Media Ethics in Conflict: A Counter to Imphal Times Editorial

Counter Statement by KHALVONTAWI NEWS (Voice of the Voiceless)  

In response to Imphal Times’ editorial: “Hypocrisy in Protest – WCKCSOs must uphold principles of fairness and justice”

Media Must Inform, Not Inflame
The Imphal Times’ editorial, while couched in the language of fairness and justice, regrettably veers into a partisan critique that undermines the very principles it claims to uphold. By targeting the Working Committee of Kuki Civil Society Organisations (WCKCSOs) for alleged hypocrisy, the editorial not only misrepresents the intent behind their protest but also fails to meet the ethical standards expected of responsible journalism.

Media Ethics and the Duty of Balance
At the heart of media ethics lies a commitment to impartiality, accuracy, and contextual sensitivity. Newspapers are not tribunals; they are platforms for public discourse. When a daily publication takes sides—especially in a conflict as layered and volatile as the one in Manipur—it risks becoming a participant rather than a chronicler. The Imphal Times editorial, by framing WCKCSOs’ demands as selective and opportunistic, disregards the historical and humanitarian dimensions of their plea. This is not just editorial bias—it is editorial blindness.

The Kuki-Zo community’s call for lifting travel restrictions is not a political maneuver; it is a survival imperative. The blockade of National Highways and restricted mobility have real-world consequences: delayed medical aid, disrupted education, and economic strangulation. To dismiss these concerns as hypocritical is to trivialize suffering.

Context Matters: History, Marginalization, and Civil Advocacy
The editorial’s failure to acknowledge the systemic marginalization of the Kuki-Zo people is a glaring omission. Civil society organizations like WCKCSOs exist precisely because mainstream institutions have historically failed to protect minority rights. Their advocacy is not selective—it is strategic, born out of necessity and resilience. To demand that they simultaneously champion every community’s cause is to dilute their focus and ignore the lived realities of their constituents.

Moreover, the editorial’s comparison with Meitei-majority grievances, while valid in its own right, should not be used to delegitimize another community’s struggle. Equity does not mean uniformity; it means recognizing and responding to specific injustices with appropriate urgency.

The Role of Media in Conflict Zones
In regions fraught with ethnic tension, the media must tread carefully. It must amplify voices without echoing prejudices. It must critique power without punching down. The Imphal Times, by choosing to editorialize against WCKCSOs without engaging with their representatives or contextualizing their demands, has failed this test.

KHALVONTAWI NEWS stands for the voiceless—not just in rhetoric, but in practice. We believe that journalism must illuminate, not obscure; it must bridge divides, not deepen them. Our response is not a rebuttal for rebuttal’s sake—it is a call for introspection within the media fraternity.

Journalism as a Public Trust
The Imphal Times’ editorial, while invoking fairness, ironically exemplifies the very imbalance it critiques. Media houses must remember that their words carry weight, especially in fragile contexts. To editorialize without empathy is to editorialize without ethics.

We urge our fellow journalists to uphold the sanctity of the press—not by taking sides, but by giving space to all sides. Only then can we truly be the voice of the voiceless.

— KHALVONTAWI NEWS  —
Voice of the Voiceless

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