Jai Nepal!

The news of the brutal murder of journalist and human rights Uma Singh effected me deeply.

Uma was only 26 years old.

She worked for the Janakpur Today Daily and Radio Today FM.

On January 11th, she was attacked after she returned from work by a gang of around 15men who burst into the room she rented in Janakpur who battered her repeatedly with blunt objects, in front of other tenants. She died of her injuries shortly before midnight while being driven to Kathmandu.

No one intervened as they witnessed the attack.
No one identified the attackers even though they knew them.
Such is the culture of impunity in Nepal today. The context of Uma's murder proves just how bad things really are.

It was reported that one of the attackers said, as he beat Uma, "This is for talking too much."

Police have so far not identified any motive for the killing. Some of Uma Singh’s articles made waves in the region, particularly those in which she criticized the dowry system and spoke out of behalf of women's rights.

The murder of Uma Singh is the latest in a long list of arrests and murders of journalists in Nepal in recent months. Three journalists were killed last year and one was kidnapped. Nepalese journalists plan to hold a demonstration on today to urge the government to provide them with protection.

No one is in charge in this country.