The reactions to his deportation have highlighted a number of interesting points. It exemplified the reality that race/nationality/or passport matters in today’s media.
Three days prior to Adam’s deportation, journalist Saeed Thabit Saeed sent a letter of complaint to the minister of interior, which he then published on Facebook. In it, he accused passport control, and later national security, of maintaining and using the same “black list” that Saleh’s government previously used against journalists and activists. Saeed explained that he is often interrogated or detained at the airport upon arrival or departure from Sana’a. His passport was confiscated that day, and after some phone calls were made he was finally able to enter his own country.
Saeed is not the first journalist to complain of such harassment. A number of local journalists have been targets of intimidation tactics, violence, imprisonment and abuse. According to a March 2014 report by Reporters without Borders,
"Two years after Abd Rab Mansour Hadi became president, the situation of freedom of information in Yemen continues to be very worrying, especially as regards violence against media personnel.”
While it is very important that Adam’s deportation made headline news, it is as important to speak out against the numerous attacks on local citizens. The last two years witnessed numerous violations including, the murder of two young innocent boys, a military attack on a funeral service of members of the Southern Movement in a public school courtyard killing 15 people, a one-year jail sentence and fine of 100,000 Yemeni Riyals imposed on journalist Majed Karout, and continuation of patronage through the $11.3 million allocated to the Tribes’ Affairs Authority in the 2014 budget despite the rising poverty. Sadly, it was none of these events that made the international community question the practices of the current government. Why does it take a western journalists’ unfortunate deportation to make others see that “there might be something undemocratic” about this internationally supported government?
The second observation regarding Adam’s deportation is that while journalists have thankfully continued to unite in support of their colleagues, some have unfortunately used it as an opportunity to market themselves.
After announcing Adam’s deportation on twitter, a journalist was quick to immediately mention that there’s now “only one foreign journalist” officially in Yemen. Her tweet, taken out of context, implied to many that she was the only one left to report in the land of chaos. I’m not a stranger to the hardships of freelancing, as my husband was one for quite sometime, yet this is no excuse to use this inappropriate time to market oneself. In fact, if anyone had the right to over-hype the issue it was Adam, but he did not.
I will not go into the semantics of what defines “official” in the dictionary, and what defines “official” in Yemen; yet I will say that the documents needed for western journalists to operate in Yemen are the following: WHO KNOWS? Journalists have come to Yemen in a number of different ways. Yes, technically it could help if you have a journalism visa, but most of the time it is irrelevant. In fact, Adam Baron was deported even though he was “officially” working in Yemen.
Today, there are other journalists “officially” working or have worked in Yemen with very different residency papers/work permits. Some have a press card from the ministry of informaiton without a journalist visa, some are on a journalist visa, and others with neither.
Even the ones here without a press card work with the full knowledge of the Yemeni government, and in fact, many were officially registered as journalists during the 10-month National Dialogue Conference. In addition, they continue to be invited by government officials to attend “official” events. Even the journalists without proper documents have traveled all over the country, met and continue to meet with high level officials, and publish their work under their name.
This is obviously not an ideal way to operate, as the government could easily deport them using the excuse that they do not have a valid visa, which the government did in 2011 when it deported four western journalists. Then again, the government can deport anyone with no excuse such as the case of Adam. For this reason and many others, members of civil society and journalists continue to demand media reform in Yemen.
A third reflection is that it was curious how stressing “foreign” journalist based in Yemen was very important to distinguish one’s self from “local” as if it is necessarily correlated to credibility. Yes there is category of media professionals known as foreign correspondents, but majority of Western reporters in Yemen are not staff reporters. They are freelancers and work exactly like the local freelancers. In addition, there are Western journalists with Yemeni origins who are often not included in either the “foreign” or “local” journalist categories.
Foreign analysts and journalists should continue to travel and write about different countries including Yemen, as it can help provide a fresh perspective on things. Yet, their analysis should not be taken as the only credible voice in a country of 24 million people!
It is not the nationality that makes a journalist, but rather knowledge of the country, language skills, objectivity and professionalism. Whether the person is a foreign or local journalist should not be the basis for judging whether someone is a credible source.
It is important to remember the following: there are Yemeni journalists who report to international media, and Yemenis, like any other people, can also be credible, can also be objective, and can also relay the truth. Why are local journalists in the west credible enough to report their own news, while it is not the case in Yemen?
Finally, while it’s admirable that some journalists leave the luxuries of their homes to work in less comfortable societies, it is important to remember that this is entirely their choice, and they do get something in return. What you may wonder? Well, where else could a new freelancer meet the highest government officials only two weeks after their arrival? This of course helps boost their careers in addition to their reputation. Once someone lives in “dangerous” Yemen, he/she is automatically given the “brave” award.
So my dear journalist friends, with all due respect, I admire your passion and your hard work, but please don’t make us feel like you are doing us a favor by being here. Please give us the respect and spare us the brave altruistic hero persona. It is not a favor you are bestowing on us to be living here.
I realize some of my journalist friends might be upset with this post, but I am sure that those who know me well enough will know that my intention is merely to give another side to the hype of last week. While the government may not be friendly towards journalists, Yemeni people are. In fact, in almost every travel article, book or website, the one constant characteristic about Yemen is the description about the hospitable and friendly people of the country. Let us work together to show the world what Yemen is really about.
