IJU Activities

March 9, 2003: Bihar Working Journalists Meeting

Bihar Working Journalists Union held a state level conference on March 9, at Patna. Chief Minister Rabri Devi inagurated the conference. IJU President Suresh Akhouri and RJD Chief Laloo Prasad Yadav addressed the conference. Several leading Journalists were felicitated on the ocassion. A seminar was also organised on that occasion. The topic was "Role of Media in the development of Bihar".

October 10, 2002: Journalists Union of Meghalaya Meeting

On October 10, 2002, IJU President addressed a meeting of Journalists Union of Meghalaya (JUM) at Shillong. Mr. D. L. Siangshai, JUM President presided. The participant complained that neither the employers nor the state government was enforcing any labour law of the country in the state. A memorandum was also submitted to the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, regarding the demands and grievances.

October 8, 2002: Journalists Union of Assam Seminar

On October 8, 2002, Journalists Union of Assam (JUA) held a seminar at Guwahati on "The problems of North East and the role of Media". It was inaugurated by Mr. Prithvi Majhi, Speaker Assam assembly and addressed by Justice K. Jayachandra Reddy, IJU President Akhouri, Secretary Geetartha PAthak and JUA General Secretary Sukhendu Bhattacharya. All the Speakers called upon the press to highlight the problems of people of North East.

September 22-24, 2002: IFJ Workshop at Kathmandu

International Federation of Journalists organized a workshop at Kathmandu in Nepal from September 22-24, 2002, on "Building Union capacity for Human rights and conflict reporting in South Asia". Mr. Gouri Shankar Acharya, Vice-President IJU and Mr. D. Amar, President (APUWJ) attended the workshop on behalf of IJU. The workshop adopted a plan of action for journalists and media organisations in South Asia.

September 18, 2002: 30th State Conference of APUWJ at Ongole

The two-day conference held on September 14 and 15 presided over by APUWJ President D. Amar. Both Com. Amar and the newly elected General Secretary of APUWJ, A. Anjaneyulu explained in details the problems faced by the journalists in the State.

Inagurating the 30th State Conference of APUWJ at Ongole on September 14, 2002, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandarbabu Naidu strongly supported the IJU's stand against allowing foreign direct investment (FDI) in the print media. He was responding to an appeal made earlier by IJU President Suresh Akhouri for his support to the Union's demand for the withdrawal of the Union Government move to allow FDI in the print media since it would go against the national interest.

August 31, 2002: Sixth State Conference of the Tamil Nadu Union of Journalists

On August 31, 2002 the Tamil Nadu Union of Journalists (TUJ) held its sixth State conference at Rajaji hal in Chennai. The one day conference was presided over by Mr. D. S. Ravindra Doss, President TUJ. The conference was also addressed by Tamil Nadu assembly speaker Mr. Kalimuthu, state information minister Mr. K. K. Balasubrayanain and Mr. D. Raja, Secretary Communist Party of India. IJU Vice-President Gouri Shankar Acharaya, Secretary Madan Singh and NEC member Prem Nath Bhargava also addressed the conference. Mr. Ganga Sagar Rai (IJU NEC member) and Bihar Working Journalists Union General Secretary Amar Mohan Prasad also attended the conference.

Addressing the conference IJU President Suresh Akhouri expressed concern over non implementation of the wage board awards in many states and regretted that most state governments had failed to set-up tripartite committees to monitor the implementation of the awards. Thus, he said it was making it incumbent upon the IJU to launch struggle for the implementation of the awards in these states.