Imphal, Aug 23: Taking a serious note of the growing threat issued against the newspaper establishments and against journalists by an organisation which claimed that it is an armed outfit formed on April 14, 2000, the journalist fraternity of the State held a meeting today at the Manipur Press Club to discuss the situation.

The journalists in a joint statement said that it endorses the earlier stand not to publish the news item issued by the said organisation.

As all the newspapers had refused to publish the news item of the said organisation, the outfit had announced the imposition of a ban on some prominent newspapers besides issuing threats on some scribes.

Following the increasing threats and pressure on the journalists, the matter was highlighted to the DGP through written submission, but till date nothing concrete has been taken up, said the journalists during the meeting.

The meeting also took strong exception against the refusal of the Chief Minister to spare some time and listen to the predicaments of the journalist fraternity.

Taking the indifferent attitude of the Chief Minister into consideration, the journalists unanimously agreed that if any ugly incident takes place, the Chief Minister and the Government should be held responsible.

The meeting also decided to reject the feelers sent by some MLAs to meet the Chief Minister today.

However the journalists decided to lift the boycott of Government news from tomorrow.

Expressing deep concern over the present state of affairs, the meeting also noted the rising violent incidents in Imphal in recent times and wondered whether the threats issued on the media have anything to do with the rising crime graph.

Only last night, some persons in a Maruti van and a motor cycle came to the Manipur Press Club in the dead of the night to inquire about some senior journalists.

The strangers had their faces masked.

That the masked strangers could move around so freely in Imphal area even amid the tight security arrangements due to the arrival of the American Consul General, is strange, noted the journalists and added that the hands of vested interest parties to incite violence and pave the way for the re-imposition of AFSPA in the Imphal Municipal Council area cannot be written off.

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