The Maoists are coming under intense criticism for their latest attempt to disrupt the production and distribution of private newspapers through their labour union.

After shutting down Nepal Samacharpatra (See: 'Stop press', # 354) and disrupting work at Kantipur through their union last month, they now have the APCA group in their crosshairs. APCA publishes Nepal's widest-selling English daily, The Himalayan Times and Annapurna Post. Distribution of both had been severely curtailed this week.

After publishing a hard-hitting front page editorial on 22 July, APCA officials on Thursday played down the crisis saying a deal was close to being struck. The Maoist union had used alleged exploitation of cycle boys by distributors to close down the paper, but many in the industry say it was just another blatant attempt to warn the media off critical coverage.

The Federation of Nepalese Journalists, the Press Council and publishers took a joint delegation to meet the Maoist Minister for Information, Krishna Bahadur Mahara on 25 July. Mahara washed his hands of the affair, saying the matter was between the publishers and their workers, and denied that his party was trying to undermine press freedom.

But one media publisher who has been threatened by the Maoist YCL told us: "What they are really telling APCA, Kantipur and all of us is, if you dare criticise us we'll hit you where it hurts."

Said FNJ's Bishnu Nishturi: "It is ironical that in a week when parliament passed the bill on the right to information, we see that right being taken away. Workers' rights have to be addressed through legitimate channels, not by stopping production."

The attacks on media come as the Maoists prepare for their central committee meeting during which the leadership represented by Mahara, Chairman Dahal, and ideologue Baburam Bhattarai is expected to come under intense pressure from dissidents like Comrades Badal, Kiran, and Biplab who are supported by the YCL, Maoist trade unions, and local commissars.

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