March 23, 2006
Media encounters: Militants and State
-- Nava Thakuria
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"The media in Northeast India is opposing both insurgent and government
pressures."
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The media in Northeast India is opposing both insurgent and government
pressures. Two trouble torn states of the region, Asom and Manipur, have
witnessed strong responses by journalists against militants and state police
and security personnel.
While the media in Manipur is fighting against the Kangleipak Community Party
for its shooting of Manipuri journalist Ratan Luwangcha, their counterparts in
Asom have raised their voices against police atrocities on reporters in
different parts of the state criticising the banned United Liberation Front of
Asom (Ulfa) for its efforts to malign the late Assamese journalist Kamala
Saikia.
It all started with Freedom (1 February 2006 issue), the Ulfa mouthpiece which
described Mr Saikia as an �informer� for security forces and accused him of
being corrupt. Ulfa, which has been active since 1979, had killed the
journalist almost 15 years back. But its sudden attack in the middle of peace
negotiations with the Government of India and seeking to justify its action
raised eyebrows among journalists in Assam.
Late Mr Saikia was killed by Ulfa cadres on the night of 9 August 1991. The
65-year-old teacher-journalist was dragged out from his residence at Sivasagar
Melachawk in upper Assam and his body was recovered from a nearby location. He
had been brutally tortured before being killed. Ulfa leaders were angry with
him for a series of articles condemning the group for alleged misdemeanors and,
which were published in a number of prominent Assamese dailies. Though the
militants came to him time to time and asked him to stop writing against their
activities, Mr Saikia did not bow to their diktat.
A Guwahati based daily carried a news item in its 2 February issue with the
outfit's claim on Mr Saikia and the debate gained public domain. Challenging
Ulfa immediately, Ms Akashitora, a popular film personality of Assam and Mr
Saikia's daughter, asked the group to show its real face to the people of
Assam. "Calling my father as corrupt, the Ulfa leaders have tried to justify
their actions now. But do they have moral courage to explain to us, how many
corrupt people are being punished till date by Ulfa?" Akashitora asked.
Media persons in Asom also held a protest march to condemn the attack on two
journalists who had been covering the tragic Kakopathar incident of Tinsukia
district earlier this month, when crowd rage erupted after Army jawans picked
up a villager who later died in their custody.
Earlier a protest rally was held at the Dikhowmukh High School, founded by Mr
Saikia. The 2 February rally was attended by a number of distinguished figures
and the attack on Saikia was described as unfortunate and motivated. The
Sivsagar Press Club also organised a protest meeting on 5 February at Sivasagar
Natya Mandir. The Kamala Saikia Memorial Trust also condemned the unwarranted
allegation asking why "Ulfa (has) taken over 14 years to disclose that Saikia
was a spy and a corrupt teacher?"
Meanwhile, the journalists of Manipur have been agitating against the attack on
the Poknapham scribe Ratan Luwangcha on 9 February by cadres of Kangleipak
Communist Party (KCP). As the entire media fraternity of the state went on
agitation, no dailies hit the stand on 10 February. Ratan, who is also the
general secretary of All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU) is still
recovering and kept under tight security at the Shija Hospital at Imphal. The
KCP accused Ratan of being corrupt, as justification for the assault, a charge
which he strongly denied.
An SMS message against Ulfa which traveled the state rapidly declared: "Ulfa is
not Assam and we cannot let such elements decide the history of an individual
or of community. Is not it funny that those who speak of freedom, deny the same
to others?" �SAN-Feature Service
Nava Thakuria is a media activist based in Guwahati of Northeast India. E-mail
: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
