27 May 2009

• To create awareness in relation with upcoming Constitution among working journalists.
  
• To ensure role of journalists in the Constitution making processes.

Participants

The participants of the program were the journalists' representative from various media houses Television, Dally Mews Paper and FM, and in total 66 Media people participated the in the workshop.

The program was divided into the two sessions. (See the annex no.2). The first was Inauguration and introductory session and second was Paper presentation, comment and discussion on Role of working Journalist in the upcoming Constitution.
Mr. Shamirjung Saha, Chairperson of the Nepal Press Union Central Committee, chaired the program and Bindukanta Ghimire ,Genaral Secretary of Nepal Press Union, Central committee moderated the program.

Inauguration Session

Welcome

At the onset of the program, Mr. Shiva Lamsal Secretary of Nepal Press Union, Central Committee welcomed to all participants and also thanked their active participation as well. He also thanked Mr. Ramchandra Poudel, Chief Guest of the program (Vice president of Nepali Congress), and also thanked other guests and paper presenter, commenter and all participants of the Program.

Remarks from Guests:

Mr. Ramchandra Poudel Vice- president, Nepali Congress:

Mr. Poudel thanked to the organizer for conducting such valuable program. He sated that Nepalese people have struggled many times and established and re-established democracy in Nepal since 2007 B. S. Unfortunately, stability of democracy has been challenging issues in Nepal even today. He further stated that Nepal is going to promulgate the new constitution and the working journalist should play the vital role for ensuring freedom and democracy in the upcoming constitution.

The democratic alliance should play the fundamental role to promulgate the upcoming Constitution in the democratic path. He further stated that Congress has solved Maoist rebellion movement. Media is a significant means for creating public awareness about new constitution making processes and role of working Journalist. At least but last he requested to the working journalist to play significant role for formulating new constitution successful.

Mr. Devraj Dahal, Country Head, FES:

Mr. Dahal presented his presentation on the "Role of Working Journalist in Constitution". Dahal stressed that the working journalist should be consider their professional ethics while disseminating the information about Constituent Assembly through media. Taking this into the consideration on context-sensitivity, the information regarding to Civic Education, public interest, public values and morals, freedom of the press are core agenda of the democratic system. in addition that, personal interest of journalist should not be reflected on the public news. He stressed that the main aim of CA should reinstate people based democracy, inclusive structure of states and sustainable peace. The states should not be divided on the basis of race, region and class.

Similarly, he stated that constitution making process is envisioning of the nation. Working Journalist of Nepal has several roles such as: observe and reporting of public opinion, educates them on the constitutional issue as well as participation on the constitutional discourse
.
Mr. Taranath Dahal, President, Freedom Forum:

Mr. Dahal said that working Journalists have an ample opportunity in the upcoming constitution making processes for ensuring democracy and liberation of all Nepal. Many criminal groups killed a number of journalists and got the political protection in the present context of Nepal. Result of that criminals were abscond or expanding impunity. Taking this into the account, they are getting benefit form transitional period of the country. We, Nepalese journalist should make advocacy to ensure freedom of press in the Upcoming constitution. Finally he stated that constitutional provision of the Constitution of Kingdome of Nepal 2047 had also ensured freedom of press but it could not implement in well manner.

Mrs Babita Basnet ,Presedent of Sanchrika Samuha

Mrs. Babita Basnet, Presedent of Sanchrika Samuha, stated that there has not been clarity on the role of working journalist in the Upcoming Constitution making process. In addition, there is no proper execution of working Journalist Act and not having sufficient consideration on ensuring right of journalist, who had became the victim of conflict, are the major challenges in this context of Nepal. State and Media are not found to have sincere to implement the working journalist Act. Therefore we journalist should strongly raise the voice to implement it properly.

Mr. Samir Jung Shah, President of Nepal Press Union, Central Committee:

Mr. Shah stated that media played very significant role during CA election. There is no doubt that Nepalese media has played the crucial role to establish democracy and ensure press freedom. But this is the high time of journalists to hold the crucial role of watchdog for constitution making process.

Second Session (Paper presentation)

Chaired by second session

Mr. Mr Damoder Prasad Dawadi, Senior Vice President of Nepal Press Union

Mr. Kashiraj Dahal: Chairperson of Administrative Court: Paper Presenter

Mr. Dahal presented his presentation on "Role of Working Journalist in New Constitutio. He said that CA is going to concretize prevailing liquid political situation and formulate the new constitution. Media should also play the very significant role during the constitution making process. In addition that the country is going to restructure and framing the new ruling system, federalism therefore media has responsibility to aware general people about this matter. Similarly, the media should monitor whether the CA is working for ensuring people's right or not. There should be considered about executing federalism and people interest should be reflected and not to create any conflict among the states for allocating natural resources. The practice has showed that major conflict has been appeared among the states about the division of natural resources.

He further said that it was convenient to formulate new constitution, if there was political consensus about the fundamental contents of new constitution after the CA election. Unfortunately it has not been seen even today. He further stressed that there must be political consensus about how many states there will be and how the states will be divided (Full paper annexes 4).

Ramkrishna Regmee, Senior Journalist:

Mr. Regmee presented his presentation on the "Good News to be disseminated from the present political chaos". He stated that there is not clear way or place to where should go or contribute for constitution making process. We, working journalist should return back to the universal principle of journalism and communication so that the journalist would got the dynamic motivation and also received intellectual means. Finally he suggested to be careful while disseminate the information in every step. (See detail in annexes 5)

Kashi Raj Dahal - Commenter:

Communication or media specialist, Kashi Raj Dahal kept his opinion regarding to presentation made by Pokhrel. He stated that each and every group in the Nepalese society has been seeking the role on constitution process. Therefore, journalist can not be an exception and it has significant role to create awareness to the general people regarding to constitution and also should make an advocacy to ensure the press freedom with out any restriction.

Geja Sarma Wegle -Commenter:
Mr. Wagle commented on the paper presented by Ramkrishna Regmi. At the beginning of the comment, he stated that journalist have been victimized from the democratic parties. Therefore journalist should be very conscious each and every angle regarding to freedom of press. Media has played the significant role in the various people's movement, though no one has talked about the journalist and their interest while in the constitution making process. He also stressed that working journalist should play the significant and responsible in the constitution making process.

Floor Discussion Session

Ms. Bishnu Shrama Central Member NPU:

At beginning of her comment she briefly stated that how media people can play active role on Constitution making processes and further stated that media should go ahead by clarifying what CA should do. No discussion has been made about the constitution to be framed after Constitution making processes. The discussion was necessary about how to make the constitution making processes participatory. The media should take seriously about how to maintain the increasing trend of people's trust towards it.

Mr. BalKrishna Adhikari Nayapatrika Dally:

He briefly commented on the role of communication media on the Constitution making processes. He stated that discussion is required for the involvement of communication media in constitution making process. In addition that, working journalist should create awareness regarding to the constitution making process as well making advocacy to ensure the freedom of press.

Mr. Bhim Gautam President Kavre NPU:

The general people are not awareness about Constitution making processes even today. It is found that the Constituent Assembly is functioning as like regular parliamentary system but it should be very proactive and participatory.

Mr. Khila Karki reporter Avenues TV:

She ironically raised her concerns about what should be the ruling system? How should be the federalism? It is said that political consensus is required to decide about them. He raised the question that if all the issues of CA are settled through political consensus before CA election why to elect CA?

Concluding remarks

At the end of the program Mr. Damoder Dawadi , session Chairperson of the program again thanked to chief guest, guest, Resource persons and all participants for their active participation on the program and he announced the end of the program.