POKHARA, NEPAL – Freedom of the press includes the freedom not to print: tell that to the terrorists!
One of the greatest freedoms we have finally gotten around to in human societies is the freedom of the press. Sure, the press is not THAT old as a social institution, but its ability to shine a light on some of the more unsavoury aspects of what we do is a godsend.
Just think what we were able to figure out thanks to press freedom: Watergate, the Iran-Contra scandal, Boris Johnson’s ‘partygate‘, the list goes on and on and on…
Of course, some elements of the press themselves are ‘unsavoury’ (hello Fox News!) but that too is a paean to a free world. You take the good with the bad, after all.
Dictators and autocrats (and some former presidents!) are not the only ones who don’t like it when the media does what it can. Surprise, surprise, we can add terrorists to that list (this is called Today in Terrorism for a reason!).
On this day in 2004
Nepalese Maoists killed a newspaper hawker who defied the latest guerrilla strike aimed at putting pressure on King Gyanendra. The terrorists threw a home-made bomb at a car distributing copies of the Nepali-language daily, Annapurna Post, near the western mountain resort of Pokhara.
People’s war
Nepalese Maoist slogan
The driver was killed on the spot and two other passengers were seriously injured. In other words, they died and suffered to protect the freedoms we cherish. RIP.
Read More Today in Terrorism
May 31, 1906: Spanish anarchist bombs royal wedding
On May 31, 1906 a Spanish anarchist threw a bomb hoping to hit King Alfonso XIII, killing 24 and wounding more than 100.
May 30, 2009: Anti-government group bombs TV station in Ecuador
On May 30, 2009 two pamphlet-bombs exploded outside an Ecuadorian TV station and ministry: no victims or significant damage ensued.
May 29, 2016: ISIS uses chlorine gas in terrorist attack
On May 29, 2016 35 civilians were wounded in an ISIS attack using rockets containing chlorine gas in Iraq’s Nineveh Province.
