DIMAPUR, JULY 31 (MExN): The Kohima Press Club (KPC) has condemned the incident where two journalists from Nagaland Post where accosted by armed miscreants, robbed off their cash and belongings including mobile phones on Saturday night. In a statement, KPC President K.V.Nurumi and Vice-President Eric Machieo termed the incident as uncivilized in nature that should be condemned by all sections of the society. It expressed regret that though the media in the State functions under extreme duress with pressure from different sources, there are still some elements in the society that fail to understand the stress that media persons in the State undergo on a daily basis.
KPC has also questioned the motive behind the entire incident which involved a lady journalist, asking whether the miscreants had any pre-planned intentions to target the media or was it just a case of robbery. It however maintained that no amount of excuses can justify such an act which it termed is a direct challenge to the freedom of Press, committed by some ignorant and errant cadres of the faction as claimed by the perpetrators of the crime.
“This is not an isolated case of members of the fourth estate being targeted. There have been several incidents in the recent past where journalists have been targeted including by members of underground outfits but little or nothing has been done to ensure the security of the members of the Press community, particularly of the State, who continue to perform its duty in informing the people risking their very lives”, the KPC release stated.
KPC has therefore appealed to the law enforcing agencies in Dimapur to pursue the matter and book the culprits at the earliest and has also asked the State government to make serious efforts to ensure security to the media fraternity.
KPC has also questioned the motive behind the entire incident which involved a lady journalist, asking whether the miscreants had any pre-planned intentions to target the media or was it just a case of robbery. It however maintained that no amount of excuses can justify such an act which it termed is a direct challenge to the freedom of Press, committed by some ignorant and errant cadres of the faction as claimed by the perpetrators of the crime.
“This is not an isolated case of members of the fourth estate being targeted. There have been several incidents in the recent past where journalists have been targeted including by members of underground outfits but little or nothing has been done to ensure the security of the members of the Press community, particularly of the State, who continue to perform its duty in informing the people risking their very lives”, the KPC release stated.
KPC has therefore appealed to the law enforcing agencies in Dimapur to pursue the matter and book the culprits at the earliest and has also asked the State government to make serious efforts to ensure security to the media fraternity.
