Clipped Wings

Newspaper offices in Manipur have come to resemble fortresses today. After weeks and months of agitation for fear of their lives from rival insurgent groups in the tense state, journalists have managed to get some levels of security from the Manipur government. The result is that newspaper offices now have turned into high security buildings with journalists finding it difficult to operate with any level of independence. Several have been killed, and many more have survived assassination attempts. There are several scribes who have received bullet injuries for doing little more than their job. All are terrified of taking calls, and rarely speak unless they are sure of the identity of the caller.

 

 Just recently, on August 12, unidentified persons lobbed grenades at the residence of the All Manipur Working Journalists Union President, Ahongsangbam Mobi Singh. Fortunately no one was hurt. But the threats continue as journalists literally face death for publishing, or not publishing a statement. The independence of the media, thus, is taking a hard knock with urgent need for remedial measures by the government.

 

In fact, similar pressures are being faced by all journalists working in conflict and tense areas in the north east, Jammu and Kashmir, and states like Chhatisgarh where the authorities are in direct confrontation with the Maoists. Scribes face threats on a daily basis as they are pressured to write “versions” and not the facts as they see it. The state too becomes an interested party in these areas and uses its authority to threaten and harass scribes who insist on following an independent line. It is thus imperative to ensure conditions where the press can thrive and flourish, and fulfil its role as an independent watch dog , more so in areas of tension and conflict.

 

To take the argument further, journalists across South Asia are under threat. In Pakistan they are being killed on an almost daily basis, and many working in the more sensitive provinces of that country are under constant threat. In Bangladesh, scribes have often felt the heat of political rivalries and find it difficult to toe an independent line without grave repercussions. In Nepal, the journalists have been facing rough days with the acute polarisation of parties and leaders having affected their autonomy in more ways than one. In Sri Lanka the government has declared an unofficial war against journalists who raise uncomfortable questions about the war against the LTTE, with several journalists whispering of state intimidation.

 

All in all, a rough and difficult situation for the growth of independent journalism in the region.3