| Every state, religion and culture has their own good | | | | 'tribes' of African 'savages' mindlessly slaughtering |
| and bad phases. Greatness lies in the ability to accept | | | | each other as they had done from time immemorial.As |
| those and striving for better human values which are | | | | a result, there was little public pressure in the West for |
| worth to live on this earth.Ignorance is lack of | | | | governments to intervene. Earlier, Rwanda was totally |
| knowledge about a thing. Since no one has a | | | | ignored by the international media.Our unheard voice |
| monopoly on knowledge we are all ignorant in many | | | | needs to be carried by media, but not our internal, |
| respects. We may harbour exaggerated prejudices | | | | baseless and sentiments. Once media intervene, it will |
| about each other initially but through dialogue I hope we | | | | pull longer without a resolution. They might get their |
| can dispel our ignorance on what we are missing for a | | | | circulation rises with lots of stories, but at our |
| long time.Unfortunately, it was this ignorance about its | | | | costs.Producing ethnicity and separatist kind of stories |
| own fraternity from hills that the majority valley | | | | with burning leads could not educate anything the |
| populations look down and do not care them, just on a | | | | readers except producing disharmony and disunity in |
| mere rumour. A rumour that was spread like some | | | | our multicultural society.In the West, print media can |
| forest fire!The media plays it; the Indian official will | | | | publish whatever it likes. The 9/11 and post-9/11, |
| never succeed to educate its mainland people where | | | | on-going human tragedies in US, Europe and other |
| is Manipur and who are Meiteis, Naga, Kuki and Pangal. | | | | parts of the world have been covered by some |
| Lack of imparting education has caused the identity | | | | mainstream media in such a fashion that it directly hit |
| issue now. More serious matter is they are focussing | | | | the sentiments of the local communities.The |
| on the internal misunderstanding within us through ugly | | | | commercialised media, today, can entertain masses |
| media.One of my business associates from Singapore | | | | and simultaneously gain remarkable profits on their |
| asked me unknowingly, "Have you taken the land from | | | | products, which may attract majority in the first place. |
| Nagas? Why are they demanding land from your | | | | However, whether these stories would promote |
| state?" What a surprised query! If that was asked by | | | | harmony and solidarity in the multicultural Manipur state |
| someone else, the reply would be a tight slap on his | | | | is the most important question of the day, for every |
| face. But the fault is with our media. I don't want to | | | | Manipuris.I hate seeing the footage or any news on |
| point out who these media guys are- Indians, Meities or | | | | Manipur and its internal issue. There was an article in |
| Nagas?Everyday killings, tortures, inhuman custodian | | | | the HT-Delhi edition on certain rally by some Naga |
| death and human rights violation are a far cry to | | | | organisations in Delhi.For me it is a disturbing, burning |
| normal world. No one is informed of our daily struggles, | | | | and agitating material, which I believe would have |
| but Nagalim issue is like a hot cake.For decades, these | | | | agitated unaccountable Meities readers against Nagas |
| media neglected the true struggle from a small part of | | | | and equally feared many liberal Nagas who love |
| the world. Surprisingly, the issue is known by a | | | | peace like good Christian!The media must play an |
| chai-wala in the capital too. They don't know where | | | | important role in understanding complex issues on |
| the state is, but they talk of Nagalim as their cup of | | | | national and international politics. It is also a responsibility |
| tea. Whose fault, our barking media!It would be more | | | | of the media to consider the implication of every story |
| encouraging, instead of highlighting sentimental issues, if | | | | published on people's mind not just the selling |
| our media try to spread message of our poverty, | | | | parameters.Media has its own strength of creating |
| financial crunch, untapped potential and our futures. | | | | public opinion and to change public perception on critical |
| Simply writing about Nagalim and the struggles is not | | | | issues. This is the time where our media should feel |
| the solution.Don't focus too much on such issues; keep | | | | more responsibility and promote peace, harmony and |
| on ignoring as has been done to our struggles since | | | | unity in our society. This is the time when media, |
| past 40 years. It will be our fault if we invite fox into | | | | following the basic rules of journalism, can play a vital |
| our backyard, only to find all hens missing. Who knows | | | | role to maintain unity, integrity and harmony in our |
| we suffer more than we are now, due to invading | | | | society and guide the people on the issues of sensitive |
| armies in the name of peacekeeping our region.Today | | | | nature.This is the time when writers, intellectuals and |
| the tension between India and Pakistan is widening. | | | | journalists should be extra careful while documenting |
| The reason being media keeps people from these two | | | | their stories to avoid curiosity and uncertainty in the |
| nations in ignorance and dark. People must keep | | | | society. Media has the capacity to shape public opinion |
| gathering the information these media feed them.When | | | | and perceptions, and this devolves a great |
| the genocide came in Rwanda, the erratic media | | | | responsibility on the media professionals.Mohen |
| coverage largely conveyed the false notion of two | | | | Naorem is a journalist from India. |