Scripting threats from a safe house? The continuing impasse
- Sangai Express Editorial :: September 07, 2013 -

Journalists in Manipur takes out a silent rally in protest against intimidation to media fraternity by a militant group on 2nd September 2013 :: Pix - Deepak Oinam

The impasse continues.

The Imphal based newspaper houses continue to be at work, publishing the day's papers while the distributors or the hawkers continue to cease work, that is stop delivering newspapers to the readers.

Perhaps the time has come to look at the issue beyond the question of a group of gun toting elements threatening the media persons and the distributors of dire consequences if their statement, issued to the press earlier, is not published.

So far the police seems to be doing something, but the tragedy is, it has not moved beyond 'seems to be doing something'.

The police have got all the information, including the mobile numbers through which the threats were issued to the media persons and the distributors, but they are still unable to trace the calls or crack down at the place/s from where the calls and text messages were sent.

An indication that the groups issuing the threats are holed up somewhere in a safe house, a place where the long arms of the police cannot reach ? A manifestation of the ugly and murky politics that insurgency spawns ? Police modernisation is a point which the State Government has been stressing on all these years and to be sure huge amounts of money have been earmarked and utilised for police modernisation.

In the face of the police unable to trace the exact location/s from where the calls or text messages were sent, a serious question ought to be raised over the much tom-tommed police modernisation.

On the other hand, it may not be about the failure of the police modernisation, but may have something more to do with the uglier side of the politics that is being played out on the turf of insurgency.

Given the situation, it is only right that the Centre be apprised of the reality here so that the pressure is mounted at the right spot.

The Chairman of the Press Council of India, Mr Katju has already written to Chief Minister O Ibobi to let the media function in an environment free from fear and pressure.

The International Federation of Journalists has also taken note of the situation here, which in a sense can be taken to mean that the issue has been highlighted at the international fora.

The journalist fraternity of Assam has also taken note of the situation here.

In other words, the present situation under which the media is functioning in Manipur is no longer a matter which is confined within the boundary of the State.

Yet far from easing the situation, the armed group appears to have only toughen their stand with the threats and intimidations becoming more and more acute.

This can happen only when they have some sort of a protection or are housed at some location(s) where law enforcing agencies, especially the State agencies, do not have free access to.

This is not an allusion to any entity, but given the unfolding scenario, these probabilities cannot miss the eyes and ears of any sensible person.

That this group also knows how to play the game should be clear from the manner in which it has been pushing the envelope.

Hawkers or distributors are obviously the softest targets and it makes solid sense to hit out at the softest targets.

After the hawkers, the Editors are now in the line of fire, with the addendum, family members. A bunch of desperadoes they might be, but they have already proven their nuisance value and though it cannot be said to be an open and shut case, it should be more than indicative that such a plot could not have been scripted with a 'in your face attitude' from an unsecured location.