Call for Dissolution of UK Branch at FNJ Central Meeting in Nepal

London

The ongoing issues within the UK wing of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) have escalated to the Central Committee level after a year of conflict.

Recently, during the full meeting of the Federation held in Pokhara, central committee members urged President Nirmala Sharma to address the disputes seen in branches abroad, particularly in the FNJ UK.

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Central member Bhupraj Basyal emphasised that the centre must take clear initiatives to resolve the issues arising after the suspension of the 5th Convention of the UK branch last year. He expressed concerns regarding the problems in the UK branch, which is the first institution to practice federalism within the Nepal Journalists’ Association.

Other members also called for clear guidelines to solve the problems faced by foreign branches. Vice President Deepak Acharya acknowledged the existence of disputes related to the convention in countries like UK. President Sharma committed to resolving the disputes through discussions among the officials.

The meeting of the Central Committee in Pokhara was followed by a training, aimed at “raising awareness about the increasing use and impact of technology in journalism” featured Prabesh Subedi, President of the Digital Media Foundation Nepal, as the lead trainer.

However, it was noted that most members of the Federation, including founders and former presidents, were absent from the event.

A Question and Answer Session was held at the end of the training, where participants exchanged their queries and experiences.

Discussion on FNJ UK Dispute

Meanwhile, during the Central Committee meeting, it was discussed that, following the controversies within the UK Branch, a group led by Bimala Sene claimed legitimacy by organising a virtual training session with non-journalists.

The 5th General Convention of the FNJ’s UK branch was suspended by the central directive, but the controversy began when former president Naresh Khapangi Magar announced Bimala Sene as president through a process lacking proper electoral procedure.

Subsequently, a meeting of many of branch members formed a ‘General Convention Preparation Committee’ chaired by Dinesh Pariyar.

Nepal Press Union’s UK branch boycotted the convention and formally registered a complaint at the FNJ’s central body in Kathmandu.

Bipin Niroula, President of Nepal Press Union UK, stated that preparations for the 5th General Convention are currently in the final stages, and a new executive committee would be formed in the coming weeks.