One interesting thing is that our media hardly ever follow up on an event after it has reported. Investigative journalism?? does this exist? Have they become so engrossed and consumed by the Maoists and politicians' activities that they have no time to reflect on the past??
I asked a friend of mine this question, and his angry outburst was as follows:
"कलले के खाएर कालो हग्?यो र पचांयती बेवास्?ताले सिर्जना गरेको सुलसुले र जदौरे सँस्?कार सम्?म सीमित छ। खल्?ती भर्?यो, कि त आफुलाई, नत्र भने आफ्?नो मान्?छेलाई पोषायो, बिदेशीको
प्रोपागान्?डामा लागेर धन जम्?मा गर्?यो, यो र त्?यो भनेर बिदेष भ्रमण गर्?यो, ककटेल पार्टीमा हाजीर, अरु के छ र? सम्?पादक आफैले आफ्?नो गुणगान गरने, आफनै फोटो छापने। यस्?तै छन कतिवटा हाम्रो पत्रिकाहरु। पचाँयतकै शैलीमा सम्?पादकीय लेख्?छन ऐलेपनि; राजाको अरु राष्?ट्राध्?यक्षलाई पठाऊने रुटिन र समाचारहीन समाचारले पेज ओगटछ....."
I challenge the media to investigate and follow up on the following:
-Carpet scandal of 70s involving Tulshi Giri
-What became of powerful Royal Palace Secretaries of 70s and thereafter who has amassed wealth and distributed favour to their friends and relatives?
-Who ordered the firing that resulted in the killing demanding democracy during the interim government of Lokendra Bahadur Chand in 1990?
-Who is responsible for mass deforestation during the Prime Ministership of Surya Bahadur Thapa to make the yellow Panchayat victorious during the referendum and at what costs of our future generations?
-What goes on inside the army? Why only those from a selected group are the officers?
-Why the soldiers are used in the Royal Nepal army to do the menial, and undignified, job of the officers and that of civilian officers? Example, Bhanu Prasad Acharya, as Defense Secretary, had used the soldiers in constructing his private house. That was not only illegal but a shameful act. Where was the darling media at that time?? Were they looking the other way or just thought this is a routine thing for a priviledged bureacrat???
And, what do we know more about the Narayanhity Massacre? Could the journalists find out more from those who were present during the eventful event? Those "sushares", "nanees" and other servants are still around.
These are only a few examples.
If we do NOT learn lessons from the past, we will continue to make the same mistakes. Our media certainly have a great role to play in it.
I better stop here and hear your views and reactions.