(RSF/IFEX) – On 13 October 2002, armed men shot dead television journalist Yambem Meghajit Singh in Imphal, in the north-eastern state of Manipur. The killing came a few days after two other journalists were kidnapped by a separatist group. “We urge you to see to it that police have the means to find those responsible […]
(RSF/IFEX) – On 13 October 2002, armed men shot dead television journalist Yambem Meghajit Singh in Imphal, in the north-eastern state of Manipur. The killing came a few days after two other journalists were kidnapped by a separatist group.
“We urge you to see to it that police have the means to find those responsible and establish their motives,” RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard said in a letter to Manipur’s chief minister, Shri Okram Ibodi Singh. Ménard called on the chief minister to crack down on the wave of violence against journalists in the state. At least four journalists have been killed in Manipur in the last three years.
Singh, who worked on the audio-visual production company North East Vision’s weekly programme, was killed after being tortured by armed men. He was found with his hands tied behind his back and his body was covered with bruises. Colleagues suspect that one of the region’s separatist groups killed Singh, who also ran a shop selling semi-precious stones and was involved in the student movement.
The president of the Manipur Electronic Media Journalists’ Union told RSF that Singh, who was also the union’s vice-president, had criticised separatist groups and local politicians on his programme and had also planned to investigate corruption in the state.
His murder came five days after the kidnapping of journalists Iboyama Laithangbam and Ymnam Arun, correspondents in Imphal for the daily newspaper “The Hindu” and the monthly “Eastern Panorama”, respectively. They had been on their way to the Manipur town of Moreh when they were abducted by members of the separatist United Kuki Liberation Front, who complained about the meagre coverage of their activities in the media. Both men were released three days later.
In addition, at least three media outlets, including the “Imphal Free Press”, received anonymous telephone calls asking them to attend a secret press conference outside Imphal on 15 October. No journalists turned up, but so far no reprisals have been taken against the media outlets.
