Journalists from the northeast write to PM, seek safety

New Delhi, Apr 7 : Alarmed at the rise in number of attacks on journalists working in northeastern India, the North East Media Forum (NEMF) has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ensure their safety in the region.

The NEMF, a group of journalists from the northeast working in the capital, pointed out in the letter that time and again scribes in the region have been targeted for carrying out their duties truthfully and fearlessly.

The letter to the prime minister said: ‘As you must be aware, media persons in the entire northeast work under highly-adverse conditions of low salaries, lack of insurance and risk of bodily injury by those whose misdeeds they expose through their writings.

‘As the head of the Indian state, we appeal to you to ensure that media personnel in the northeast can carry out their professional duties without fear of physical harm’.

The letter comes in the wake of the brutal killing of a journalist working for the Assamese daily Asomiya Pratidin, Mohammad Muslimuddin, April 1 in Nagaon district.

He was killed for allegedly reporting on instances of criminal-politician nexus in the area, the letter said.

‘Since 1987, about 20 media professionals have been killed in Assam and most of the cases have remained unsolved, putting a question mark on the so-called freedom of the press in the region,’ the letter said.

In Manipur, all media had stopped operations since March 21 following threats to four journalists from a faction of the banned People’s United Liberation Front (PULF).

The threat from PULF to abduct media persons had come with the demand that newspapers must overturn their decision not to publish PULF press releases.

IANS

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Teachers close down Naga varsity

Kohima, Apr 8 : Teachers of Nagaland University today forced the closure of all its three campuses in protest against the non-fulfilment of their charter of demands, including the recall of vice-chancellor K. Kannan.

The teachers said they had served several representations and ultimatums to the university authorities and the Centre. When their appeal failed to move the authorities, they were forced to close down academic activities on the Kohima, Lumami and Medziphema campuses.

Nagaland University Teachers’ Association president Rosemary Dzivichu said they would continue with their agitation till the vice-chancellor was removed and their other demands were met.

She charged Kannan with several irregularities in running the nascent Nagaland Central University. She also accused him of flouting rules and ordinances of the university with his autocratic style of functioning.

The association has been on a pen-down strike since March 18 which has hit the students hard.

The students have also launched an agitation, calling for immediate resumption of classes on the three campuses. They alleged that the impasse in the university since its inception in 1994 had crippled the institution and the government had remained a mute spectator.

Since the days of the first vice-chancellor, Yanger Ao, students and teachers have been protesting against the authorities for one reason or the other. The protests continued during the tenure of his successor, G.D. Sharma, and spilled into Kannan’s term.

Dzivichu said the teachers would not remain silent spectators to violations of the University Act and that of the basic rights and principles of the people.

Representatives of the association have met Governor K. Sankaranarayan and President Pratibha Patil, seeking an inquiry into the irregularities. Dzuvichu said Patil had asked the human resource development ministry to constitute an inquiry committee.

Kannan was not available for comment.

Telegraph India

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