IMPHAL, Nov 21 � Manipur once again went without newspapers on Sunday following militants� threat on media persons here on what to print and what not to.
The threat came close on the heels of an emergency joint meeting of Editors and members of All Manipur Working Journalists� Union, an apex body of journalists in the State on Friday that resolved not to publish any news item/report of factions/groups of the proscribed Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) until a general body meeting of scribes on November 27.
The meeting also decided to appeal to all factions of the armed organisation not to exert pressure on the scribes on the issue, the statement added.
According to sources here one KCP faction wanted their statement to be published while the other faction objected to it. The factions are � KCP-Mobile Task Force Kesho Group and KCP-Mobile Task Force Sunil Group. Police sources claimed that there are around 10 factions of KCP.
More than a dozen dailies in English and local vernacular published in the State have been under pressure from various quarters and militants in particular.
So publishing views or counter-views, particularly from rival groups, often creates a catch 22 situation with scribes becoming the targets leading to muzzling of the freedom of the press. The State had witnessed a similar situation last month too.
