IMPHAL, December 7: “The European Manipuri Association is shocked and concerned with the recent bomb blast at Hapta Kangjeibung, Imphal, a congested public area, killing an innocent rickshaw driver and injuring civilians on the fate full day of November 30” stated a press release of the European Manipuri Association.
It has further stated that EMA members are also anguished and deeply concerned at the lethargic and poor response from the emergency service to such an unfortunate incident. The manner, in which a grievously injured, nearly dead victim was handled by the security and the rescue team, choosing to question the victim instead of rushing him to the hospital, does not conform to the required standard of human dignity at all. This reflects the degradation of human values and respect of life in our society today, it added.
“We at EMA would like to see the government authorities, the local police and the hospital emergency departments to be the most responsible and highly professional teams who can execute their professional duty in the most considerate manner, in order to bring back respect from the community”.
It has further expressed its concern regarding the media coverage of the incident. A lot of our members have expressed a deep sense of revulsion and shock, looking at the picture of the badly mutilated and helpless victim.
“We feel that showing such gruesome images is not only insensitive to the families and dear ones of the victim but also to the viewers. As adults and responsible citizens of our society we have an obligation to not expose our children and young people to such disturbing images as it can have a long lasting psychological impact on them and their outlook to violence and crime” the release added.
The release has further appealed to the media fraternity to exercise utmost care and restrain while publishing disturbing images and to be more sensitive to the feelings of the families and loved ones of the victims.
It has further offered the EMA’s salute to all Manipuris who showed their resilience and further determination not to get swayed by the blast, but made the Sangai Festival a success and further added that the association shares the grief and pain of the bereaved family.