Young drug user's identity compromised on TV?

[Guest guest]

Dear Members,

I would like to bring this media clip to your notice:

this story ran on NDTV and spotlights a young drug user who says he is 15 years

and is " clean for 1 month 7 days " . the programming header is Chhone do Aaman and

the intention may have been to give hope but there are issues that needs to be

addressed.

1. Drug users face serious scrutiny and harrasment from police and other

security personnel in Manipur and from community groups. When a 15 year old

boy's face is shown and his name given, would not that harm the boy?

2. the script says that one district (it is not specified) has 50 rehab centers

for boys less than 18 years and that this is true of other districts as well. I

may be ill informed but the entire state of Manipur does not have close to 50

rehab centers and my own experiece in the HIV/AIDS sector have only given me the

impression that rehab centers are for people over 18 years?

We need sensitive media portrayals, yes but we do not need misinformation.

I was contacted by the NDTV team for the stories before they came down to

Imphal. When I asked them to bring consent forms for the people to be featured

in their programs, they backed out from their communication with me. I hope the

people and agencies that helped this media team to do this story will bear

responsibility for any negative instances happening to the boy in the video.

Chitra Ahanthem

Imphal

e-mail: <chitrahanthem@...>

[Guest guest]

Chitra,

Re: /message/11825

The drug using communities really appreciated your kind concern in bringing up

such sensitivity. If the programme is of ethical concern as you mentioned, I

would like to put it up at an appropriate forum where we can expect justices and

also at the board meeting of ANPUD which is seeking to addresses the issues of

drug users in Asia Pacific Region.

Kindly response by eliciting the details to every one concern.

Thanks for your kind gesture for people who use drugs.

Regards,

Rajesh khongbantabam

e-mail: <secy_mandu@...>