Imphal, August 09: The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has conveyed deep concern over the adverse situation for journalists in the Indian state of Manipur, with the situation turning worse in the past few weeks.

By all credible accounts, this has happened on account both of militant groups operating in Manipur and retaliatory action by state authorities, noted IFJ.

"We believe that both sides have chosen the wrong target", said IFJ Asia Pacific Director Jacqueline Park.

Quoting reports received from the Indian Journalists' Union (IJU), an IFJ affiliate, it took strong exception to the Manipur State Government imposing new restrictions on the local media, particularly on reporting the activities of armed insurgent groups in the State.

The IFJ also took serious note of the order issued by the Home Department of Manipur under which any material, printed or electronically encoded, would be forfeited, if believed to contain anything connected to underground or subversive groups.

Once the notice of forfeiture is issued, the police can seize any copy of the publication in question, and under warrant issued by a Magistrate, enter upon and search any premises for the same, remarked IFJ.

"These powers reserved for the police authorities would stifle any notion of media freedom", said Park.

"More alarming though, is the notion that the State authorities can legitimately respond to the intimidation of the media by armed insurgent groups, with threats of their own".

The IFJ also condemned the July 31 incident in Imphal, when a newspaper office received a live mortar shell-gift, wrapped, as a warning to stay away from reportage on certain factions of the armed insurgent groups in the State.

"We fully endorse the action taken by local newspaper staff to strike work in protest against this act of intimidation", said Park.

The IFJ further called upon the militant group concerned to respond to the demand by the community of journalists, and stop targeting the media.

Quoting reports, the IFJ asserted that various militant groups have been sending press releases to newspaper offices, demanding that they be published.

"In this manner", said Park, "the armed confrontation between various militant groups is being played out in the newsrooms of the Manipur media".

The IFJ called upon the Chief Minister of the Indian state of Manipur, to increase the security patrols in the vicinity of media offices, as he has committed himself to doing so.

The IFJ also endorsed the call made by its affiliate, the IJU, that the media in Manipur and the rest of India, refrain from the celebratory reporting of political violence.

The IFJ asserted that the Press Council of India has established reasonable guidelines on reporting situations of armed conflict.

Yet, the problems in Manipur are recognisably of a different character, since armed insurgency affects every sphere of life and society in the state.

"For this reason, a blanket ban on the coverage of militancy in the State would amount to a serious abridgment of the public right to know", said Park.

The powers of search and seizure that the Manipur Government has assumed, will seriously impede the professional community of journalists in the performance of their fundamental tasks.

The IFJ endorsed the IJU's demand that the Manipur State Government withdraw its recent order and build an ambience where media freedom is respected by all.

The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 114 countries, it added.

Comment