IT’S a debatable question whether a pen can always fight against the bullets. Working in the trouble torn Northeast India is becoming increasingly unsafe for those who work without frontiers. In another shocking incident, before the old wound was healed, Anil Majumdar, editor of a prominent Assamese daily newspaper Aji, was brutally shot dead by unidentified gunman outside his house late night on March 25, in Assam’s main city of Guwahati. Majumdar had been campaigning for peace talks between the separatist United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) with the Central government.

In another shocking incident, on 17 November, Konsam Rishikanta, 22 sub-editor working for Imphal Free Press, was gunned down in the Langol area of Manipur’s Imphal West District, Till date, at least 20 editor-journalists have been killed in Assam of Northeast India during the last couple of years. Surprisingly, not enough a single perpetrator of these heinous crimes was brought to justice.

The decades of insurgency and frequent eruption of ethnic conflicts have brought a bad reputation to its 39 millions people in the entire north-eastern region. The mushrooming of militant organisations has made the lives of peace-loving people hell-like situation. An unofficial record indicates, more 120 militant groups operate in eight states with its based in Bangladesh as headquarter. The states of Assam and Manipur have the maximum number of insurgency groups.

In the last couple of years, number of new insurgent groups has been formed. This, in turn has definitely increased the frequency of the causality. According to the Ministry of Home affairs report, 2007, a total of 1,489 violent incidents have taken place in the region. The Centre of Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance, 2004, reveals that the myriad violent insurgencies have beset India’s North Eastern states for decades. Over 50,000 people have been killed since India’s independence in 1947. Large numbers of people have also been displaced by conflict. Whereas, in Assam, according its official data, the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) has killed more than 10,000 people over the past two decades.

Analytically, this record reminds us that the insurgent problems seem far from over. In fact, its reality it’s worst than ever what appears in media. Yet, the national media has turned a deaf ear on the region. Even today, hardly any news events get priority in the national media. There are some genuine reasons to it. First, the geographical isolation of the region. Second, the political insignificance. And third, the ethnic sensitivity of the region.

The journalists, as well as the media fraternity who have been trying to highlight the issue, are today, between the devil and the deep sea. The situation has either made their lives even more endangering than ever. Neither, they can unearth the facts nor leave the pens and paper. The Journalists’ Action Committee, Assam (JACA), All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union and Editors’ Forum have also launched series of protest demanding safety and security from the governments. Yet, no such effort has ever been initiated by the government. Neither the perpetrators have been brought to justice.

There is an urgent need for safety and security for the working journalists in the region. However, the insurgency issue cannot be solved unless; the state and Central government make genuine efforts. Till then, the question of peace and stability in the region does not arise. Yes, the truth cannot be told unless journalists are free to move, to talk with everyone involved and to see with their own eyes what is happening on the ground. And hence it remains sentinels of the society.