Challenges of Reporting in Ethnic Violence

NOTEBOOK
The challenges of reporting on an ethnic conflict
The crisis in Manipur shows how journalism can become a casualty

VIJAITA SINGH,
In 2018, while covering an incident of communal violence in Uttar Pradesh, I

visited the house of one of the affected families. The building had been
ransacked and set on fire. It was clear that the family had rushed out before
a meal in fear: a plate of partly kneaded dough, half-cooked dal, and
chopped vegetables lay on their kitchen floor. There was also a religious
book. A neighbour accompanying me became agitated seeing the condition
of the book. Sensing that this situation may further aggravate tensions, I
pleaded with him to remain silent. Scores of angry people were standing
outside and any provocation had the potential to start another wave of
violence. He thankfully found merit in what I said. He picked up the book,
and we quietly left the place. Whatever be the situation, one of the thumb
rules in this profession is that we are first journalists; we cannot afford to let
religion or ethnicity cloud our judgement.
But this is an ideal, and the opposite often takes place. The ongoing ethnic
violence in Manipur has brought to the fore the disturbing trend of reporting
on ethnic lines. More than 100 people have been killed and thousands have
been displaced in the last 50 days. And just like the police, the press too is
deeply divided. An officer told me a few days ago that even two reporters
working for the same organisation could have different versions of the same
incident, depending on their ethnicity.
During a conflict, it often suits the government to suppress and censor

news. This is where journalists can play a key role by holding the
government accountable. But this is not what is happening in Manipur. If
you pick up a newspaper published from Imphal and another newspaper
published from a hill district, you will find that the news is often along
community lines. There are exaggerated claims by both sides.
It is too simplistic to blame the journalists without factoring in the dangers

faced by them. A crowd gathered outside the residence of The Hindu
correspondent in Imphal after a news report about the killing of nine people
in Imphal East was published on the front page of the newspaper on June
15. The locals were angry as they did not agree with the facts presented in
the report. The said reporter had not provided inputs surrounding the
killings, but he had provided additional details on curfew timings and
protests, which is why the report carried his byline. The report also carried
my byline as I had provided inputs about the killings after checking the
veracity of the information with multiple sources.
After the crowd gathered in front of his house, the reporter clarified he had
nothing to do with some parts of the report, which were written by me. The
incident highlighted the immense pressure faced by reporters on the
ground. This week, a TV journalist from a Delhi-based news channel was
assaulted at the government-run media centre in Imphal. Imphal-based
journalists say the scale of violence in the hill districts can never be known
as reporters don’t dare go there.
The political establishment has failed to assuage the situation or protect

press freedom. Home Minister Amit Shah visited Manipur from May 29 to
June 1. On the last day of his visit, he addressed a press conference in
Imphal. It was quite telling that there was not a single journalist from the hill
district at the conference, for travelling to Imphal would have been a matter
of life and death for them. Chief Minister N. Biren Singh did not accompany
Mr. Shah when the Home Minister visited the hill districts.
Those reporting on the issue from other parts of country are labelled
‘parachute journalists’. It is said that they don’t understand the State and
have no knowledge of its history and culture. They are sometimes accused
of pecuniary benefits. Despite these challenges, there is only one way
forward: to keep reporting and verifying information.

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NOTEBOOK

The challenges of reporting on an ethnic conflict

The crisis in Manipur shows how journalism can become a casualty

In 2018, while covering an incident of communal violence in Uttar Pradesh, I

During a conflict, it often suits the government to suppress and censor

It is too simplistic to blame the journalists without factoring in the dangers

The political establishment has failed to assuage the situation or protect

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