Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 26:
The two day media workshop of North East journalists which was held at Aizawl on September 23 and 24 mainly discussed on the excesses committed by security forces in the region with special emphasis being given to the public outburst against the brutal murder of Th Manorama by Assam Rifles personnel and the subsequent demand for removal of AFSPA from Manipur.
Speaking at the opening session of the summit, Statesman's Manipur correspondence Y Rupachandra in an emotional tone said that the nude protest carried out by some Manipuri women in front of Kangla Fort after the brutal murder of Th Manorama was the manifestation of the public's anger and sense of despair against the atrocities committed by army personnel in the State.
He added that the nude protest only shows that the people can no longer tolerate army excesses in any form and are ready to take any extreme step to stop these excesses once and for all.
Coming down heavily on the National media-persons, Rupachandra said that national mediapersons have shown very little interest in covering news of the NE region thereby failing to highlight to the Central leaders and the people of mainland India about the problems and brutal murders being carried out by the security forces under the AFSPA in the region.
He also lamented that the mediapersons from the mainland were always slow in reacting whenever anything of national importance happens in the North East region.
Members present at the two day summit also thoroughly discussed on the brutal murder of Th Manorama and the subsequent massive public outcry demanding the complete removal of AFSPA from Manipur.
The members also opined that inclusion of NE news only in the NE pages is depriving the people of mainland India from knowing about the latest happenings in the North East region thereby creating some sort of a communication gap between the people of the two region.
Tehelka's representative Nitin Gokhale who attended the second day of the workshop as the chairperson opined that the AFSPA was a draconian law which empowers the security personnel to kill innocent civilians at will.
Journalist who attended the two media workshop held under the theme "Role of Media for development of NE" also passed a declaration called the "Aizwal Declaration" at the concluding day of the workshop.
The eight point declaration is to be submitted to the North Eastern Council for initiating programmes for development of media in the north east.