Scribes return to work
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, December 02 2008: WITH THE announcement of suspension of the indefinite cease-work strike, scribes of the state resumed their normal works from today to resume publication of newspapers and broadcasting of news in the local television after 13 days of suspension.

The decision to suspend the agitation spearheaded by the All Manipur Working Journalists Union, AMJWU was taken in a general body meeting held yesterday evening with the presentation of the preliminary report of finding of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the AMWJU.

The SIT in its preliminary report had also expressed suspicion of involvement of a government agency in the murder case even though it is yet to get hard evidence.

The suspension of the of the cease-work strike of the scribes was taken after the government conveyed an official communiqu� with regard to handing over of the case of the killing of the junior sub-editor of local Imphal Free Press daily, Konsam Rishikanta Singh on November 17 last by some unknown persons at Langol near the second home of Sangai, to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as per the journalists' community's demand.

Earlier, a special cabinet meeting of the SPF government chaired by the Chief Minister O Ibobi resolved to hand over the case to the CBI.

It may be mentioned here that the same Cabinet had on November 25 last reverted the decision of a CBI inquiry apparently after the AMWJU refused to suspend its proposed rally in Imphal on November 26 .

Journalist community of Manipur taking out a mass rally on November 26 in protest against Rishikanta's killing

The scribes refused to cancel the rally on the ground that government did not communicate the matter to the AMJWU and instead sent out senior Cabinet minister to negotiate with a proposal of handing over the case to CBI.

Apparently after the failure to cancel the rally which was successfully carried out in Imphal, the state government instead of CBI probe issued an order to investigate by a special investigation team of the state police.

Yesterday, while the scribes are holding a meeting to consider their future line of agitation in view of the government's failure to response even after nearly two week suspension of publication and broadcasting of news in the state, the state government sent a messenger with the said communiqu� notigying its stand to hand over the case to the CBI.

After the matter was thoroughly discussed in the general body meeting of the AMWJU, the meet decided to suspend the cease-work strike from today and resume work.

However the same meet cautioned that the suspension of the stir is for the time being and if government fail to initiate follow-up action, the agitation would be resumed.

The form of agitation will depend on the response of the government, the meeting also resolved.

Meanwhile, the preliminary report of the AMWJU's special investigation team (SIT) who investigated into the fact and circumstances resulting in the murder of Rishikanta said that even though hard evidences are yet to establish, there are clues on the involvement of a government agency behind the murder.

There are still some grey areas which needs to be looked into, the report expressed.

The investigating team found no clue linking the murder of Rishikanta with love affairs or militancy related matters, the report said and added that during the course of investigation, it has been discovered that Rishikanta went out from his home on November 17 saying that he is going to take money from the City Offset where he work earlier.

It is known to the SIT that he was seen taking the route from Chingamakhong to Pishumthong where he was said to proceed upto Wahengbam Leikai.

But whether he reached Wahengbam Leikai from Pishumthong could not be ascertained, the report said.

The report, while expressing suspicion of Rishikanta being picked up by someone from the way between Pishumthong to Wahengbam Leikai, said that the place where Rishikanta was found dead is a place where police commandos frequently killed people after taking them there.

The SIT, in its report further expressed suspicion of Rishikanta being killed after being mistakenly identified.

After coming to know that he was a journalist, he could have been tortured to disclose some information which the murderers wanted from the person they suspected, the report added.

During the course of investigation, SIT took statements of at least 24 persons and recorded it with video clips and stored some information which could be used as evidence.

The meeting of the AMWJU endorsed the preliminary report of SIT.

Mention may be made that decrying the murder of the junior sub-editor of Imphal Free Press, scribes in the state had launched a cease work strike by suspending publications of all newspapers in the state as well as the ISTV news bulletin from November 20.The AMWJU also demanded a judicial inquiry to find out the culprit(S) and also punish the culprit(s).

A sit-in protest was also conducted at Keishampat from November 20 till December 1st.A massive rally with the participation of people from different works of life and representatives of the various civil organizations was carried in the streets of Imphal on November 26 .

The meeting at Hapta Khangcheibung, Palace compound, Imphal where the rally was concluded has drafted a four-point resolutions including charging the state government of trying to conceal the culprit(s), intensification of the agitations with the support of the people and civil organizations.