Haflong, 5th May 2022 : The Dima Hasao District Committee of Journalists Union of Assam (JUA) submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister of Assam on 3rdMay 2022, on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day with rest of the JUA in every district of Assam.
The copy was submitted to the Deputy Commissioner Smti. Nazreen Ahmed on May 5 in her office chamber at Haflong.
The Union is demanding : (1) Enactment of a special law for protection of journalists in line with Maharashtra by the state. (2) Ensure safety and security of journalists in the state. (3) Government and the media houses must provide a decent and sustainable amount of salary which has direct bearing on press freedom. (4) Raise the pension amount for journalists from present Rs8000 to 25000 ( Arunachal Pradesh government has already enounced Rs 25000as pension amount to journalists). (5) All committees formed by the government for welfare and other purposes including the press accreditation committee should have representative of all the registered journalists bodies of the state. (6)The state government should publish the status of investigation of all the slain journalists and ensure justice to the families of the journalists killed since 1980 in the state without further delay.
The memorandum was submitted by the President Surjyo Thaosen, Vice President L.K. Hengna, Secretary Nirmal Singh and members like Sivan Nath, Biplob Deb and Prasanta Dutta.
The DC held discussion with the representatives of the Union about the memorandum and other media related matters.
The representatives also disclosed to the DC that DHJU is only the Dima Hasao District Committee of JUA and their demands are common to District Committees of JUA in Assam.
They said that the professional Journalists of Haflong have their own body with its name and style ‘Haflong Press Club’ since many years back. Only professional Journalists working in mainstream media are accepted as member in ‘Haflong Press Club’.
The Club present President is L.K. Hengna, Vice President Surjyo Thaosen and Samsul Alam, General Secretary Pankaj Deb, Asstt. GS Nirmal Singh, Treasurer Prasanta Dutta, members like Ex-GS Biplob Deb, Sivan Nath, and few others.
The memorandum mentioned that United Nations General Assembly declared May 3 to be World Press Freedom Day or just World Press Day, observed to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression enshrined under Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and marking the anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration, a statement of free press principles put together by African newspaper journalists in Windhoek in 1991.
The memorandum also said that UNESCO also marks World Press Freedom Day each year by bringing together media professionals, press freedom organisations and UN agencies to assess the state of press freedom worldwide and discuss solutions for addressing challenges.
The memorandum, further, stated that Journalists Union of Assam (JUA), an affiliate of Indian Journalists Union (IJU) observed the World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) every year to create awareness about importance of free press and to sensitize the government and all other stakeholders for upholding of press freedom in the state.
On the occasion, they raise the mentioned issues that needs immediate attention and action of the government, they added in the memorandum.
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