Woes of State scribes highlighted in IFJ Workshop
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, November 09 2014:
Aimed at fostering advocacy network and monitoring rights of journalists of the country, a two-day long Media Monitoring & Advocacy Workshop was organized by International Federation of Journalist (IFJ) with support from UN Democracy Fund (UNDEF) and Delhi Union of Journalists at YMCA Tourist Hotel, New Delhi from November 6 to 8 .
Various kinds of problem encountering journalists of the country like threat, harassment, imposition of dik-dats, murder, forceful expulsion etc from their media houses were also discussed threadbare during the workshop wherein a total of 24 journalists coming from different States including Bhutun, Jammu & Kashmir, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Assam and Manipur participated.
Several other impediments faced by journalist in performing their daily tasks of dissemination of information to the people from militarization and armed groups which in turn affect freedom of expression, mobility and rights of journalists were also minutely discussed during the workshop.
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On the first day of the workshop, journalists who have come down from different States recounted various problems faced by them in rendering their services in their respective areas.
Elangbam Babina, staff reporter of Hueiyen Lanpao who represented the State in the workshop highlighted grievances faced by journalists of the State mainly low salary and pressures exerted from State actors and non-State actors affecting freedom of expression and rights of the journalists.
Representing the State of Assam, Mamata Mishra, staff reporter of The Assam Tribune said that more than 20 journalists of the State have been killed in the last 20 years but unfortunately none of the case has received justice.
From the perspective of Jharkhand, a journalist who represented the State narrated that there have been instances where Maoists threaten journalists while recalling that a journalist named Jetendra was killed in 2013 .
The absence of governance in the State could be felt if one travels 10 km far away from any major city, the journalist said.
Sapna Tayem, staff reporter of Eastern Sky Media based in Arunachal Pradesh conceded that the State being inhabited by various ethnic tribes is a sensitive area when it comes to publication of news as a news story appreciated by a particular tribal group is most likely to be unlike by other tribal group.
Four journalists who represented Jammu & Kashmir admitted that journalists and people of the conflict-torn State faced harassment from security forces regularly.
During the workshop, all the 24 journalists in group wise were assigned with giving presentation on the topic 'Challenges of Journalism in Conflict Situations'.
Apart from holding group discussion, they were made to prepare report on the topic 'Violation of Journalists' rights' .
Renowned writer Sukumar Muralidharan who attended the workshop as resource person delivered lectures on relevant topics while Sujata Madhok, Gender Councilor of IFJ spoke on the topic 'Gender Based Challenges' in length.
Ujjawal Acharya, South Asia Coordinator of IFJ assisted the two-day long workshop.