AMWJU writes to IJU not to release press statement on Kishorechandra detention
Says Kishorechandra was not a journalist, even as he uploaded the video soon after editing the news regarding Janshi Rani Birthday at ISTV
Source: IT News

Imphal, December 21 2018: In a letter to the IJU, AMWJU had urged the parent body not to issue press statement regarding Kishorchandra.

The letter address to the IJU President, Vice President and Secy General is being produced here.

"I write this representing the All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU), Imphal as its President and as an Editor who has been in this profession for over 27 years that the issue of one Kishorechandra of Manipur having been incarcerated under the NSA is a non-issue at all in our State.

"Nobody wants to waste time talking about it, leave alone lifting a finger for him�except a few people of his like who always play patriots, rights activists, revolutionaries and warriors of freedom only in the social media but never bother to join a movement either in the street or on the public ground launched for any cause.

There are a number of human rights defenders' bodies, Civil Society Organisations, especially women's organisations popularly known as Meira Paibi Lups, whose sensibility toward any incident of human rights violation need not mention any further, and so many writers, thinkers and intellects in our State who can't remain silent and snug but just jump out of their complacency to shout and demand for justice whenever an incident of gross injustice takes place.

AMWJU writes to IJU not to release press statement on Kishorechandra detention

Besides there are armed rebel forces who don't remain as silent spectators whenever there happens an incident of human rights violation in Manipur.

All these organisations, proscribed rebel outfits and the intelligentsia of the State have not deemed it fit and necessary to raise their voice in relation to the arrest and subsequent detention of Kishorechandra under NSA.

Because everyone knows that rule of law should prevail in the land and what he did was not a bit acceptable in a decent and democratic society, particularly in a society like ours where maintaining discipline is considered as the utmost moral obligation for everyone born and brought up here.

In our society, a young person never calls an older person by name.

"On the other hand, there are many right thinking and sensible Editors who edit their respective newspapers, some of which have very large circulation and are very popular, and electronic media/private news channels, who just don't usually keep mum on any issue worth their/public attention.

They write editorials and comments on so many issues daily.

All of them, except one or two self isolated from the mainstream, feel that the issue of NSA detention must be fought legally, not by creating a media hype, which some of the media outside Manipur seem to be interested in doing presently.

"The Editors have a body exclusively for the Editors, namely Editors' Guild, Manipur (EGM), affiliated to the Editors' Guild, India.

The State Guild extends its full solidarity to the stated taken by AMWJU.

The EGM knows very well what Kishorechandra did was to the total opposite of AMWJU's principles and not a bit ethical as far as the profession is concerned.

"Now coming to the point, Kishorechandra is/was not a member of AMWJU.

He is/was not a journalist in the real sense.

He was just a news reader and translator on the ISTV News.

Working for the ISTV as a news anchor and translator was a front for his main profession of being the master of ceremony/ compare at public functions.

So far, he has not written a single article or editorial or comment on his political ideology or concerns in the newspapers published in or outside the State.

"I, on behalf of AMWJU, once again submit this humble prayer to the leadership of IJU not to release any statement on this matter that, I'm sure, won't be able to make the Government of Manipur budge a bit but will only tarnish the image of media fraternity of Manipur in general and AMWJU in particular.

Previously, the IJU had acted unilaterally without considering and respecting the position of AMWJU which had ruffled the sentiments of the media fraternity here.

If the IJU acts similarly again, we may be compelled to review our affiliation to the IJU as member.

Many journalists have started talking about it openly" the letter read.

Source with the Imphal Times said that Kishorechandra Wangkhem was working as a sub editor and edited a news a day before his arrest after uploading the viral video.