Imphal, November 05: Journalists of the State took out a rally in Imphal today to protest against some provisions of the newly promulgated Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance 2001.The section 3 of the POTO said "whoever conspires or attempts to commit or advocates, abets, advises or incites or knowingly facilitates the commission of a terrorist act or any act preparatory to a terrorist act, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than five years but which may extend to imprisonment for life and shall also be liable to fine." The Section 14 said failure to furnish information in relation to offences to the investigating officer or deliberately furnishing false information shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years with fine or with both.

A meeting of the journalists was also held after the rally organized by the All Manipur Working Journalists Union.

The meeting resolved that the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance will curtail the freedom of press.

The Union also decided that all the dailies will not carry editorials tomorrow as a mark of protests against the terrorism Ordinance.

The All Manipur Working Journalists Union sent a memorandum to the President of India against the Ordinance.

A copy of the memorandum was also sent to the Prime Minister and Home Minister.

The memorandum expressed the apprehension that the Ordinance will directly affect journalists working in conflict areas like Manipur, where simple legislation like the Public Disturbance Act has been "misused".

Manipur has a history of five decade long insurgency and violence and the press has been working under tremendous pressure from all angles.

Journalists have been jailed under PDA and NSA for merely quoting speech made in public forum.

The fact that no journalist of the State has been convicted is a testimony that these Acts have been misused to intimidate the press, it charged.

The intimidation continues today under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, the memorandum said adding reporters are beaten, camera snatched and destroyed with impunity.

It further said that routine threat to newspaper offices and threats on the life of journalists are made by members of the security forces following publication of reports considered adverse to them.

"We have lost three members of our fraternity to unidentified gunmen...

We are aware that we are not above the law and freedom enjoyed by us is not absolute.

But there are enough laws in our Constitution where we are obliged to help the State in times of emergency," it said.

The memorandum said exposing the journalists to abuse of more harsh laws does not help the matter, terming the Ordinance as undemocratic and anti-democracy.

It said the Union condemns any act of terrorism and it will condemn any move to put the press, the fourth estate, in a situation that does not help foster strong democratic values.

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