GUWAHATI, India: Indian police in Manipur state have filed criminal charges against four journalists, accusing them of misrepresenting facts in a report about the violent clashes between two ethnic groups earlier this year.
The four were senior journalists working on a report for the Editors Guild of India that was seeking to assess how coverage of violence in the state was being conducted.
The report, which was released this month, stated that there “are clear indications that the leadership of the state became partisan during the conflict.”
The chief minister of Manipur, N. Biren Singh, on Monday accused the journalists of trying to “provoke clashes” with the report.
The journalists — Seema Mustafa who is president of the Editors Guild, Seema Guha, Bharat Bhushan and Sanjay Kapoor — could not be immediately reached for comment. The guild did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Press Club of India, based in New Delhi, demanded that the charges be withdrawn, saying, “this is a strong arm tactic by the state government which amounts to intimidation of the apex media body of the country.”
At least 180 people have been killed in Manipur after deadly ethnic violence broke out in May between members of the majority Meitei ethnic group and minority Kuki community over the sharing of economic benefits and quotas.
Meiteis account for half of Manipur’s 3.2 million-strong population and extending limited affirmative action quotas to them would mean they would get a share in education and government jobs that have so far been reserved for Kukis and Nagas.
Federal forces were deployed to quell the unrest that forced tens of thousands to flee into neighboring states or refugee camps.
The report compiled by the journalists said that an Internet shutdown ordered in the state governed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) contributed to biased reporting by local media aligned with warring ethnic groups. Some local media groups have rejected the allegation.
This year, India has slid 11 places to rank 161st in the World Press Freedom Index, which is compiled by the non-profit group Reporters Without Borders. Modi’s government says India has a vibrant free press.
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights this week raised concern about reports of human rights violations in Manipur, describing them as tragic developments in a deteriorating situation for religious and ethnic minorities in India.
The UN statement comes ahead of a summit of G20 leaders in New Delhi that starts on Saturday.
India’s Manipur charges four journalists with misrepresenting violence in the state
https://arab.news/r7h4q
India’s Manipur charges four journalists with misrepresenting violence in the state
- Report blames state leadership of partisanship during conflict
- Manipur chief minister accuses journalists of trying to provoke clashes
Spotify and Dubai Culture sign MoU to support local talent development
DUBAI: Spotify and the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority signed a memorandum of understanding earlier this month aimed at supporting the growth of local musical talent.
The partnership will include the sharing of insights, data and analytics, as well as practical support to help UAE-based artists sustain and progress their careers, the organizations said.
As part of the MoU, Spotify and Dubai Culture will launch joint programs and develop a series of music-led projects focused on the emirate’s creative community.
Talent development is a core pillar of Dubai Culture’s work, said Her Excellency Hala Badri, director-general of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority.
She added: “In the music sector, this translates into sustained support that enables musicians to develop, produce, and continue their practice over time. The agreement with Spotify is part of our broader efforts to support artists and creatives at all career stages and to strengthen the professional foundations of the music sector in Dubai.”
For Spotify, the MoU is in line with existing initiatives such as the RADAR Arabia program and the Fresh Finds Arabia playlist, which highlight and support local emerging talent.
As a global hub connecting Asia, Africa and Europe, Dubai is playing an increasingly important role in the region’s music economy, said Gustav Gyllenhammar, senior vice president of markets and subscriptions at Spotify.
Through the collaboration with Dubai Culture, he added, Spotify is “helping build a stronger local music ecosystem, supporting discovery and helping music coming out of Dubai reach listeners around the world.”
