Kathmandu: The general convention of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ), an umbrella organization of Nepali journalists, has been delayed amid membership row and other issues.
The general convention elects FNJ’s new office-bearers including the president as per the statute of the organization.
On 1 September 2024, the central committee president Bipul Pokhrel had issued a circular to all district committees to hold new elections on 21 September 2024.
In a release issued by Pokhrel, FNJ had assured elections to be held on the stipulated date. “The elections of new leadership in the federation have been delayed. It is obvious that journalists and parties, directly or indirectly concerned with the federation, have gone through the worry about the timely elections.”
On Sunday (8 September), a meeting of the available central committee members of the federation, however, decided to request district committees and other affiliates to collect membership renewal fees within three days.
“Following the campaign of clean FNJ membership, there were membership disputes in some districts and the FNJ president has concluded the disputes forging consensus among stakeholders,” said Roshan Puri, general secretary at the federation. “A list of a total of 9,522 members has been finalized as per new norms of membership. Around Rs 25 million remains to be collected from members as renewal fees.”
“The delay, however, was caused by membership rows and other causes. Almost all members want to contribute to the organization by renewing their membership. But they did not get enough time due to membership row back in their respective districts and other affiliate committees.”
The circular has not yet formally reached the district committee, said Ram Hari Karki, secretary of FNJ Lalitpur chapter. “We will try to follow the instructions of the central committee once we formally receive the letter,” he told The DMN News. “It, however, seems impossible to collect all renewal fees of all members within the given timeframe.”
“We want to solve all the pending issues as soon as possible and hold the elections on the 21 September as pledged earlier,” he said.
A section of journalists, however, are alarmed whether FNJ elections will be held in the stipulated time.
“The election process has already been delayed. The Sunday decision has raised suspicions whether the earlier pledge to hold elections on 21 September will materialize,” a member told The DMN News.
The statute of the federation mandates the FNJ leadership to hold general conventions once in every three years.
FNJ may lose its credibility as an independent civil society organization: Nakul Aryal
The delay in holding elections of Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) has made us feel ashamed. It should be taken as a collective failure of journalists’s organizations and associations. If the general assembly is further delayed, FNJ will lose its credibility as an independent civil society organization. The federation should not further delay in publishing the final list of its members, collection of membership renewal fee and other remaining tasks. The election must be held within September.
(Nakul Aryal is vice president of Nepal Press Union)
[Update: FNJ president Bipul Pokhrel resigns]
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