Scribes' protest rally over ultra harassment,no daily tomorrow

Imphal, Apr 18 (UNI) Scribes in Manipur today took out a silent rally demanding action against militants who were harassing them.

The rally, under the aegis of the All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU) and Editors' Forum, Manipur (EFM), was taken out from the Manipur Press Club towards the residence of the chief minister.

The journalists, wearing black badges, passed through several streets before converging at Mr O. Ibobi Singh's official residence.

They later submitted a memorandum to him demanding protection and ensuring a conducive working atmosphere.

They also informed the chief minister about the detention of six editors by cadres of Kangleipak Communist Party(city Meitei) to force publication of their press statements.

As a sign of protest, all editorials were left blank in today's editions. The journalists will not work today and hence there will be no publication of any paper tomorrow.

For the last few days, there had been tension among the media fraternity due to intense pressure from the militant group to publish their statements. To ensure that their diktat was carried out, the KCP detained six editors on April 16 night and released them after the statements were published yesterday. The editors were also threatened, the scribes maintained.

The militant group also banned an English daily for three months for not ''properly quoting'' their statement. The two media organisations condemned the ban and also demanded a white paper over the recent assault on a colleague by the KCP cadres.

UNI NS PL VD PC1601