New Delhi, April 04 2010: Threats and risky situations under which journalists in the State are working have been highlighted in the national conference on 'Media and Law' held in International Youth Centre here.

Taking part in the conference as a representative of All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU), Editor of Ereibak daily, Irengbam Arun said journalists working in Manipur are unable to discharge their duties freely because of the terrifying activities of security forces/police in addition to the State Government's constant attempt to suppress freedom of press.

Speaking in the morning session of the two-day conference today, Arun pointed out that local journalists who captured photographs of the July 23 Khwairamband killings are still hiding from the ongoing CBI enquiry though the same photographs were published by Tehelka magazine.

Supplying the photographs to Tehelka instead of publication in their own newspapers was a clear indication of the threats perceived by journalists in Manipur, Arun asserted.

It also suggested how police commandos and security forces viewed and treated journalists of the State.

Recalling about the suspicious and controversial killing of the Imphal Free Press' Junior Sub-Editor K Rishikanta on November 17, 2008, Arun reminded about the State journalists' agitation for 13 days demanding CBI enquiry which was impelled by a strong suspicion about possible involvement of police commandos in the killing.

In June 2008, the Chief Secretary and the DGP of Manipur threatened newspaper houses to invalidate their RNI numbers if the State Government was not allowed to censor press statements issued by banned armed groups before publication, Arun iterated.

On the other hand, it is said that Chairman of Wage Board for Journalists, Justice GR Majithin would visit Imphal in May to see whether journalists are getting compatible salaries and other benefits.

This was stated by president of the Indian Federation of Working Journalists, Vikram Rao during a special meeting with journalists from the State by the sideline of the conference today.

New York based media lawyer Jonathan Donnellan spoke on international case laws about sedition, hate speech, sting operation and obscenity.

The roles and responsibilities of the Press Council of India were also deliberated today.

The two day conference which concluded today was organised by the Human Rights Law Network, New Delhi in collaboration with the Centre for Culture, Media and Governance, Jamia Milia Islamia, Indian federation of Working Journalists and the UNI Employees National Joint Action Council together with the support of the European Union.

Comment