SFs assault scribes, bodies condemn
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, May 22 2023:
All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU), Editors' Guild Manipur (EGM) and Manipur Hill Journalists' Union (MJHU) strongly con-demned the manner in which security forces, especially Jat Regiment and other central forces targeted media person-al covering the New Checkon incident in Imphal East district on Monday.
The three journalists' bodies submitted a joint memorandum to chief minister N Biren and state's security advisor Kuld-iep Singh on Monday in this regard.
In the memorandum, the media bodies said that Jat Regiment personnel targeted media men, who were doing their legitimate duty and are absolutely identifiable by their PRESS embossed vests.
At least three media persons including a member of AMWJU were beaten by the security.
It is clear from the statement of the injured media persons and video recordings by col-leagues that the assault was not made in the heat of controlling mob.
The media persons, who were covering the burning of a building from a nearby high rise building were accused by the lat Regiment of stoning a drone used by the security forces.
This however is not true.
The media persons were waving away the drone as it had come near them and no stones were pelted on it.
This, notwithstanding, is a gross violation of the right of media to cover an incident, when they are assaulted even after they identified themselves as media persons on duty.
The three media organisations demanded suspension of the se-curity personnel involved in the assault.
"We are ready to share photos and video for positive identification of the personnel involved," the memorandum said.
Over and above this, another media person from electron-ic media was held by a 2-star officer of Jat Regiment while his guard held him at gunpoint.
The officer grabbed the mobile phone of the journalist and de-leted photos and video taken by the media person.
Several RAF and Assam Rifles personnel, on other hand, prevented many other media persons from cov-ering the incident.
Demanding suspension of the security personnel involved in the assault within 48 hours, the bodies said media houses in Manipur will boycott all press releases, hand outs and press conferences related to the central paramilitary forces and armed forces operating in Manipur if the government fails to take action against the personnel.
"We request you to kindly take up the issue as early as possible so that media in Manipur can work normally as before," the memorandum added.