Media houses in Manipur cease work

Imphal: Media houses in Manipur ceased their daily work on Friday and took up protest condemning the burning of press materials in Kangpokpi district by unknown armed miscreants on Wednesday.

Jouranists under the aegis of the All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union (AMWJU) and Editors Guild, Manipur (EGM) gathered at Manipur Press Club in Imphal and staged a sit-in.

Raj Nongthombam, vice-president of AMWJU, emphasized that the arson attack is not merely vandalism but a direct assault on the fourth estate. He stressed that newsprint, as a fundamental component of newspapers, represents the voice of the people, and any attack on it is an attack on democracy itself.

Journalists expressed grave concern over the safety of essential press materials during transportation.

Protestors demonstrated the sit-in with slogans “End violence against press”, “Defend the press, defend democracy”, “Book the culprits”, etc.