Do you think the government was right to impose a media blackout on Sa’ada during the war?
NK: No. We recommended letting the media in. The media is always good in that it can give those who don’t have a voice a platform to speak from, and it can expose corruption. You have thousands of displaced people nobody was talking about. The government should have nothing to hide in that area. If there were some bad government practices, they should be exposed. But they were dealing with an armed rebellion, and that was unjustified. It is never justified to take arms against the government. We have been clear that the government has the right to meet force with force. But in terms of getting at the roots, and finding a long-term solution, the government should consider the media and civil society organizations as their allies—in the sense of exposing mistakes and suggesting solutions. They really need to move on from a limited agreement to a more comprehensive strategy. YO: Okay, before we wrap up, we have a few more whimsical questions for you, if you don’t mind. NK: Not at all. YO:
