Dimapur, October 16 (MExN): In an environment of increasing intimidation of the press, newspapers in Nagaland urged all sections of society to enable a “free and vibrant” fourth pillar of democracy.
A free press is a “means to publicly confront all forms of political, economic and social suppression,” maintained seven Nagaland newspapers in a joint statement issued today. These include Nagaland Page, Capi, Nagaland Post, Ao Milen, Eastern Mirror, Tir Yimyim and The Morung Express.
The newspapers have resolved to “take a firm stand against all such attacks.”
Harassment and threat
In the process of upholding its responsibility, the press in Nagaland “continues to be exposed to ongoing harassment and threats by individuals and organizations that coerce the media to publish their articles and statements,” noted the statement.
Simultaneously, the newspapers exposed that “there are people who take it upon themselves to determine what the media cannot publish. This also involves dissuading and threatening journalists and media houses from reporting critical stories that expose ground realities of Nagaland’s situation and condition.”
The Nagaland newspapers termed such methods as “grave threat where journalists’ lives and livelihoods become endangered as soft targets while performing their duties without security.”
In addition to journalists, non working journalists such as drivers and hawkers also face regular threats while delivering newspapers.
“Such coercive methods only undermine the very purpose and existence for a free press and its role of keeping society informed, and contributing to its health and vibrancy,” maintained the newspapers.
Enable accountability
Affirming that newspapers have a responsibility to “enable accountability,” the statement also observed that newspapers“provide the platform where solutions, ideas and views are elicited from all cross sections of society.”
“A free press is fundamental to a democratic society and intrinsically linked to freedom of expression which is a universal human right. It is journalists, through their day-to-day work, who are exercising every citizen’s right to free speech by seeking and circulating news, information, ideas, opinions, perspectives and comments. The press provides the public platform for diverse voices to be heard and to raise issues of accountability,” the newspapers’ statement maintained.
Nagaland’s newspapers will remain “united and resolute,” they stated, in their “stand against all coercions and threats in order to function freely as the fourth pillar of a democratic society.”
They reminded that “Every citizen is responsible to ensure that the media is allowed to function freely.”
