EGM, AMWJU condemn threat to media house
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, December 25 2021:
Editors Guild Manipur (EGM) and All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU) have strongly condemned the unwanted incident that happened at Changangei Uchekon on Sunday around 3 am.
In a release, EGM informed that some miscreants in four cars, all suspected to be in inebriated condition, tried to stop and intimidated a Sangai Express vehicle on duty of ferrying printed newspapers at Changangei Uchekon opposite Bir Tikendrajit International Airport.
The miscreants lobbed bottles, blared horns and shouted at the driver as he was driving towards The Sangai Express Head Office with printed newspapers.
All four vehicles fled the area towards Nambol side.
The police were called; however, they were unable to apprehend any of the miscreants.
The Editors Guild Manipur does not take such kind of intimidation on media establishments lightly, the release said and urged the police to take action against the miscreants while pointing out that this is not the first time media houses have come under intimidation from different sectors.
The EGM appealed the state government to ensure a secure environment for the media to function freely and to address all pending issues including the bomb attack on office of Poknapham and The People's Chronicle.
The government has also failed to address the issue of cyber crime against the media houses despite several rounds of meeting, the EGM said and reiterated its appeal to the government to nab the miscreants using footages of the several CCTVs mounted by the state police across the state capital.
Meanwhile, condemning the intimidation to staff of the local daily, AMWJU general secretary Khwairakpam Naoba informed that an emergency standing committee meeting presided over by president Wangkhemcha Shamjai was held at Manipur Press Club.
Intimidation and hindering the works related to news dissemination is a challenge to media community, Naoba asserted, while denouncing such uncivilised actions as violation of freedom of expression.
He further urged authorities concerned to look into the matter so that such incidents do not recur.