“During the ethnic violence, Journalists of Manipur wrote one-sided reports,” said a fact-finding report issued by the Editors Guild of India on Saturday. “In normal circumstances, they would be cross-checked and monitored by their editors or Chiefs of Bureaus from the local administration, police and security forces. However, this was not possible during the conflict,” the EGI said.
The EGI’s findings pointed out that Manipur’s media appeared to have collectively taken on the role of ‘Meitei media’ during the conflict, promoting a common narrative that favored the Meiteis.
In addition to being biased, the report alleged that these media outlets vilified the security forces, particularly the Assam Rifles, and engaged in “constant propaganda” against them.
The report further highlighted that the state government indirectly supported this vilification by allowing Manipur Police to file a First Information Report (FIR) against the Assam Rifles, suggesting a lack of coordination within the state or a deliberate action.
The report also suggested that the internet ban made matters worse because the media had to rely almost entirely on the state government’s narrative. It alleged that under the N Biren Singh dispensation, the media was playing up to the biases of the majority Meitei community.
“The State made a mistake in banning the internet,” it said, adding that an internet ban only feeds rumors and blocks the views of the disadvantaged community.
To address this issue, the EGI recommended that the state exercise caution when imposing internet bans and ensure that news platforms are exempt from such restrictions. It proposed the formation of a committee comprising media representatives, civil society organizations, and government representatives to monitor the ban and its duration.
Regarding the role of Meira Paibis, the EGI found that they had become “cheerleaders of the violent mobs attacking Kuki homes” since the latest ethnic clashes began in Manipur. “Video clips where Meira Paibis have urged the youth to rape and molest Kuki women have surfaced,” the EGI noted.
The report revealed that many valley-based newspapers had correspondents in hill areas, but due to the internet suspension, these reporters couldn’t transmit their reports. “Later, perhaps due to significant anger, Kuki and other tribal journalists chose not to contribute to any Meitei publications,” the report stated.
One reporter from the hills reportedly told the EGI team that even when he was able to send in his reports, they were “used selectively” by his Imphal-based newspaper. For these reasons, the ground reporting from the districts in Churachandpur, Kangpokpi and Tengnoupal disappeared.
An executive editor of a local English daily explained that the hill reporters were mostly untrained, and even before the violence, their reports required extensive editing and rewriting. Whether this became a reason not to use the reports from the tribals or the hill districts remained unclear, the report said.