10 comments:
I certainly didn't take that journalist's Tweet as an attempt to market herself. More an expression of vulnerability.
I certainly didn't take that journalist's Tweet as an attempt to market herself. More an expression of vulnerability.
many thanks for your comment Dozival. Yes of course it's an expression of vulnerability. I am sure she was scared, stressed, and filled with various emotions. Her feelings are all valid and the government needs to reform the way it treats journalists. If she was deported i would've spoken against it, i would've def. stood by her side.
But my criticism was not only about this one tweet, rather about the many posts/tweets that numerously repeated the claim that she was the only "official" journalist left, and which unfortunately moved attention from the main case: Adam's deportation, to her situation. In addition, this was not the first time this journalists claimed she was the only journalist. In 2011 the same claim was falsly made.
This journalist has worked hard, she really didn't need this kind of self promotion. Her work can speak for itself.
Also, it's not simply about this one journalist, it's about the general way things are narrated/implied, and criticism of the self-centered approach which has beome unfortunately the most common form of journalism. We are living in the selfie era, afterall.
My intention here was not to call out someone simply for one tweet (trust me i'm too busy for that), but I merely wrote this to provoke a discussion on ethics of journalism.
Excellent, excellent article Atiaf! You are right on the spot! Thank God there´s journalists like you out there!
bookmarked!.
Regardless of any prior considerations, tt is needed(from a religious thus mortal perspective)to set a very (perhaps the heaviest)ethical and moral code for the practice of journalism....eventually, journalists.
As the accused here, who was never given an opportunity to defend themselves (if we're talking about 'ethics of journalism').
1) As Dozival mentioned that tweet was made with several intentions. One of those was an expression of vulnerability and the hope that through raising awareness of Adam's case - which I was asked to do hence all my tweeting about his deportation, not self-centred as wrongly assumed here - it might provide some safety net. i.e. by being very public it might prevent my own, at that point I was told very imminent, deportation. As it was I was correct in that assumption. Those with more influence than I saw that cry for help, offered it and took action to try and make sure I wasn't treated the same way as Adam and to rectify his situation. If he or I hadn't been in the country as accredited journalist they would not have been able to offer any help.
2) WomanfromYemen - you're wrong. I have NEVER claimed to be the only journalist in Yemen. I NEVER made that claim in 2011. If I did find it and show it to me. Because I was not the only journalist or the only accredited journalist in Yemen in 2011. If you're going to accuse me or lying you should have asked me yourself for a response to your false accusation.
The issue of official accreditation I've gone over many times. But I will do so again:
Contrary to your belief that it doesn't matter whether you're officially registered as a journalist or not the reason why I was speaking out while other were silent was because of exactly that. The issue was, and remains, that the Yemeni government makes it as difficult as possible, to the point of being almost impossible, to live full-time as a foreign - yes 'foreign' because we don't have Yemeni passports and we have to acquire a visa to get in the country - journalists. I have never said or implied that you're any more or less of a journalist because of the paper in your passport. But we play into the government's hands if we all continue to work illegally.
What official accreditation does give you is the firm ground to stand on if and when the government does choose to put you in jail or kick you out. As Tik Root found out 24 hours after Adam was deported: you haven't got a leg to stand on when you're on a tourist visa. In contrast your embassy can and should take action when a registered journalist is under threat of deportation without good reason. They can't do that if you're working illegally and the government is perfectly within its rights to kick anyone out working illegally.
3) I find it some what ironic when you say 'while the government may not be friendly towards journalists, Yemeni people are'. I agree with that statement wholeheartedly and have said so myself on many occasions in my reporting. However WomanfromYemen you have now made yourself an exception to that rule.
4) As a kind request: if you're going to repeatedly accuse me of lying you should check the facts first.
My only concern is the yemeni journalists and journalism. My only despise is only for the yemeni journalism and majority of the yemeni journalists.
I am yemeni by the way and I feel obliged to point out that since the so called "arab spring" yemeni journalism and journalists exhibited everything but morality and integrity.
Partially and generally speaking, I associate the decadence in the "modern" yemeni mind and eventually morality with the absence of right and proper convictions.
I despise the modernised yemenis including the modernised feminists!.
Merely speaking my mind!
There is not democracy without press freedom (although the authorities do not like). So fighting for freedom is also fighting for an open and plural press. The more eyes (whether or not they are foreigners) controlling the power, less corruption and authoritarism.
Nice post (and blog)
Yes i completely agree, press freedom is essential and we should all advocate for more press freedom.
I won't respond to the accusations set forth above, but i will respond to two things quickly:
1) for the reader, please note that at the time this post was written there were at least 4 accredited foreign journalists in Yemen with press cards. So this is a matter of fact checking.
2) i purposefully did not write the name of the journalist in the blog post b/c i didn't want it to come up when ppl googled her name, as there is of course more to her than just this post.
for all the rest of the questions, i'm happy to engage in a dialogue that is free from personal attacks and accusations. This should be a free space to discuss and to disgree without taking things personal.
all the best for everyone working towards freedom and change.
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