A city-based Assamese newspaper was recently trolled in social media for using a fake news-photograph to narrate the horrible story of Manipur in its front page of 19 June 2023 issue. The social media users slammed the acclaimed daily for using the photograph, lifted from a viral video clipping, with a completely different news-story.
The origin of news reporting was based on the video, where a young lady was seen repeatedly tortured on a roadside and finally shot down by a group of armed youths in camouflage attires. The daily reported the incident as being taking place in Manipur recently, where the victim (read a Kuki lady) was targeted by those aggressive youths (read Meitei armed group members). The unidentified reporter even compared the violent incident with those of Syria or Lebanon.
Needless to mention that Manipur continues to witness a series of violent incidents following the growing conflicts between the Meitei and Kuki ethnic groups. The tiny State remains in a volatile situation since 3 May last when the first visible incident of violence broke out at Churachandpur locality. It spread to other parts of Manipur very quickly and till date many people have lost their precious lives, properties damaged, and thousand families rendered homeless.
The situation turned tense since a section of Meitei people (mostly Hindu) started demanding the scheduled tribes (ST) status for them. Meanwhile, the Manipur High Court on 27 March directed the State government in Imphal to consider the ST status for Meiteis, who constitute nearly half of the State population. Mostly confined in Imphal valley, Meiteis are dominant in all sectors of Manipur like sports, literature, theatre, cinema, education and media.
The directive was strongly opposed by the Kuki people (mostly Christian), who apprehended that it would enable the socio-economically empowered Meiteis to buy land in the surrounding hilly areas. Otherwise, the Meiteis are not permitted to own land in hills, whereas the Kuki, Naga and other tribes can buy land in Imphal valley too. Kuki leaders argued that their people will be marginalised once the Meiteis enjoy the ST status as they are advanced in many folds than other ethnic groups.
As the State experienced unprecedented violence for weeks, the central security forces have been deployed in various sensitive localities. Appeals have been made to maintain peace and tranquility across Manipur. Lately, the Rashtreeya Swayamsevak Sangh (ideologue of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party) has appealed for peace & harmony among various communities and also urged the government, police, military, central agencies to initiate steps for ensuring a seamless supply of relief materials to the displaced families.
Terming the Manipur situation as worrisome, RSS Sarkaryavah (general secretary) Dattatreya Hosabale in a media communique commented, “It is very unfortunate that the spate of unrest & violence that erupted among those who have been living a peaceful life with mutual harmony and co-operation for centuries has not stopped.” He added, the Sangh stands with the displaced persons and other victims of the Manipur crisis.
“RSS is of the considered opinion that there is no place for violence and hatred in a democratic setup, and also believes that the solution of any problem is possible only through mutual dialogue and expression of brotherhood in a peaceful atmosphere,” said Hosabale adding that it should be resolved by addressing the sense of insecurity & helplessness among the Meiteis and genuine concerns of the Kuki community simultaneously.
Amidst all troubles, the said Assamese daily found a fake news to seemingly propagate more hatred among the people of Manipur. The published news has otherwise no relation to Manipur (or India in general). It originated in Myanmar where a lady (later identified as a local teacher named Aye Mar Tun, 24) from Tamu locality of Sagaing region was killed for suspectedly being a secret military informer. The small video of her assassinaton even included sound bytes in Burmese language.
Myanmar’s influential media outlet Mizzima used the photograph a few months back with a news item relating to a statement of National League for Democracy (led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi) about its investigation on alleged execution of the military junta informer. The National Unity Government (of Myanmar) also decided to take strict action against any member of the people’s defence force (PDF) who were found guilty of killing the lady in the photograph.
Speaking to this correspondent from Yangon, Mizzima editor Soe Myint confirmed that the photograph was related to the viral video and it was published in his newspaper. He affirmed that the lady was a Burmese (not a Manipuri). The veteran Burmese journalist added that nobody from Assam media had earlier talked to him about the viral video, the particular photograph or the inherent content.
Facing the heat, the daily’s editor admitted that it was incorrectly used in his daily to depict the Manipur situation and he apologized for the mistake. But it’s amazing that a Guwahati-based newspaper has no source (be it the authority or media or common people) in its neighbouring State capital to authenticate the information. Had they taken it as granted for the Assamese readers to believe whatever they report ! Were they also remained indifferent to any flare-up of the situation because of the fake news.
