KSO-CCP rebuts People Chronicle's malafide news story, urges to follow journalism ethics

The Kuki Students' Organisation, Churachandpur, categorically refuted the news item published by The People's Chronicle on Wednesday issue which reported that a gunfight occurred between Kuki-Zo insurgent groups, the news item found to be false and baseless.

In its press rebuttal on Wednesday, KSO accused the Imphal-based media houses of defying all ethics of journalism.

"Defying all ethics of journalism, time and again, the Imphal based media houses have been constantly engaged in disseminating fake information, at times publishing imaginative stories as news item," KSO stated.

Department of Information and Publicity, KSO, stated that the People’s Chronicle (Chronicle News Service), an Imphal-based English newspaper, on Wednesday published a news item under the headline- “8 Cadres feared killed in internecine gunfights,” which is unfounded and baseless as no report of gunfire has been ever reported among the Kuki insurgent groups.

The said newspaper in its publication reported that at least eight persons have been reportedly killed in a gun battle on Tuesday at Tuiringphaisen village under Churachandpur district. The publication further reported that the incident came close on the heels of the decision to lift the 60-day blockade along Imphal – Dimapur road (NH-2) by the armed United People’s Front (UPF) and Kuki National Organization (KNO) on Monday. The publication claimed that a gunfight was between the Kuki National Army (KNA) and the Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRA), wherein they claimed that 8 ZRA cadres lost their lives.

The Kuki Students’ Organization Churachandpur, however, rejected the news story and issued a clarification to the news item which it said was unfounded and totally false. KSO also alleged that the People's Chronicle deliberately published the false news with a malafide intent to mislead the innocent general public.

"The fact is that there was no report of any gunfight in the said area, as the area was manned by the tribal volunteers and no underground group engaged in SoO with the government has been involved in any gun battle. The Kuki-Zo tribal unity is intact and no force can disintegrate between them," KSO said.

The KSO, once again, reiterated that the Kuki insurgent groups are currently in their designated camps and have been constantly monitored by the Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) by the government. The leaders of the two groups have been currently engaged in political talks with the government.

The students' body requested the Imphal based media outlets to authenticate their sources before publishing in a public domain and to stop chronicling an imaginary event as news item, which is a suicidal to journalism ethics.

The KSO Churachandpur also reiterated that it would not remain a mute spectator to the divisive forces of the Imphal based media houses which have the intent to mislead the general public and disturb the tribal unity.