Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, November 09 2008:
SAPAM ARUNA, a staff reporter of Naharolgee Thoudang has added another feather to the collective cap of women journalists in the state by bagging the prestigious first NK Sanajaoba Investigative Journalist award-2008 .
According to an official statement released by the NK Sanajaoba Memorial Trust, the award is being given to Aruna for her "clear depiction" of the atrocities committed on women in the state by the Army in the prevailing conflict situation in Manipur.
"Her well-researched features asks the readers the crucial question of how long will the women of Manipur continue to endure such unnamable and unimaginable tortures at the hands of the security forces, while also questioning whether it is not time yet to remove the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 which grants such kind of impunity to the army," the release stated.
The award which is to be given every two years was instituted in the memory of late NK Sanajaoba, former editor of the historical, Lamyanba journal, who made his mark in the field of investigative journalism in his times.
The award carries a citation and Rs.21,000/cash incentive.
It is to the credit of the fledgling group of women journalists in Manipur that most of the journalist awards awarded this year in the state are being won by them.
Ngaseppam Liklaileima of Sangai Express and Sorensangbam Sonia of Poknapham had received the state awards for reporting on women and child issues given by the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) Manipur on November 1 last.
Liklaileima, Irom Ashalata, formerly of Poknapham and Akoijam Sunita formerly of Imphal Free Press were also recipients of the RK Sanajaoba award for journalism at different points of time.