ensure the rights of the suppressed groups including indigenous community

11. Implementation of ILO Convention 169 on indigenous people

12. Vows to establish Internet for the media being run by indigenous community

13. Vows to advocate in favour of federalism with ethnic identity.