Manipur - State Of The Media
- Part 3 -

By:- Romeo Naorem *

Stop Press - Shooting the Messenger

When newspaper editors are sent a delicately gift-wrapped bomb as a threat not to pursue a certain kind of editorial policy, the media is no longer free. Assuming that all journalists, would emulate the likes of Daniel Pearl, and walk the rather sharp edge of danger would be an exaggeration.

In insurgent affected areas like Manipur, journalists have to play a fine balancing act and constantly flirt with danger, as militants either use the media as their propaganda machine or arm-twist them not to publish certain kinds of news and articles, even threats at times.

"Exclusive Interviews" of militant outfits by the national and international media is a popular trend these days as they get a chance to spread their propaganda to a vast milieu, with the visual medium proving to be very effective. Such journalists are not in any danger because militants want their news to filter out through these scribes. It is a publicity of a different kind.

The UGs start threatening and issue diktats on the media, only when senior editors and columnists, mostly of the regional media raise uncomfortable questions about the very notion of armed struggles, their outcomes, lack of accountability and transparency within their rank and file etc. Militancy is reducing the media either to a bashing board or a mouthpiece.

Militants have neither respect nor sensitivity for journalistic scruples. They want to get things done their way. For instance, it is fairly common for militants to dictate to media houses that their communiqué be carried out verbatim. Such communiqués could be so brazen as to even give out death threats through the Press to rival groups or to people who hold dissenting views.

There is no gainsaying that the militants' control over the media in Manipur is complete and overwhelming. Factionalism has been the bane of the armed outfits all these years; most of the times, it is these rival factions of militant organizations that have imposed regulations and improbable strictures on the local media, kidnapped or killed mediapersons, planted bombs in media offices and issued threats forcing distressed pressmen to strike work. In recent years, there have been several instances of merciless kneecapings, and killings of mediamen by these splinter groups.

On July 31, 2007, some militants planted a powerful bomb in the offices of the Manipuri and English editions of The Sangai Express, warning all local newspapers that had failed to publish a press release of the group. AMWJU (All Manipur Workung Journalists' Union)had incidentally passed a resolution not to entertain Press releases from the faction-ridden People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK).

Insurgents from one faction of PREPAK telephoned the editors with a stern warning that if they did not publish their Press releases all editors, journalists and other staff would be killed. To add to the mayhem, the rival faction informed the already shocked editors that they would face dire consequences if the Press releases of the other group are published.

In the best of times, media in the Northeast has functioned under fear. But the situation in Manipur in the past few years has been nothing but horrendous, with newspapers not being published for days, blank editorials and even abduction of some editors.

There have been cases where the publication stopped for around a month. According to Hijam Rajesh, editor of the English edition of Sangai Express, the problems with the government or even the insurgents are settled after talks, "but that is only after the damage has been done."

He further said, "We are soft targets as we travel at late nights. Another big problem is the threat to kill even the (newspaper) hawkers. We can't protect hawkers. Even the police can't." Sometimes the media houses get anonymous Press releases.

Rajesh has had such experiences. "It has happened to us also. If these are published, we are not able to verify the source afterwards. If not published, then we get threat. So news releases are screened thoroughly by newspapers before they are published," he added.

This media gag is likely to happen any time in the near future until and unless people or groups responsible for imposing their writs on the media realize their folly and mend their ways. The media cannot continue to be the punching bag of every sundry groups and organizations.

It is high time the (ir)responsible players stop employing muscle power to cow down the media; after all, such barbaric acts can only expose their ugly side to the international community, which in no way would help in espousing their cause. (Or do they really care about their cause?).

That power flows from the barrel of a gun is a truism, but the finger that holds the trigger should belong to someone who understands responsibility.

To be continued ....