In a strong condemnation of the recent arson attack on press materials in Kangpokpi, media houses across Manipur initiated a cease work strike on Friday.
The incident, where unidentified individuals on Wednesday targeted newsprint and other essential press materials, has sparked outrage within the journalistic community.
Under the aegis of the All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union (AMWJU) and Editors Guild, Manipur (EGM), journalists gathered at the Manipur Press Club in Imphal for a sit-in protest.
The two apex media bodies of the state namely the All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union (AMWJU) and Editors Guild, Manipur (EGM) on Friday submitted a four-point memorandum to the Manipur Chief Minister urging to take up appropriate action to protect freedom of press and security in the state.
AMWJU and EGM, in its demands, said that all those responsible in hijacking and burning of newsprint in Kangpokpi should be identified and appropriate legal actions should be taken up against them as per the law of the land.
It also demanded to ensure free movements of vehicles carrying press related materials on the national highways and to compensate the losses incurred by the publishing house during the unfortunate incident on the highway.
It further urged to hand over the security responsibilities of the above mentioned sections of the national highways from IGAR(East) to the Army’s Red Shield Division or the IGAR(South). The demands were made to ensure press freedom and uphold the rights of the masses to get news and to protect the rights of the journalists and the publishing houses, it added.
It pointed out that media organisations and journalists have been working hard to dutifully discharge the duty of informing the people news and information in a responsible manner considering the ongoing crisis in the state since May 3.
It condemned the recent hijacking of a truck carrying newsprint and printing materials by unknown miscreants and burning of the newsprint in the highly protected national highway at Halken village, Kangpokpi District at around 1 pm on Wednesday. The same is a direct assault on the media fraternity which shocked the conscience of every right thinking person, it asserted.
Shocked by the brazen assault on the media AMWJU and EGM held a meeting on Thursday, in which it was resolved that the state government, Security advisor and DGP must be held responsible for the incident, it mentioned. The meeting also resolved that the government should compensate for the losses incurred in the incident, it said.
It noted that the Senapati to Kangpokpi sector of Imphal to Dimapur highway (NH-2) and Tamenglong and Noney sections in Imphal to Jiribam highway (NH-37) area are looked after by the IG Assam Rifles (East) which has allegedly failed to discharge its duties of ensuring peace and tranquility and free movement of vehicles on the highway.
The statement further said that it was decided to urge the government that the services of the Army or the IG Assam Rifles (South) should be requisitioned to ensure free movement and a sense of normalcy in the specified areas of the highway. The meeting also noted that the Security Advisor and DGP had earlier been urged to ensure free movement of press related materials, it mentioned.
It further said that as decided by the meeting, all the media fraternity of Manipur staged a sit-in at Manipur Press Club on Friday, with electronic media channels halting their activities on the same day and print media stopping publication on Saturday.
It appealed to the Chief Minister to look into the demands and take necessary prompt actions. Copies of the memorandum were also submitted to the Security Advisor to Government of Manipur and DGP, Manipur.
