Reporters assaulted, media takes strong stand

    23-May-2023
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By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, May 22: The All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU), Editors’ Guild Manipur (EGM) and Manipur Hill Journalists' Union (MJHU) have strongly condemned security forces for assaulting three media persons at New Checkon in Imphal East today.
The media persons were covering an incident at New Checkon when they were assaulted by security forces, especially personnel of the Jat Regiment.
Meanwhile, the media bodies have submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister N Biren Singh and Security Advisor to the State Government demanding suspension of the security personnel involved in the assault within 48 hours.
"Jat Regiment personnel targeted the media men who were doing their legitimate duty and absolutely identifiable by the word PRESS embossed on their vests. At least three media persons including a member of AMWJU were beaten by the security. It is clear from the statement of the injured media persons and video recording by colleagues that the assault was not made in the heat of controlling mobs.
"The media persons who were covering the burning of a building from another nearby building were accused by the Jat Regiment of throwing stones at a drone allegedly used by the SF. This however is not true. The media persons were waving away at the drone as it had come too close to them and no stones were thrown at it. This notwithstanding, it is a gross violation of the right of media to cover an incident, when they are assaulted even after they have been identified as media person on duty," said the media bodies in the memorandum.
The three media organisations demanded suspension of the security person involved in the assault. "We are ready to share photos and videos for positive identification of the personnel involved," the bodies said.
In another incident, a media person was held by a 2 star officer of the Jat Regiment while his guard held him at gunpoint. The officer grabbed the mobile phone used by the journalists and deleted photos and videos taken by the media person.
Several RAP and Assam Rifles personnel also prevented many other media persons from covering the incident, the media fraternity said.
Demanding suspension of the security persons involved in the assault within 48 hours, the media fraternity cautioned that failure to deliver the demand will result in all media houses in Manipur boycotting all press releases, hand outs and press conferences related to the Central Paramilitary Forces and armed forces operating in Manipur.
The bodies also urged the Chief Minister and the Security Advisor to enable the media work normally without fear of being targeted.