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North East scribes pay the ultimate price

IMPHAL: Journalists in the insurgency-affected north-eastern region in general and Manipur in particular have always been hemmed in by the insensitive policies of the governments and the militants, who say that their mostly anti-national propaganda should be published verbatim on the front page.

Journalists who refuse to toe the line have been killed. In Manipur alone, five journalists have been gunned down. The latest victim is Konsam Rishikanta, a 25-year-old sub-editor of the English newspaper The Imphal Free Press, abducted to a deserted hillock after being blindfolded and then shot dead on November 17.

In a memorandum to Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, who also holds the Home portfolio, the All-Manipur Working Journalists’ Union (AMWJU) said the needle of suspicion pointed to State forces. The number of journalists who had survived attempts on their lives is legion.

Manipur is the first State where two journalists were detained under the National Security Act. The extent of harassment can be gauged from the way Naorem Birendrakumar, Editor of the Paojel, a vernacular newspaper, was arrested for publishing a one-paragraph report on the rise in rice price.

The AMWJU demanded that Rishikanta’s killers be brought to book. From November 18, newspaper offices were closed as editors and journalists went on an indefinite strike demanding the arrest of of the murderers. They suspect that Rishikanta was killed to silence him as he was on to something big.

However, there is no response from the State government, notwithstanding the fact that all newspapers have suspended publication.

The sit-in by the scribes everyday is being ignored by the government. The police have not made any investigation into the killing.

R.K. Sanatomba, Editor of the Kangla Lanpung, a monthly journal, was the first victim. S.A. Lalhrou, Editor of The Shan, a tribal-dialect newspaper, was also killed.

T. Brajamani, Editor of The Manipur News, an English newspaper, was also gunned down. Y. Megha, a TV journalist was also shot dead by unidentified gunmen. Chingkhalian, Editor of The Manipur Express, a tribal-dialect newspaper, survived a fusillade of bullets on his car in Churachandpur.

Ratan Luwangcha, Editor of Hueiyen Lanpao, a Manipuri newspaper, survived an attempt on his life. After pumping in two bullets, he was left for dead.

The Chief Minister and the Opposition members are maintaining silence over the latest killing.

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